THE 99th Academy Awards is still far off. It is scheduled March 14, 2027. Yet the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) is already busy. It is attempting another push for Oscar glory through its renewed campaign, “Biyaheng Oscars: The Pinoy Oscars Pursuit.”

That problem is simple but stubborn: the Philippines has never been shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars. Not once. Year after year, entries are submitted, campaigns are discussed, and hopes are raised.  But the outcome has remained unchanged: Zero. Nada. Bokya.

Yes, Virginia. The harder challenge comes afterward, in the global awards circuit where visibility, sustained campaigning, and industry backing often determine which films survive long enough to be noticed.

But why the huge effort? Do we really need Oscars validation?

He cited international examples to make the point sharper.

For the Philippines, however, those effects remain hypothetical. Filipino films do reach major festivals like Cannes, Venice, and Toronto, and are often praised in those spaces. But festival recognition does not automatically convert into Oscar momentum. The systems are different, and the Philippines has repeatedly struggled to bridge that gap.

That gap is not only artistic but structural.

Villaluna is very much aware of this. He acknowledges this indirectly when he describes both ambition and limitation in the same breath. Support exists, including potential funding for campaigns, but it is still vulnerable to budget uncertainty and shifting priorities. The result is a system that is active, but not yet fully equipped for the level of global competition it is entering.

Anyway, early discussions suggest that films like “The 58th” and “Filiñiana,” both of which have drawn attention in international circuits, may be considered for the local shortlist. But even this is framed cautiously.