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The Film Academy of the Philippines announces the documentary’s selection, Wednesday, September 25
MANILA, Philippines – And So It Begins is the Philippines’ official entry to the 97th Academy Awards, the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) announced on Wednesday, September 25.
On his Facebook account, FAP special projects officer Raymond Diamzon posted photos of the documentary’s director Ramona Diaz accepting a certificate that formally names And So It Begins as the country’s official entry to the 2025 Oscars.
“The Film Academy of the Philippines is pleased to proclaim [And So It Begins] by Ramona S. Diaz as the Philippines’ entry to the [97th Academy Awards]! Congratulations!” Diamzon wrote.
FAP also shared photos of Diaz on its Facebook page.
And So It Begins charts the grassroots “pink” movement that emerged during former vice president Leni Robredo’s presidential bid at the 2022 national elections. Robredo went head to head with Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who is the son of former dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos. He then went on to assume the country’s top post.
The documentary, which runs for 113 minutes, also features the story of Rappler and its CEO, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa’s fight for press freedom at a time when disinformation was at an all-time high.
In August, it premiered at the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, and was also screened at a limited number of cinemas in the country. According to Diaz, however, the documentary was supposed to be a national release.
“We have a PG-rating and we have demand — two things that would otherwise not make them hesitate to show the film. It would be great to get an answer from them,” said Diaz in August about major cinema chains like SM, Robinsons, and Ayala Malls, which did not screen And So It Begins.
Before it was screened in the Philippines, And So It Begins also made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January.
The Philippines’ official entry to the 96th Academy Awards was the Filipino-Ilocano animated film Iti Mapukpukaw by Carl Joseph Papa. – Rappler.com
