List of Philippine submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film

The Philippines has submitted films for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film [nb 1] since the inception of the category in 1956.[3] The award is given annually by the United States Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States that contains primarily non-English dialogue.[4] The "Best Foreign Language Film" category was not created until 1956; however, between 1947 and 1955, the Academy presented a non-competitive Honorary Award for the best foreign language films released in the United States.[5]

A photo of Brillante Mendoza in a suit and bow tie
An image of Judy Ann Santos wearing a Philippine terno dress and holding a bouquet
A photo of Angel Aquino wearing a turleneck top and facing to her left
An image of John Arcilla in a black shirt smiling to the camera
Clockwise from upper left: Two films directed by Brillante Mendoza were submitted; two films starring Judy Ann Santos, including Ploning which she produced, were submitted; John Arcilla starred in three films that were submitted; Angel Aquino was in films submitted in 2004 and 2007.

The Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) appoints a committee to choose one film among those released that year to be submitted as the Philippines's official entry to the Academy for a nomination for "Best International Feature Film" the following year.[6][7] The chosen films, along with their English subtitles, are sent to the Academy, where they are screened for the jury.[4][7] The 1953 biopic Genghis Khan was the first Philippine film submitted for consideration for the Honorary Foreign Language Film award, the precursor to the current category.[5][8] From 1956 until the establishment of the FAP in 1981, only four films were submitted for consideration: Child of Sorrow (1956), The Moises Padilla Story (1961), Because of a Flower (1967), and Ganito Kami Noon... Paano Kayo Ngayon? (1976).[6][9] After the FAP was founded, the Philippines submitted Of the Flesh in 1984 and This Is My Country in 1985, but made no further submissions until 1995's Harvest Home. Since then, the FAP has submitted a film in most years.[6][9] No film was submitted in 2005; Leo Martinez, the director general of the FAP, revealed that the organization had not received an invitation from the Academy.[nb 2][10] In 2021, the FAP controversially chose not to send an entry as they lacked government funding due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6][11] The Philippines has made 33 cumulative submissions to the category, but none have been nominated for an Oscar, the latest being the 2023 submission The Missing.

Filmmakers Marilou Diaz-Abaya and Gil Portes have each represented the Philippines three times in this category, the most for any director, and including two consecutive films each: Diaz Abaya in 1997 and 1998, and Portes in 2001 and 2002. Brillante Mendoza, a recipient of the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Director, directed the 2016 and 2020 submissions.[9][12] Three films starring John Arcilla have been submitted by the Philippines.[nb 3][14] Joel Torre has co-starred in three films that were entries in 1984, 1985, and 2000.[15] Two of Judy Ann Santos's films, including Ploning (2008), which she produced and starred in, have been submitted.[16] Angel Aquino, Sid Lucero, Phillip Salvador, Vilma Santos, and Jomari Yllana have each represented the Philippines twice as actors in the category.[9][17]

Submissions

List of films, with the English and original titles, directors, and submission results
Year
(Ceremony)
Film title used in nominationOriginal titleDirectorResultRef
1953
(26th)
Genghis KhanGenghis KhanManuel CondeNot nominated[9]
1956
(29th)
Child of SorrowAnak DalitaLamberto V. AvellanaNot nominated[9]
1961
(34th)
The Moises Padilla StoryThe Moises Padilla StoryGerardo de LeónNot nominated[9]
1967
(40th)
Because of a FlowerDahil sa Isang BulaklakLuis NepomucenoNot nominated[9]
1976
(49th)
This Is How We Were Before... How Are You Doing Now?Ganito Kami Noon... Paano Kayo Ngayon?Eddie RomeroNot nominated[9]
1984
(57th)
Of the FleshKarnalMarilou Diaz-AbayaNot nominated[9]
1985
(58th)
This Is My CountryBayan Ko: Kapit sa PatalimLino BrockaNot nominated[9]
1995
(68th)
Harvest HomeInagaw Mo ang Lahat sa AkinCarlos Siguion-ReynaNot nominated[9]
1996
(69th)
Dead SureSeguristaTikoy AguiluzNot nominated[9]
1997
(70th)
MilagrosMilagrosMarilou Diaz-AbayaNot nominated[9]
1998
(71st)
In the Navel of the SeaSa Pusod ng DagatMarilou Diaz-AbayaNot nominated[9]
1999
(72nd)
The KiteSaranggolaGil PortesNot nominated[9]
2000
(73rd)
AnakAnakRory QuintosNot nominated[9]
2001
(74th)
In the Bosom of the EnemyGatas... Sa Dibdib ng KaawayGil PortesNot nominated[9]
2002
(75th)
Small VoicesMga Munting TinigGil PortesNot nominated[9]
2003
(76th)
Dekada '70Dekada '70Chito S. RoñoNot nominated[9]
2004
(77th)
Crying LadiesCrying LadiesMark MeilyNot nominated[9]
2006
(79th)
The Blossoming of Maximo OliverosAng Pagdadalaga ni Maximo OliverosAuraeus SolitoNot nominated[9]
2007
(80th)
DonsolDonsolAdolfo Alix, Jr.Not nominated[9]
2008
(81st)
PloningPloningDante Nico GarciaNot nominated[9]
2009
(82nd)
Grandpa Is DeadDed na si LoloSoxie TopacioNot nominated[9]
2010
(83rd)
NoyNoyDondon SantosNot nominated[9]
2011
(84th)
The Woman in the Septic TankAng Babae sa Septic TankMarlon RiveraNot nominated[9]
2012
(85th)
BwakawBwakawJun LanaNot nominated[9]
2013
(86th)
TransitTransitHannah EspiaNot nominated[9]
2014
(87th)
Norte, the End of HistoryNorte, Hangganan ng KasaysayanLav DiazNot nominated[9]
2015
(88th)
Heneral LunaHeneral LunaJerrold TarogNot nominated[9]
2016
(89th)
Ma' RosaMa' RosaBrillante MendozaNot nominated[9]
2017
(90th)
BirdshotBirdshotMikhail RedNot nominated[9]
2018
(91st)
Signal RockSignal RockChito S. RoñoNot nominated[18]
2019
(92nd)
VerdictVerdictRaymund Ribay GutierrezNot nominated[19]
2020
(93rd)
MindanaoMindanaoBrillante MendozaNot nominated[20]
2022
(95th)
On the Job: The Missing 8On the Job: The Missing 8Erik MattiNot nominated[21]
2023
(96th)
The MissingIti MapukpukawCarl Joseph PapaNot nominated[22]

See also

Notes

References

External links