Lav Diaz

Lav Diaz is a filmmaker from the Philippines and one of the most famous names on the international film festival circuit. Born in Datu Paglas, Maguindanao, Mindanao, Philippines, in 1958 and raised in Cotabato, Mindanao, he is a director, writer, producer, editor, cinematographer, poet, composer, production designer and actor. 

He is also famous for the notable length of his films, some of which run for up to 11 hours. He has directed films since 1998’s The Criminal of Barrio Concepcion. His breakthrough film was 2013’s Norte, The End of History, which is a reimagining of Crime and Punishment that was selected for Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival. His works have won prizes from Berlin, Locarno and Cinemanila film festivals and three major prizes from the Venice International Film Festival, Orizzonti Best Film for Melancholia (2008), the Golden Lion for The Woman Who Left (2016) and most recently, Orizzonti Best Director for Genus, Pan (2020). He received his first APSA nomination in 2019 for The Halt (Ang Hupa)