Philippines to campaign for ‘58th,’ ‘Agapito’ for Oscars 2027
MANILA, Philippines — The Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) will back three Filipino films for Oscars contention in next year’s Academy Awards.
Agency director-general Paolo Villaluna revealed the decisions made by an official National Collection Committee to select members of the media, including Philstar.com, on Sunday, September 13.
Rafael Manuel’s “Filipiñana” will be the Philippines’ official entry in the Best International Feature Film category, vying to be the first Filipino film to be shortlisted, nominated, and win the award.
Two other films will receive agency and government backing in two other categories — Carl Joseph Papa’s animated Maguindanao docu-drama “58th” for Best Documentary and Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Romero’s “Agapito” for Best Live Action Short Film.
Villaluna explained that the agency’s direction is not to solely focus on the International Feature Film category, as it had done in previous years.
Last year, the Academy did not only back Lav Diaz’s “Magellan,” starring Gael Garcia Bernal as the Philippine entry, but also threw support behind the West Philippine Sea documentary “Food Delivery” and the short film “Vox Humana.”
None of the three films made any Oscars shortlists, although Villaluna reported that “Magellan” was the closest the Philippines got to making the first cut.
“Filipiñana,” “58th,” and “Agapito” are not the only Tagalog-language vying for the Oscars as Australia submitted “First Light,” starring Filipino actress Ruby Ruiz, as its International Feature Film entry.
“58th” takes its name from photojournalist Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay, whose body was never found after the tragedy.
Papa and his co-writer Aica Riz Gahinhin utilize rotoscope animation to re-enact conversations and recollections of Momay’s daughter, Reynafe Castillo, alongside archive footage in the aftermath of the horrific massacre.
Glaiza de Castro plays the role of Castillo, while Momay is portrayed by the late Ricky Davao in his last-ever credit role following his death last year.
“58th” screened in several international film festivals including Rotterdam and Annecy before making its Philippine premiere during the 22nd Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.
It only got greenlit for a theatrical public screening following a reapplication by its producers to the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board.
The agency gave the docu-drama an R16 rating and a limited permit to screen only until September 22. Producer Nessa Valdellon shared that “58th” would screen in Shangri-la Plaza — where it originally premiered — from September 16 to 22.
Meanwhile, “Agapito,” directed by both Belarmino and Romero, is set in a Bulacan duckpin bowling alley and was named after and dedicated to Belarmino’s brother.
The short film premiered at last year's Cannes Film Festival then later screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it received a Best International Short Film Honorable Mention.
Toronto jury members praised “Agapito for its “formal precision, command of a delicate tone, poetic awareness of space and movement, and deeply personal reflections on family.”
“Agapito” sees the duckpin alley manager closing the establishment early, followed by pinsetters practicing a song-and-dance piece while waiting the arrival of a special visitor.
Earlier this year, Belarmino was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, organizers of the Oscars, in the Short Films branch.
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