Archive · 13 Sep 2026
Philippines Selects ‘Filipiñana’ as 2027 Oscar Submission
The Philippines chose a film called ‘Filipiñana’ to compete for an Oscar.
The movie is about a 17-year-old girl named Isabel.
She works at an exclusive golf club.
Isabel becomes curious about the club’s president and finds troubling things hidden behind its wealthy image.
The film looks at class differences and exploitation.
It was made by Rafael Manuel and is spoken in Filipino, English, and Ilocano.
It won a special award at the Sundance Film Festival.
No Philippine movie has previously reached the Oscar shortlist or received a nomination in this category.
The Philippines selected Rafael Manuel’s ‘Filipiñana’ for the 99th Academy Awards’ International Feature Film category.
The film follows 17-year-old Isabel, a tee-girl who discovers exploitation beneath an exclusive golf club’s polished surface.
‘Filipiñana’ won Sundance’s World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision and later closed Cinemalaya.
The international co-production involves the Philippines, Singapore, the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands.
The selection marks a milestone attempt because no Philippine film has made the Oscars’ International Feature Film shortlist or nominations.
- Who
- The Film Academy of the Philippines selected Rafael Manuel’s film ‘Filipiñana’.
- What
- It was chosen as the Philippines’ submission for the International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards.
- When
- The decision was announced on Sunday, September 13; the film is intended for the 2027 Oscars.
- Where
- The film is set at an exclusive golf club in the Philippines and was selected by the Film Academy of the Philippines.
- Why
- The committee selected it from a shortlist of eight films; the articles do not state a specific selection rationale.
- Selected film
- ‘Filipiñana’
- Director
- Rafael Manuel
- Oscar category
- Best International Feature Film
- Shortlist size
- Eight films
- Runtime
- 100 minutes
- Languages
- Filipino, English, and Ilocano
- Sundance recognition
- World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision
- Production countries
- The Philippines, Singapore, the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands