The Philippines has not submitted an entry for the 93rd Academy Awards (Oscars) documentary feature category even though the documentary Aswang was qualified to join (a lot of local movies actually) Thursday, December 9.
Made by Alyx Arumpac, Aswang qualified for this year’s Oscars after winning the White Goose Award at the DMZ International Documentary Film Festival earlier in 2020.
The documentary also bagged four awards during the 2020 Famas Awards, earning the best picture, best documentary, best editing, and tied for best cinematography with Babae at Baril by Tey Clamor.
It also won the international critics’ FIPRESCI Award during the International Documentary Film Festival held in Amsterdam back in 2019.
Aswang, earlier in January, was included in the list for the submission of entry for this year’s Oscars since the event said that those who have won a qualifying award are eligible in the Documentary Feature category.
However, the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), led by Duterte-appointed Vivian Velez, opted not to join the documentary feature category.
So why is it not included?
Arumpac’s Aswang tells the story of the first two years of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s drug campaign. It also featured the stories of the victims from marginalized communities who were greatly affected as they revealed how the government’s violent campaign had changed their lives.
The documentary bravely narrated how the Duterte Administration went against its own people for the sake of a “drug-free” country, which earned the awards that Aswang received.
The violent war on drugs campaign has resulted in thousands of victims, catching the attention of numerous international human rights organizations.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) was also probing the alleged human rights violations brought upon by the illegal drugs campaign and Aswang, garnering more attention by becoming an entry in this year’s Oscars might be a hindrance against Duterte’s resistance to being investigated by it.
Meanwhile, FAP has yet to submit an entry for Oscars’ international feature film category. Velez might choose from this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival entries Kun Maupay Man It Panahon, A Hard Day, Big Night, and OTJ: The Missing 8.
