Philippines sends ‘Filipiñana,’ ‘58th,’ ‘Agapito’ to Oscars race

The Philippines is mounting a three-film campaign for the 99th Academy Awards, with Rafael Manuel’s Filipiñana selected as the country’s official submission for Best International Feature Film.

Best International Feature Film is the Oscars category for feature-length films made outside the United States, with more than half of their dialogue in languages other than English.

For the 99th Academy Awards, films can enter the category through a country or regional selection committee, while a separate route allows eligible films to qualify through designated awards at six international film festivals.

Carl Joseph E. Papa’s 58th and Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Danelle Romero’s Agapito are also being put forward for Oscar consideration in the Documentary Feature and Live Action Short Film categories, respectively. The Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) announced the selections on 13 September after its National Selection Committee completed its deliberations.

'Filipiñana'

Manuel’s feature debut follows Isabel, a 17-year-old Ilokana from the rural north who works as a tee girl at an exclusive country club outside Manila. Her experiences at the club expose the privileges and class divisions surrounding its wealthy members. The film expands on Manuel’s award-winning short of the same title.

A Singapore-United Kingdom-Philippines-France-Netherlands co-production, Filipiñana premiered in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision. It later had its European premiere in the Perspectives section of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival.

Manuel’s earlier short Filipiñana won the Silver Bear Jury Prize at the Berlinale.

'58th'

Papa’s 58th revisits the 2009 Maguindanao massacre through the story of photojournalist Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay, whose remains were never found and whose death remains officially unacknowledged. The film combines documentary material with rotoscope animation to tell Momay’s story through his daughter Reynafe and her continuing search for recognition.

Produced by GMA Public Affairs and GMA Pictures, 58th had its world premiere at the 2026 International Film Festival Rotterdam. It was subsequently selected for the Contrechamp section of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and received the Facing the Edge Award at the 2026 Doc Edge Festival in New Zealand.

'Agapito'

Belarmino and Romero’s Agapito is a 15-minute Philippines-France short set in a fading duckpin bowling alley. The film follows pin setters as they prepare a song-and-dance performance while awaiting a special visitor.

Produced by 901 Studios and Astral 88, Agapito premiered in the Short Film Palme d’Or competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and later screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it received an honorable mention from the Short Cuts jury.

The Academy will announce the Oscar shortlists on 15 December 2026, followed by the nominations on 21 January 2027. The 99th Oscars will be held on 14 March 2027 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.