‘Filipiñana,’ ‘58th,’ ‘Agapito’ selected as PH’s official entries to 2027 Oscars

Award-winning movie “Filipiñana” has been selected as an official entry of the Philippines to the 99th Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, along with two other films in separate categories.

The Film Academy of the Philippines director general Paolo Villaluna made the announcement on Sunday at the SMX Convention Center where members of the entertainment press took their oaths as officers of the newly-formed press organization, LENTE.

READ: FAP postpones announcement of Philippines’ 2027 Oscars entry

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“Filipiñana,” directed by Rafael Manuel, will be fielded in the category of Best International Feature Film.

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Aside from “Filipiñana,” also named as official entries were “58th” and “Agapito” for Best Documentary Feature and Best Live Action Short Film categories, respectively.

“Lahat ng pelikulang nabanggit namin magkakaron ng financial support. Pero syempre, you guys know me as so [careful] about taxpayers’ money, so may work yung financial plans involved before they get approved. May mga ganun lang, but definitely we’ll be supporting all the three films financially. And then strategically we’re going to meet with the producers and local team on how to further push our films,” said Villaluna.

FAP earlier postponed the announcement of the official entries to the Oscars, citing the need to further evaluate the films set to make their bid in the prestigious US-based film awards giving body.

Originally, eight films were shortlisted as contenders for the Philippines’ official entry to the Best International Feature Film category of the Oscars’ 99th edition, which has been set on March 14, 2027 in Los Angeles, California.

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The Oscars shortlist will be revealed sometime this December, while the final list of nominees will be announced in January 2027

“Filipiñana” is a coming-of-age film about a probinsyana working as caddy girl at an exclusive resort club who sees first-hand the social class dynamics and how the working class is being manipulated and exploited by the elite. It previously won the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and had its European premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival.

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The movie is produced by Jeremy Chua, Alex Polunin, Bianca Balbuena, Bradley Liew, Nadia Turincev, Omar El Kadi, Manuel and Nathan Studios, which already produced a number of acclaimed films in the past.

The GMA-produced “58th” is directed by Carl Joseph Papa and is an animated documentary with actress Glaiza de Castro as voice talent for the role of Reynafe Momay-Castillo, daughter of photojournalist Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay, one of the massacre’s victims who has yet to be formally recognized by the court. 

“Agapito,” meanwhile, is directed by Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Danelle Romero which features a duckpin setter at a bowling alley. The movie first premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, then at the equally prestigious Cannes Film Festival.

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Last year, the Philiippines submitted as entry the “Magellan” movie directed by Lav Diaz but this has not been given the Oscars nod.