Eight Filipino films are now in the running to represent the Philippines in the Best International Feature Film category of the 99th Academy Awards. The contenders were selected from the local films submitted for consideration, as announced by the Film Academy of the Philippines during its “Byaheng Oscars” press conference on June 18.
The eight films 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.
Film Academy of the Philippines Director-General Paolo Villaluna said this year’s lineup reflects the breadth of Filipino storytelling, tackling subjects ranging from history and social issues to identity, love, freedom, power, 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.”
He added that each film brings its own distinct voice and cinematic approach, with the potential to resonate with audiences beyond the Philippines.
“Whichever film we send to the Oscars will carry a Filipino story that we can be proud of,” he said.
Meet the Eight Contenders
58th
Directed by Carl Joseph Papa, 58th revisits one of the darkest chapters in recent Philippine history—the 2009 Maguindanao Massacre.
The film combines innovative rotoscope animation with archival footage as it follows Reynafe Castillo, who seeks recognition for her father, Reynaldo Momay, as the massacre’s 58th victim.
The documentary has earned international recognition, screening at major festivals including Rotterdam and Annecy. It later received the Facing the Edge Award at New Zealand’s Doc Edge Festival.
All the Things I Leave You (Patawid)
Jade Castro’s Ilocano-language film All the Things I Leave You (Patawid) centers on two young men working together at a family-run restaurant.
As they uncover a decades-old love story, the film gradually expands into an exploration of class, intimacy, migration, and queer identity.
The BL film premiered at NewFest in New York and went on to screen in India and Argentina. It also won Best Episodic Film at the 37th Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival.
Filipiñana
Directed by Rafael Manuel, Filipiñana follows a teenage girl whose fascination with the president of an exclusive country club leads her to uncover the violence hidden beneath its seemingly pristine environment.
The film uses sharp satire to examine class disparity, privilege, and exploitation. Its critical reception included praise from publications such as The New Yorker, ScreenDaily, and Vulture.
At the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, Filipiñana received the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision.
I’mPerfect
Sigrid Andrea P. Bernardo’s I’mPerfect tells the heartfelt story of two young adults with Down syndrome who fight for their right to build an independent life together. The film puts inclusion, independence, love, and representation at its center, with actors with Down syndrome taking on the lead roles. I’mPerfect won Best Picture at the 51st Metro Manila Film Festival and was also presented in a special screening at the 27th Lucania Film Festival in Italy.
Manila’s Finest
Raymond Red’s Manila’s Finest is a period crime drama set in 1969 Manila. The story follows a police captain investigating a series of murders, only to uncover a larger conspiracy rooted in corruption. Through its crime narrative, the film explores the vicious cycle of power, violence, and institutional corruption. The film collected several awards at the 51st Metro Manila Film Festival and had its international premiere at the 25th New York Asian Film Festival.
Quezon
Jerrold Tarog’s Quezon chronicles the political ascent of Manuel L. Quezon, tracing his journey from soldier and lawyer to senator and eventually President of the Philippine Commonwealth. The historical drama has also gained recognition from local critics and industry organizations. At the 9th Entertainment Editors’ Choice Awards, Quezon won Best Picture, while Tarog received Best Director and lead actor Jericho Rosales won Best Actor.
Silenced Nights
In Lawrence Fajardo’s Silenced Nights, the life of a laborer is thrown into turmoil after he witnesses the extrajudicial killing of a teenage boy by police. The sociopolitical thriller tackles issues of violence, accountability, poverty, and abuse of power. It made history as the first Philippine film selected for the Platform Programme at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), an Oscar-qualifying festival and one of the world’s major film markets.
Sisa
Jun Robles Lana’s Sisa offers a historical thriller set during the Philippine-American War. The film follows a woman believed to be mentally unstable who is secretly working as a spy for Filipino revolutionaries. The film marks the comeback of legendary actress Hilda Koronel. Sisa premiered in the competitive section of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and later won Best Screenplay in the Director’s Week section of the 46th Fantasporto International Film Festival.
The Road to the Oscars
The eight films will now go through a rigorous selection process conducted by a National Selection Committee convened by the Film Academy of the Philippines. The committee, composed of Filipino film industry experts, has been approved by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Its evaluation will consider factors including artistic merit, cultural relevance, and international campaign potential.
The stakes are particularly significant as the Philippines seeks to put forward a film capable of representing the country’s diverse cinematic identity on the international stage. From historical epics and political thrillers to animation, queer cinema, social satire, and stories centered on inclusion, this year’s eight contenders offer vastly different perspectives on what it means to be Filipino.
The Film Academy of the Philippines is set to announce the Philippines’ official entry to the 99th Academy Awards on September 4, 2026, during the opening ceremony of Philippine Film Industry Month, in partnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
Until then, the question remains: Which of these eight films will carry the Philippines’ story to the Oscars?
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