Philippines Selects 'Norte' as its Best Foreign-Language Film Oscar Submission

After submitting for consideration every year since 1953, the Philippines is looking to finally score its first Academy Award nomination in the Best Foreign-Language Film category with an ambitious, four-hour epic.

Lav Diaz's Norte, The End of History has been selected by the Philippines as its official submission for the Best Foreign-Language Film Oscar. The announcement was made by Leo Martinez, head of the Film Academy of The Philippines.

The movie tells the tale of three people affected by the murder of a money lender: a man wrongfully convicted of his murder, the innocent man's resilient wife, and the real killer. Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013, Norte, The End of History was recently released for a two-week commercial run in Manila to to qualify for Oscar submission.

The film was a massive success in the Philippines, sweeping the top honors at the Gawad Urian Awards, which are handed out annually by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (the Filipino Film Critics). The film took home awards for Best Picture and Best Actress, while also earning honors for Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography.

Could this be the film that finally earns the Philippines its first Oscar nomination? Check out the trailer and some preview clips from the film below:

Credit: Kayan Productions / Origin8 Media

Via: Variety