Rafael Manuel is a Filipino filmmaker currently based in between London, Amsterdam, and Manila. Among numerous awards and prizes across festivals around the world, his latest short film ‘Filipiñana’, won the Silver Bear Jury Prize at the 70th Berlinale International Film Festival and has been nominated for the Best British Short Film at the British Independent Film Awards 2020.  

His foundations are in philosophy and visual communications which he studied at the Ateneo de Manila University. Before taking up his MA in filmmaking at the London Film School, he worked as a copywriter for Saatchi & Saatchi and as a creative director for TBWA. His work in advertising has won numerous prizes at international advertising festivals such as the Cannes Lions. 

Rafael's work in cinema has been featured by ARTE, Variety, Screen Daily, Cineuropa and Vice. He is currently developing his first 2 feature films: 'Filipiñana' (based on his short of the same title), with the support of the Cannes Cinéfondation La Residence and the Locarno Filmmakers Academy, & the Prince Claus Seed Award for Culture and Development and 'Patrimonio', with the support of the Hubert Bals Fund.