Lav Diaz, the Philippine filmmaker known for his sprawling, meditative films on colonialism and religious trauma, is expanding his ambitious portfolio with two major projects while preparing to premiere a historical drama at Venice. The director revealed to Variety that he is developing both a film centered on false prophets and a screen adaptation of José Rizal's classic 1887 novel "Noli Me Tangere," one of the most significant works in Philippine literature.
Diaz's announcement arrives as his latest film, "Let Us Through, Dear Ancestors" (also titled "Makikiraan Po"), enters competition at the Venice Film Festival's Open section. The film examines the violent legacy of Spanish colonization in the Philippines, continuing Diaz's decade-long preoccupation with how colonial history shapes contemporary Filipino consciousness and spirituality.
The director's turn toward Rizal's work represents a major undertaking. "Noli Me Tangere" functions as the foundational text of Philippine nationalism, a sweeping novel that critiques the Catholic Church's complicity in Spanish colonial rule while following a young man's romantic entanglement and political awakening. Previous adaptations exist, including a 1930 silent film and a 1961 version directed by Gerardo de León, but Diaz's approach will likely deviate sharply from conventional literary adaptation. His films typically run between three and eight hours, employ long takes and minimal dialogue, and treat narrative as a vehicle for philosophical and historical reckoning rather than plot-driven entertainment.
The false prophets project suggests Diaz intends to continue excavating religion as a site of colonial manipulation. His earlier work, particularly "Death in the Land of Encantos" (2007) and "Season of the Devil" (2018), examines how spiritual authority becomes weaponized in marginalized communities. A film about false prophets would align naturally with these investigations, potentially tracing how messianic figures emerge within contexts of oppression and economic desperation.
Diaz has cultivated a substantial international reputation since his breakthrough with "Death in the Land of Encantos" at Berlin. His films have screened at major festivals and found distribution through niche theatrical circuits and art house venues. Venice's Open section, which operates outside the festival's main competition, offers him a prestigious platform without the competitive pressure of the main competition.
"Let Us Through, Dear Ancestors" marks Diaz's return to Venice after previous appearances. The film's title and focus on Spanish colonization suggest it continues his examinations of how historical trauma persists across generations, a thread visible throughout his body of work. Diaz's long-form cinema demands patience from audiences and curators alike, yet his consistent presence at major festivals demonstrates a genuine appetite for his uncompromising vision.
Both the Rizal adaptation and the false prophets film remain in development, with no production timelines announced. For Diaz, whose creative process moves deliberately and whose films emerge years apart, these projects represent long-term commitments to understanding how power, religion, and colonial history entangle within Philippine society. The Venice premiere provides an opportunity to assess how his most recent investigations into these themes resonate with international audiences.