# The Philippines bets on a Sundance breakout

> Rafael Manuel's debut feature beat seven other films to become the country's Oscar pick.
- Title: The Philippines bets on a Sundance breakout · Variety
- Summary: Rafael Manuel's debut feature beat seven other films to become the country's Oscar pick. A first-time director's film is carrying the Philippines into the…
- Keywords: oscars, philippines, filipiñana, independent film, awards season, entertainment, culture, bets, Sundance, breakout, Variety
- Source: Variety — https://variety.com/2026/film/awards/oscars-philippines-selects-rafael-manuels-filipinana-international-feature-1236860043
- Author: Jazz Tangcay
- Published: 2026-09-13T06:45:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: oscars, philippines, filipiñana, independent film, awards season, entertainment, culture
## The Philippines picks its horse
Rafael Manuel's "Filipiñana" is the country's official entry in the international feature category at the 99th Academy Awards.
## It beat seven others
The film came out of a shortlist of eight contenders to win the national selection.
## One person, both jobs
Manuel wrote and directed the film. It is his debut feature, and Kino Lorber is handling distribution.
## A distributor who saw it early
Kino Lorber chair and CEO Richard Lorber first watched it at Sundance and has been evangelizing it ever since.

> it's nothing short of a cinematic miracle
## Decades in, still surprised
Lorber, a distributor of many years, framed the film as a rare discovery that points somewhere new.

> it feels like a gift that you can still discover something that truly feels like the future of the form
## Already selling tickets
"Filipiñana" is a theatrical hit in North America, and Kino Lorber plans to convert that publicity push into a full awards campaign.
## Key takeaway

A first-time director's film is carrying the Philippines into the international feature race, backed by a distributor already calling it the future of cinema.