Twenty-seven attempts but to no avail.
For the modern-day Filipino, this phrase would be seen as an opportunity to interject hugot lines about failure and rejection. But let me save you from all the bitterness that we are all bound to outgrow by saying that this is not about sad tales of such. You’re welcome.
Even before its full swing, the Academy Awards (aka the Oscars)—now on its 88th year—as always, has generated noise from film critics, analysts, and enthusiasts alike. The age old myth known to humanity as “Leo-will-never-win-an-Oscar” and for the second straight year, the #OscarsSoWhite conspiracy are just some of the factors that contribute to the buzz and excitement created by the Oscars. Every year, various categorical predictions are all over the Internet—Best Picture, Best Actor/Actress, you name it—even before the nominees are revealed.
While some categories are easily overlooked, the Best Foreign Film slate for this year has had some Filipinos on their feet, as the country’s official submission hoped to finally break into the Oscar stage. Of course, I am referring to none other than the critical and box-office success Heneral Luna by Jerrold Tarog. More than just a Philippine crowd-pleaser, Heneral Luna comes down as a milestone, raising the standards of Filipino filmmaking and of the industry up in notches. After all, Heneral Luna could just be the movie that would put the Philippine film industry “on the map.” Fast forward to December, however, Heneral Luna failed to make it to the Oscars shortlist after battling out for a coveted spot against 79 different film entries. And as much as I’d like to deny it, I’ve predicted this all-too-familiar miss at the Oscars.
True enough, awards and nominations do not entirely define a film but recognition—a widely international one in this case—arguably says a lot about the film itself and sometimes, about the whole industry as well. So what does it say then about the Philippine film industry and its future after 27 failed attempts at the Oscars? What’s keeping it from being “on the map?”
Filipino films being made, nowadays, are starting to lean more towards gaining critical success. More films are slowly becoming more thought-provoking to say the least. I can’t help but wonder if—and hope that—this is the start of a cinematic revolution in the country. If that’s the case, I think we’re off to a rough start. Despite having produced critically acclaimed films even from before, the Philippine film industry is yet to reach its full potential. And I’m afraid we’re simply shooting ourselves on the foot.
Locally speaking, we have our own film award-giving bodies such as the Gawad Urian and the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards to name a few, that annually recognize quality Filipino films, directors, producers, and artists. There are also film festivals like Cinemalaya and the controversial Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) that add color to the country’s film industry. Looking at it from this perspective, one might even begin to question if we really need the Oscars to define our film industry when we have ours to begin with. The truth is: we don’t need the Oscars to define it. Why go far off when the thing that could define it most is right where it is being made? And from what has happened recently, these defining factors don’t look pretty.
Heneral Luna, itself, faced adversity when it was pulled out of cinemas days after its local release. How ironic is it that this happened to the country’s official submission to the Oscars? What a way to define the Philippine film industry, too. Just last January, a controversy involving a film entry’s (Honor Thy Father) disqualification from the Best Picture category in the MMFF sparked outbursts from netizens. Honor Thy Father, a film by Erik Matti, was well-received in the Toronto Film Festival and it was a surprise to many, especially to those who have seen the film, that a movie of such caliber would be disqualified because of highly-contested technical issues. Again, it’s just another defining moment that serves the industry no good.
I am not, by any means, a film expert of any kind. I am merely saying these things as a student whose eyes have been much exposed to the world of filmmaking—as a person who aspires to become a filmmaker someday. As much as I’d like to deny it, the future of filmmakers in the country doesn’t look so good from where I am standing. Despite this, I’d like to believe that Philippine cinema has so much more to offer to the Filipino masses and that these controversies are simply hurdles along the road to a better film industry in the country. I believe that it is the duty of filmmakers to make films that actually mean something to someone. It is their duty to make a difference.
Sadly, quality films are rare commodities in the Philippines and I long for the day that we are no longer taken by surprise when a Filipino movie sweeps us off our feet because good local films have become a normal part of our society. I long for the day when recognition is given to people in the industry not only because of their fame and reputation but also because they truly deserve to be acknowledged. I long for the day when filmmakers don’t have to go through obstacles set by their own countrymen or anyone for that matter because every single person thinks not only of himself but also of the betterment of a film industry.
No. I do not dream of an easy road towards achieving every filmmaker’s dreams. I dream of a film industry that is cared about, supported, and respected that will make the journey of every filmmaker to the top worthwhile. And I also know that someday, Filipino filmmakers will step foot at the Academy Awards, taking pride of a newly-defined Philippine film industry with a new goal at hand—to win an Oscar.
Because if Leo can, so can we.
