These Filipino films vie for a shot at Oscars 2027 success

• The Philippines hopes to advance to the final list of Best International Feature Film nominees at the 99th Academy Awards next year, starting with eight films shortlisted by a National Selection Committee.
• The shortlisted films reflect diverse aspects of the Filipino experience, addressing themes such as history, identity, and social issues, and each has the potential to resonate with international audiences.
• A successful Oscars campaign could lead to increased tourism, economic growth, and enhanced confidence in the Philippine film industry.

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MANILA, Philippines – The 99th Academy Awards are happening on March 14, 2027, and the Philippines wants in. 

The country aims to take home its first-ever Best International Feature Film title at the prestigious cinema awards, and has started its bid by shortlisting eight films. These entries were handpicked by a National Selection Committee following a criteria of 50% artistic merit, 30% cultural relevance, and 20% capacity to campaign. 

Put together by the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), the committee is composed of seven Filipino film practitioners who were pre-approved by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). 

“The films this year offer a spectrum of views of the Filipino experience. They look at our history, the issues we continue to face, and the ways Filipinos deal with questions of power, identity, love, freedom, and survival,” said FAP director-general Paolo Villaluna in a press statement.

“Each one has its own voice and approach, showcasing our cinematic merit and any of them has the potential to connect with audiences beyond the Philippines. Whichever film we send to the Oscars will carry a Filipino story that we can be proud of.” 

If the Philippines is able to mount a successful Oscars campaign by earning a spot in the final shortlist, the country could potentially experience a boost in tourism, economic growth through increased local theater attendance, and bigger confidence in the film industry, among other benefits. 

This new shortlist comes a year after the Philippines selected Lav Diaz’s Magellan for the 98th Academy Awards, a run that ended after the film fell short of advancing to the Academy’s official shortlist.

Here are the eight films contending to be the Philippines’ official entry to the 2027 Oscars: 

58th directed by Carl Joseph Papa

58th is an adult animated film that recounts the 2009 Maguindanao massacre carried out by the Ampatuan family ahead of the May 2010 elections. It claimed the lives of 58 individuals, most of which were journalists from different stations and outlets. 

In 58th, director Carl Joseph Papa shifts things to a more personal level, as the events are retold from the perspective of Nenen, the daughter of photojournalist Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay, one of the 32 media personnel killed in the massacre. His body, however, was never found. Nenen, then, journeys toward seeking his official acknowledgement as a victim in the deadly 2009 event, and ultimately, finding justice for him. 

Papa was also the director behind Iti Mapukpukaw, the Philippines’ official entry to the 2024 Oscars.

All the Things I leave You (Patawid) directed by Jade Castro

All The Things I Leave You (Patawid) is an Ilocano-language boys’ love (BL) film starring Benedix Ramos and Justin Basobas. It follows Jorge and Kiko, two young men who work at the same family-run restaurant in Ilocos. Along the way, the two work to decipher an old love story that had been left buried all these years, all while witnessing their own romance gradually unfold.

Directed by Jade Castro, the film made its international debut at New York’s NewFest, and was screened in India and Argentina. It was also named Best Episodic Film at the 37th Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival.

Filipiñana directed by Rafael Manuel

Directed by Rafael Manuel, Filipiñana’s story is told in the eyes of 17-year-old Isabel, who works as a tee-girl at an exclusive golf club in the Philippines, where she develops a fascination with its president, Dr. Palanca. 

The black comedy film — which stars Jorrybell Agoto, Agot Isidro, Teroy Guzman, Shamaine Buencamino, Angeli Bayani, Ruby Ruiz, and Nour Hooshmand — offers a critique on the modern class divide. 

Filipiñana had its world premiere in January at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision. It then debuted in Philippine cinemas in August as the closing film of the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. 

I’mPerfect directed by Sigrid Andrea Bernardo

Sigrid Andrea Bernardo’s I’mPerfect follows the romance of Jessica and Jiro (played by Krystel Go and Earl Amaba) — two individuals who have Down syndrome. The two lovers strive to live together independently despite circumstances making it difficult for them to achieve that. 

The 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Best Picture tells a tale of inclusion both on screen and in real life. It had taken Bernardo several attempts to find someone who was willing to produce the film, turning I’mPerfect into a full-blown movement championing individuals with down syndrome. Go, the film’s lead star, also won Best Actress. 

Manila’s Finest directed by Raymond Red

Set in 1969 just before the declaration of Martial Law, Raymond Red’s Manila’s Finest sees Manila police district officer Homer Magtibay lead his team to address the rise of violent crime within the city. But when the Philippine Constabulary Metropolitan Command (MetroCom) starts to assert jurisdiction over specific cases, the effects of inter-service politics and corruption begin to seep into Homer’s life at home and at work. 

The film — also an MMFF 2025 entry — stars Piolo Pascual, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Cedrick Juan, Enrique Gil, Rico Blanco, Ashtine Olviga, and Ariel Rivera, among others. 

Quezon directed by Jerrold Tarog

Quezon is the third installment of director Jerrold Tarog’s “Bayaniverse,” a collection of films that spotlight key figures in Philippine history, such as Gregorio del Pilar in Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral, and Antonio Luna in Heneral Luna.

In Quezon, Jericho Rosales suits up to play Manuel L. Quezon, who was the first president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. His presidential term lasted from 1935 to 1944. This film promises to portray the late leader as a human being and not as a hero. 

Silenced Nights directed by Lawrence Fajardo

In Silenced Nights, Andoy (played by Nico Antonio) suddenly finds himself bearing witness to the extrajudicial killing of a teenage boy in Manila. When he comes face to face with the boy’s mother, Marissa (played by Lotlot De Leon), he works to finally shed light on the truth.

The Lawrence Fajardo film received critical acclaim at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, where it became the first-ever Filipino film to make it to the famed Canadian festival’s Platform Programme.

Sisa directed by Jun Robles Lana

Sisa takes place in 1902 Philippines, at the tail-end of the American occupation. The titular character is a seemingly disturbed woman who finds herself in a concentration camp guarded by an American soldier. After appearing to be unable to remember her roots and even her name, she is eventually called Sisa, taking after the character in Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere. It is later discovered that Sisa’s seemingly deranged disposition is all a front to hide her true identity as a spy to plot revenge against the Americans. 

The Jun Robles Lana film marks veteran actress Hilda Koronel’s return to the screen after 13 years. 

Sisa first premiered at the 2025 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia. It then went on to win Best Screenplay in the Director’s Week section of the 46th Fantasporto International Film Festival in Portugal. – Rappler.com