The Philippines, Vietnam, Pakistan and China have announced their official submissions for the best international feature film category at the 97th Academy Awards. The chosen films, submitted ahead of the Oct. 2 deadline, reflect the diverse narratives and cinematic styles of the region, from political documentaries to hand-drawn animation and historical war dramas.
- Southeast Asian gems: The Philippines has selected Ramona S. Diaz’s “And So It Begins,” a political documentary following the 2022 Philippine election and Vice President Leni Robredo’s campaign. This film, a companion to Diaz’s “A Thousand Cuts,” provides a look into the country’s political landscape following President Rodrigo Duterte’s term. Vietnam’s entry is “Peach Blossom, Pho and Piano,” a war-romance-drama set during the First Indochina War. The film, directed by Phi Tien Son, depicts a young couple’s struggle to reunite amidst the chaos of war. “Peach Blossom, Pho and Piano” won the Silver Lotus Award at the 23rd Vietnam Film Festival and enjoyed commercial success in Vietnam.
- East and South features: Pakistan’s submission is Usman Riaz’s “The Glassworker,” a hand-drawn animated feature and the first of its kind from Pakistan. The film tells the story of a father and son, whose lives as glassworkers are disrupted by the onset of war. “The Glassworker” premiered at Annecy earlier this year and features a voice cast including Art Malik and Sacha Dhawan. Meanwhile, China’s choice is the World War II documentary, “The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru,” directed by Fang Li. The film, which marks the first time China has submitted a documentary to the Oscars, recounts the 1942 tragedy where a Japanese ship carrying British prisoners-of-war was torpedoed by the U.S. Navy and Chinese fishermen rescued survivors. “The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru” opened the Shanghai International Film Festival in June and was released in China in September.
