Rafael Manuel is a Filipino filmmaker currently living between Amsterdam, London, and Manila. His short film "Filipiniana" won the Silver Bear Jury Prize at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival and was nominated for Best British Short Film at the 2020 British Independent Film Awards.

His feature-length adaptation received the Special Jury Award for Creative Vision at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival and was selected as the Philippine entry for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards.