Kino Lorber Nabs Sundance, Berlin Film ‘Filipinana’ for North America

Kino Lorber has secured North American distribution rights to “Filipinpiana,” the debut feature from Rafael Manuel that claimed the Special Jury Award for Creative Vision at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.

The surreal drama, executive produced by Chinese auteur Jia Zhangke, is set for its European bow at the Berlinale on Feb. 15 before Kino Lorber releases it theatrically in North America later this year. Digital, educational and home video releases will follow the theatrical run.

Karoliina Dwyer, Kino Lorber’s VP of acquisitions, negotiated the deal with Austin Kennedy of Magnify.

Manuel expanded the film from his 2020 award-winning short of the same title, serving as writer, director, producer and editor on the feature. The cast includes Jorrybell Agoto, Carmen Castellanos, Teroy Guzman, Carlitos Siguion-Reyna, Isabel Sicat and Nour Hooshmand.

Set against a backdrop of oppressive heat and drought, the narrative follows Isabel (Agoto), a 17-year-old Ilokana from the rural north who takes a job at an upscale country club outside Manila. Her duties include arranging golf balls for wealthy members to drive across manicured fairways. As the newcomer explores the facility’s pristine grounds, she encounters an array of elite patrons – an industrialist with his expatriate niece, the club’s president and his wife, Chinese tourists – all attended to by the club’s servile staff. When Isabel attempts to return a misplaced golf club to the club’s patriarchal director, Dr. Palanca (Guzman), she delves deeper into the resort’s restricted areas, uncovering dark realities about the institution, the Philippines and her own history.

“Kino Lorber brought Miguel Gomes’ ‘Tabu’ and Yorgos Lanthimos’ ‘Dogtooth’ to North American audiences. It’s an honor to collaborate with a distributor so deeply committed to bold, international cinema on Filipiñana,” said Manuel.

Kino Lorber chair and CEO Richard Lorber added: “‘Filipiñana’ is a cinematic miracle. I can’t find enough adjectives to praise it for embodying the future of art cinema. It’s an amalgamation of brilliant visual images, sound design, and choreography married with a poignant and potent, yet subtle, political statement. We couldn’t be more thrilled to introduce this stunning film to North American audiences.”

Film4 developed and co-financed the project, which is a Potocol, Ossian International, Epicmedia, Easy Riders Films and Idle Eye production. Producers are Jeremy Chua, Alex Polunin, Bianca Balbuena, Bradley Liew and Manuel. Co-producers are Sam Chua Weishi, Nadia Turincev and Omar El Kadi. Farhana Bhula executive produces for Film4, alongside Jia, Anthony C. Isais, Grace Mariel M. Isais, Maria Sophia Atayde-Marudo, Jossette C. Atayde, Sebastian Raeuber and Francine Raeuber.

Manuel, who splits his time between Amsterdam, London and Manila, won a Silver Bear at the Berlinale for his short film work, which has also screened at Locarno, IFFR and FIDMarseilles. His shorts have been exhibited by ARTE and the Criterion Collection. He was the final film protege at the Rolex Arts Initiative, where Jia served as his mentor.