Philippines Picks 'Filipiñana' for Oscars Race — SkimNews
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- "Filipiñana" was selected as the Philippines' official entry for the 99th Academy Awards international feature category, chosen from a shortlist of 8 films.
- Rafael Manuel wrote and directed the debut feature, which follows Isabel, a 17-year-old provincial girl who lands a job at a prestigious golf resort amid oppressive heat and drought.
- Kino Lorber distributes the film, and Chairman/CEO Richard Lorber called it "nothing short of a cinematic miracle," pledging the company's commitment to a full awards campaign; the film is already a theatrical hit in North America.
- Manuel said the golf course — originally established on American military bases before local elites took over — is a metaphor for Philippine class divides: vast fertile land worked by many, enjoyed by a select few.
- "Filipiñana" premiered at the Sundance Film Festival before its North American theatrical run.
Why it matters: It's Kino Lorber's first Philippine Oscar submission and a debut feature's shot at the 99th Academy Awards; for the Philippines, the film uses a golf course rooted in colonial-era military land as an allegory of inequality, making this a pointedly political entry rather than a neutral cultural showcase.
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