Daily TribuneExclusive: The Filipino filmmaker says his invitation to join the Academy behind the Oscars is less about prestige than creating a larger space for Filipino cinema in the global film community.
For most filmmakers, an invitation to become a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) is among the highest honors the profession can bestow.
The Academy, the organization behind the Academy Awards or Oscars, does not accept applications for membership. Instead, invitations are extended only to individuals whose body of work has earned the respect of their peers. Candidates are nominated by current members, evaluated by their respective branches and ultimately approved by the Academy’s Board of Governors.
This year, Filipino filmmaker Arvin Belarmino became one of 529 artists and film professionals from around the world invited to join the Academy’s 2026 membership class.
By accepting, Belarmino will become a member of the Academy’s Short Films Branch, joining thousands of filmmakers, actors, writers, editors, producers and craftspeople who collectively shape the future of the Oscars. Members vote in the Academy Awards according to branch-specific rules while gaining access to screenings, educational initiatives, the Academy’s vast archives and a global network of some of the film industry’s most accomplished professionals.
But for Belarmino, the invitation represents something far greater than an Oscar ballot.
It is, he says, an opportunity to help elevate Filipino cinema on one of the world’s biggest cultural stages.
Speaking exclusively with the DAILY TRIBUNE, Belarmino recalled the surreal moment he learned of the invitation.
“I was surprised, most of all,” he said. “The news had already spread all over social media before I even checked my email. It feels surreal to me.”
More than a personal achievement, Belarmino views the recognition as an opportunity to contribute to a larger conversation about Philippine cinema.
“And truly, this means a lot to me as an independent filmmaker,” he continued. “I see this as a chance to uplift the visibility of Filipino cinema in the Academy, and for myself, to further witness the cultural exchange in world cinema.”
The Academy specifically cited two of Belarmino’s short films, Agapito and Hinakdal, in its invitation.
Agapito, co-directed with Kyla Danelle Romero, premiered at the 2024 Cannes Critics’ Week before screening at festivals around the world, establishing Belarmino as one of the country’s emerging filmmakers with a growing international profile.
Belarmino believes the film’s international journey naturally brought it to the Academy’s attention.
“Agapito premiered in Cannes and has been shown globally,” he said. “It is a film that has been celebrated internationally, and for this I could not be more grateful. I think this is the reason why the Academy caught wind of this short film.”
The inclusion of Hinakdal, however, came as an unexpected surprise.
“The surprising one was Hinakdal,” he said. “This is a film that won multiple awards in Cinemalaya, including the NETPAC Award and Best Screenplay award, which I share with Kyla Danelle Romero, both my co-writer in Hinakdal and co-director in Agapito.”
For Belarmino, the Academy’s recognition of Hinakdal demonstrates that local stories can resonate well beyond national borders.
“Hinakdal being mentioned by the Academy is proof that stories and films are universal, wherever they came from,” he said.
Belarmino hopes the invitation sends a message to aspiring Filipino filmmakers that recognition at the highest levels of world cinema is within reach.
“I hope this milestone proves that it is possible for us, Filipino filmmakers, to take up space anywhere, even in the most prestigious award-giving body,” he said.
He also hopes the recognition encourages greater investment in local storytellers.
“I hope more opportunities like these will be given to Filipino filmmakers, and in turn, for more support to be offered to allow them to further their craft.”
For Philippine cinema, Belarmino’s invitation represents more than another name on the Academy’s roster. It reflects the growing visibility of Filipino filmmakers on the international stage, where independent productions continue to find audiences at major festivals and increasingly earn recognition from the institutions that shape global cinema.
For Belarmino, that may be the invitation’s greatest value—not the privilege of voting for the Oscars, but the opportunity to ensure Filipino stories have a stronger voice in the conversations that define world cinema.
