The Philippines is submitting the black comedy drama Filipiñana, directed by Rafael Manuel, as its entry for the Best International Feature Film race at the 2027 Oscars, according to the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP).
Carl Joseph Papa’s animated docu-drama 58th and Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Danelle Romero’s short film Agapito are also getting support from the FAP in their nomination campaigns for the Best Documentary and Best Live Action Short Film categories, respectively.
58th was also submitted to the FAP for consideration in the country’s bid for Best International Feature Film, among eight films. Aside from Filipiñana and 58th, other contenders were Jade Castro’s All the Things I Leave You, 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 FAP’s announcement on Sunday, September 13, comes two days after Australia earlier announced that it would submit Filipino-Australian filmmaker James J. Robinson’s debut feature film, First Light, as its Best International Feature Film entry.
Filipiñana was first developed as a short film that won the Silver Bear for Best Short Film at the 2020 Berlin International Film Festival. It premiered as a full-length film at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in January, winning the Special Jury Award for Creative Vision. The film was released in Philippine and U.S. theaters in late August, drawing praise from critics like IndieWire’s David Ehrlich and The New Yorker’s Richard Brody.
Manuel’s debut feature follows Jorrybell Agoto’s Isabel, a 17-year-old tee girl who navigates the politics of the country club she’s employed in. Included in the cast are Carmen Castellanos, Teroy Guzman, Hihintayin Kita sa Langit director Carlos Siguion-Reyna, Nour Hooshmand, Agot Isidro, Ruby Ruiz (who also stars in First Light), Angeli Bayani, and Shamaine Buencamino.
The Philippines has yet to secure a nomination for Best International Feature Film. Recent submissions include Papa’s Iti Mapukpukaw, Ramona S. Diaz’s And So It Begins, and Lav Diaz’s Magellan.
The 2027 Oscars, or the 99th Academy Awards, will be held in Los Angeles in March 2027. Nomination voting will take place in January next year, with nominations to be announced on January 21.
Frequently Asked Questions
The category has produced some of the most acclaimed films of the last decade. Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma (Mexico) won in 2019, while Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite (South Korea) won the following year and made history as the first non-English-language film to win Best Picture outright. Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom) took the prize in 2024, and Walter Salles’ I’m Still Here (Brazil) won in 2025. Most recently, Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value (Norway) won in 2026.
The film follows Isabel, a 17-year-old tee girl played by Jorrybell Agoto, as she navigates the internal politics of the country club where she works. It started as a short film before Manuel expanded it into his feature directorial debut.
Filipiñana was chosen from a shortlist of eight films submitted to the Film Academy of the Philippines, including Carl Joseph Papa’s 58th, Jade Castro’s All the Things I Leave You, 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.
No. The Philippines has submitted films for years, including Carl Joseph Papa’s Iti Mapukpukaw, Ramona S. Diaz’s And So It Begins, and Lav Diaz’s Magellan, but has yet to land a nomination in the category.
Nomination voting for the 99th Academy Awards takes place in January 2027, with nominees set to be revealed on January 21. The ceremony itself will be held in Los Angeles in March 2027.
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