Oscars: Philippines Picks 'Heneral Luna' for Foreign-Language Category

Directed by Jerrold Tarog, the film depicts the heroic exploits of General Antonio Luna, a beloved figure from Philippine history.

The Philippines has selected action biopic Heneral Luna as its official entry to the 88th Academy Awards for the Best Foreign Language Film category.

The announcement was made via the film's official Facebook page on Monday.

Directed by Jerrold Tarog, the film depicts the heroic exploits of General Antonio Luna, a beloved figure from Philippine history who fought against the Americans during the Philippine-American War. It stars Jon Arcilla in the title role.

Local studio Artikulo Uno produced the film. It opened in Philippines cinemas on Sept. 9.

No Philippine film has ever been nominated to the short list for the Oscars’ Best Foreign Language category.