ALMOST, but not quite.
Once again, the country failed to make it through the shortlist of films set to be included in the Foreign Language Film category of the Academy Awards.
Director Chito S. Roño’s “Signal Rock,” which was submitted by the Film Academy of the Philippines’ (FAP) to the Oscars after its nationwide theater run as official entry to the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2018 in August, lost out to Colombia’s “Birds of Passage;” Denmark’s “The Guilty;” Germany’s “Never Look Away;” Japan’s “Shoplifters;” Kazakhstan’s “Ayka;” Lebanon’s “Capernaum;” Mexico’s “Roma;” Poland’s “Cold War;” and South Korea’s “Burning.”
The final list of nominees is scheduled to be announced on Jan. 22, 2019.
The Philippines has yet to gain a nomination to the Oscars since it started submitting entries in 1953.
Prior, “Birdshot” (2017), “Ma’Rosa” (2016), “Heneral Luna” (2015), “Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan” (2014) and “Transit” (2013) were selected for Oscars consideration.
Produced by Regal Entertainment and starring Christian Bables, “Signal Rock” was shot in Biri, Samar. (NEIL RAMOS)
