Transit is PHL’s entry for 86th Oscars

MANILA, Philippines – Cinemalaya entry “Transit” is the Philippine’s official entry for the Foreign Language Film category in the 86th Academy Awards.

The film’s producer Paul Soriano announced it in his Twitter account: “just got the phone call. It’s OFFICIAL – TRANSIT is the Philippine Entry to the 86th Academy Awards – the OSCARS!! Shalom!! God is great!!”

Transit is Cinemalaya 2013’s Best Picture, which was directed by Hannah Espia and stars Irma Adlawan, Ping Medina, Mercedes Cabral, Jasmine Curtis-Smith and Marc Justine Alvarez.

It tackles the life of Filipino migrant workers in Tel Aviv who are facing the threat of a law deporting the children of migrant workers.

The Film Academy of the Philippines is the one who chooses the country’s entry for the said prestigious award-giving body. The special committee, which evaluated several films, was headed by film director Peque Gallaga.

Other films that were considered as the Philippine’s entry are Supremo, El Presidente, Thy Womb, Dance of the Steel Bars, Ekstra, OTJ, Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles, Tuhog and Boses.

For a film to be considered, it should have been commercially exhibited in the country for at least seven days within October 2012 to September 2013.

Transit was in theatres from Sept. 11 until yesterday, Sept. 17.