UK, Singapore Oscar entries have some shades of Filipino

MANILA, Philippines - Transit, the Philippine entry in the Best Foreign Language Film category of next year’s Oscars, is in good company.

Singapore’s entry Ilo Ilo, directed by Anthony Chen, is about the relationship between a Filipino maid and the Singaporean family that she worked for. Chen, 29, was recently reunited with his yaya after more than two decades when he came for a visit.

Ilo Ilo, which earned $210,000 on its opening weekend in Singapore, won Camera d’Or Award at last May’s Cannes Filmfest.

“I’m happy that the film continues to fly the flag of Singapore,” Chen was quoted as saying by a Singapore journalist.

Yeo Chun Cheng, head of the Singapore Film Commission advisory committee, said, “Ilo Ilo was chosen for its excellence in execution and performance, accentuated by a thought-provoking storyline.”

Meanwhile, British filmmaker Sean Ellis’ Metro Manila has been selected as the UK’s official submission to the race category in next year’s Oscars. Metro Manila tells the story of Oscar Ramirez and his family’s search for a better life in Manila. As events take an unexpected turn, he unwittingly endangers himself and his family.

Voting for the semi-finalists and then the finalists (out of more than 60 films submitted for consideration) starts on Dec. 27 and the list of nominees will be announced on Jan. 16, 2014.