Want your film to qualify for the Oscars? Here’s what you need to know

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

FAP starts its Oscars selection process earlier to give Filipino filmmakers time to campaign for their work ahead of the Academy Awards' announcement of shortlisted films

MANILA, Philippines – The Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), which spearheads the search for the country’s official entry to the Academy Awards, kicks off its local selection process for the 2026 Oscars in the Best International Feature category.

Helmed by Paolo Villaluna, the FAP said it aims to select the qualifying films earlier to give Filipino filmmakers a head start in campaigning for their respective productions, as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) will announce the list of shortlisted films on December 15.

The earlier selection process will also give the filmmakers time to secure ample financial support from the government, the press statement said.

Want your film to qualify for the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film category? Here are the criteria it needs to meet, and what you need to know:

• The film must have had a local premiere for seven consecutive screening days at a public commercial theater between October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, following the formats below:
  • 35mm or 70mm film
  • or 24 or 48-frame progressive scan Digital Cinema format
  • Projector resolution must be a minimum of 2,048 x 1,080
• While the film need not have been released in the US, it needs to have been advertised during its premiere in theaters in a way that is considered “normal and customary” to how films are shown in theaters
• Films that were screened on other platforms (e.g., streaming) prior to premiering in theaters are considered ineligible
• The film’s original dialogue must mostly (more than 50%) be in a language or languages other than English. Accurate English subtitles must then be made available
• The film’s country of origin must be able to attest that its regular citizens, residents, or individuals with refugee or asylum status had creative control over it
• Undisclosed or inaccurate details will deem it ineligible
• The International Feature Film Executive Committee will be in charge of handling questions on a film’s eligibility

The Philippines’ Oscars selection committee, in particular, will be made up of seven industry experts, elected according to the following criteria: 1) professional expertise, 2) diversity and representation, 3) independence and impartiality, 4) knowledge of AMPAS rules, 5) transparency, and 6) commitment to evaluation.

Submissions must be sent to Kristine Kintana of FAP at oscarselection.filmacademyph.@gmail.com.

The Philippines’ last two official film entries to the Oscars were Carl Joseph Papa’s Iti Mapukpukaw (2024) and Ramona Diaz’s And So It Begins (2025).

The 98th Academy Awards will be held on March 16, 2026. – Rappler.com