Erik Matti's 'On the Job: Missing 8' out of Oscar race


John Arcilla in 'On the Job: Missing 8'

By Carissa Alcantara

After officially announcing to enter the Oscars 2023 in October, Erik Matti's film "On the Job: Missing 8" failed to make it to the shortlist of this year's Academy Awards for the International Feature film category.

"On the Job: The Missing 8" premiered in September 2021 at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, where John Arcilla won the Volpi Cup for best actor.

This recognition made John the first Southeast Asian artist to win the best actor at the prestigious festival.

Following the sequel of the 2013 film, "On The Job: The Missing 8" follows the story of a journalist Sison Salas (John Arcilla), who seeks justice for his colleagues, and convicts Roman Rubio (Dennis Trillo), a hired gun who is regularly brought out of prison to perform assassinations.

Posted on the Official website of the Academy Awards, here are the films that made the cut in the International Feature film category.

Argentina, Argentina, 1985

Austria, Corsage

Belgium, Close

Cambodia, Return to Seoul

Denmark, Holy Spider

France, Saint Omer

Germany, All Quiet on the Western Front

India, Last Film Show

Ireland, The Quiet Girl

Mexico, Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths

Morocco, The Blue Caftan

Pakistan, Joyland

Poland, EO

South Korea, Decision to Leave

Sweden, Cairo Conspiracy