‘Heneral Luna’ misses Oscars shortlist

John Arcilla as Heneral Luna. FILE PHOTO

Despite its critical and box office success in the Philippines, Jerrold Tarog’s “Heneral Luna” has failed to make it to the shortlist of movies vying for the 88th Academy Awards or Oscars’ Best Foreign Language Film.

READ: ‘Heneral Luna’ picked as PH’s 2016 Oscars bet

The Academy Awards posted on its website in December a list of the films that are being considered for the award, which continues to elude Filipino movies.

The films that are on the shortlist are:

Belgium’s “The Brand New Testament”;

Colombia’s “Embrace of the Serpent”;

Denmark’s “A War”;

Finland’s “The Fencer”;

France’s “Mustang”;

Germany’s “Labyrinth of Lies”;

Hungary’s “Son of Saul”;

Ireland’s “Viva”; and

Jordan’s “Theeb.”

Several hundred members of the Academy Awards selected the films on the shortlist from mid-October until December 14. The nine films in contention will be narrowed down to the final five nominees by committees from New York, Los Angeles and London.

The final list of nominees will be announced on January 14 (US time).

In December 2015, it was also announced that “Heneral Luna” failed to make the cut for the best foreign language film of the Golden Globes.

READ: ‘Heneral Luna’ fails to make Golden Globes cut

The film, which stars John Arcilla as the tough war general, was initially pulled out of cinemas before it became a cult hit and ended as the “highest-grossing Filipino historical film of all time.”

READ: Heneral Luna, kasama sa Most Searched films ng 2015

Speaking on behalf of the Film Academy of the Philippines, filmmaker Mel Chionglo said “Heneral Luna” was chosen as Philippine bet to the Oscars because it was “very good—very well directed and acted.”