The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) recently announced that The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has included three Filipino-American films in the list it’s currently considering to nominate for Best Picture. The three feature films have been hand-picked by the Academy to sit alongside the other 366 titles that are eligible for the coveted category.

The Filipino-American titles that are eligible for a nomination are “Lingua Franca” by Isabel Sandoval, “A Thousand Cuts” by Ramona Diaz, and “Yellow Rose” by Diane Paragas. These feature films, aside from being directed by three Filipina women, also tell three different stories of the Filipino experience in and out of the country.

LINGUA FRANCA

Directed by Isabel Sandoval, Lingua Franca follows the story of an undocumented trans Filipino caregiver, portrayed by the director herself, who seeks a marriage in America to obtain a green card. The story has been called to be “haunting,” “upsetting,” but also terribly real in depicting a trans immigrant story in the middle of this cruel and often times unfair world.

The film originally premiered at the 2019 Venice International Film Festival Venice Days program, and has since won the Grand Prize at Chéries-Chéris, ICS Award for Best Actress at the International Cinephile Society Awards, Best Actress Award at the Pacific Meridian International Film Festival, Sunny Bunny Prize – Special Jury Diploma at the Molodist International Film Festival, and Best Film (International Narrative) at the Tel Aviv International LGBT Film Festival.

This is just a few of the critical acclaim it has received from distinguished film festivals around the world, making it a definite strong contender in the lineup of candidates.

A THOUSAND CUTS

This particular entry might be one that most of us are familiar with, given that it’s a very relevant issue right now with the threat against journalism in the country. The documentary centers around journalist Maria Ressa as she fights to speak up about the complex relationship between press freedom and the government’s war on drugs. It can also be recalled that the documentary was streamed online in the Philippines for a few days, rising as one of the most talked-about local documentaries in recent years.

A Thousand Cuts was screened at the Sundance Film Festival, and won the Cinema Eye Honors Award – The Unforgettables at the Cinema Eye Honors Awards, DocEdge Award at the Documentary Edge Festival, Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Documentary at the Gotham Awards, and the David Carr Award for Truth in Non-Fiction Filmmaking at the Montclair Film Festival.

YELLOW ROSE

Two Filipina Broadway icons, Eva Noblezada and Lea Salonga, lead the story of Yellow Rose alongside Princess Punzalan, depicting the harsh reality of immigration and undocumented Filipino families in America. The story follows Noblezada’s character, Rose, as she dreams of leaving Texas to pursue a career in country music. But, it all changes as her mother, portrayed by Punzalan, gets caught up in an immigration issue with the federal government.

This drama–slash–musical has also received incredible recognition from critics and award-giving bodies since its release in 2019, including the Special Jury Award at the Asian American International Film Festival, Jury Award at Bentonville Film Festival, Jury Award for Best Narrative at CAAMFest, Audience Choice Award at the Hawaii International Film Festival, Texas Independent Film Award at the Houston Film Critics Society Awards, Festival Prize at the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival, the Audience Award at the San Diego Asian Film Festival, and a staggering number of others.

If there’s one thing we can take away from these three films and the praise it has received globally, it’s that real, raw, and painfully honest Filipino stories work. Putting the spotlight on serious social issues such as the plight of the LGBTQ+ community, inhumane immigration programs, and the threats against press freedom are much-needed storytelling ventures that, thankfully, more and more storytellers are growing brave enough to capture.

While we wait for The Academy to release the official nominations for Best Picture to see whether or not these Filipino-American films make the cut, may we also give these three stories the support and attention they deserve locally, so that more people would become aware of the messages they’re trying to convey.

Oscar nominees will officially be announced on March 15, while the 93rd Academy Awards will be broadcasted on April 25, 2021.