‘Bwakaw’ Ranks Sixth In Oscar Predictions List
By ROWENA JOY A. SANCHEZ
October 13, 2012
Manila Bulletin
TIME magazine named ‘Bwakaw’ among the ‘10 Films To Watch’ at the New York Film Festival (Publicity photo)
Among the 71 films submitted for selection in the Best Foreign Language Film category of the Academy Awards, the Jun Luna magnum opus is the sole Asian entry in the Top 10 of the predictions list. It’s just behind five European films namely “Amour” (Austria), “A Royal Affair” (Denmark), “Beyond The Hills” (Romania), “Barbara” (Germany), and “The Untouchables” (France).
“Fill The Void” from Israel is the only other Asian film that made it to the Top 15.
The Awards Circuit has seemingly acquired a soft spot for “Bwakaw,” one of the top winners at the 2012 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. In a review by Awards Circuit writer Joey Magidson published Sept. 25, “Bwakaw” got three-and-a-half stars for being a “delightful little dramedy” about an old gay man’s quest for love and unlikely friendship with a stray dog.
Magidson noted that "Bwakaw" was “terrifically acted (especially by lead Eddie Garcia), tenderly directed, and often laugh out loud funny while retaining a strong emotional core.” And although the film "doesn’t reinvent the genre… it does show just how good a movie of this sort can be when the right people are making it.”
“Bwakaw” has made rounds in a number of film festivals internationally, such as in Toronto as well as New York; later this month it will compete in Tokyo. It is likewise triumphant in critic circles, with rave reviews from The Hollywood Reporter, Film Society of Lincoln Center, Twitch Film, Variety, and an inclusion in TIME's “10 Films To Watch” at the New York Film Festival list.
Out of all the representatives for Best Foreign Language Film, only five will constitute the official nominees for the category. The nominees will be revealed on Jan. 10, 2013; the winners will be unveiled on Feb. 24
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