THE Philippines will announce its official entry for the Best International Feature Film category of the 99th Academy Awards on Sept. 4, with eight films in contention for the selection. They are Carl Joseph Papa’s “58th”; Jade Castro’s “All the Things I Leave You (Patawid)”; Rafael Manuel’s “Filipiñana”; Sigrid Andrea P.
Bernardo’s “I’mPerfect”; Raymond Red’s “Manila’s Finest”; Jerrold Tarog’s “Quezon”; Lawrence Fajardo’s “Silenced Nights”; and Jun Robles Lana’s “Sisa.” The Film Academy will announce the selected film during the opening ceremony of Philippine Film Industry Month, held with the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
Among the contenders is Papa’s “58th,” which revisits the 2009 Maguindanao Massacre through rotoscope animation and archival footage. The film follows Reynafe Castillo’s efforts to have her father, Reynaldo Momay, recognized as the massacre’s 58th victim.
Castro’s Ilocano-language “All the Things I Leave You (Patawid)” follows two young men working at a family-run restaurant who uncover a decades-old love story that develops into an exploration of class, intimacy and migration.
Manuel’s “Filipiñana” centers on a teenage girl whose fascination with the president of an exclusive country club leads her to discover violence beneath its orderly exterior.
Bernardo’s “I’mPerfect” follows two young adults with Down syndrome who fight for the right to build an independent life together.
Red’s “Manila’s Finest” is a period crime drama set in 1969 Manila. It follows a police captain investigating a series of murders that leads to a wider conspiracy involving local corruption.
Tarog’s “Quezon” traces the political rise of Manuel Quezon, from soldier and lawyer to senator and eventually president of the Philippine Commonwealth.
Fajardo’s “Silenced Nights” follows a laborer whose life is disrupted after he witnesses the extrajudicial killing of a teenage boy by police.
Lana’s “Sisa” centers on a woman believed to be mad who secretly works as a spy for Filipino revolutionaries during the PhilippineAmerican War.
Film Academy of the Philippines Director-General Paolo Villaluna said the eight films present different perspectives on Filipino experiences, including history, power, identity, love, freedom and survival.
“The films this year offer a spectrum of views of the Filipino experience,” Villaluna said. “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.” “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,” Villaluna finally noted.