‘Transit’ now No. 15 in Oscar prediction site; ‘Metro Manila’, ‘Ilo Ilo’ also crack Top 30

A scene from 'Transit'.

Less than a month after a celebrated Hollywood producer acquired worldwide distribution for “Transit”, the acclaimed feature film debut of Hannah Espia has gained momentum in its bid to become the country’s first ever nominee for the Oscars Best Foreign Language Film category.

In the latest update of popular Oscar prediction site AwardsCircuit.com dated November 15, “Transit” is now ranked 15th, up seven notches from its No. 22 debut spot last month. The film has also improved its bracket in the site from the “Also in Contention” group to “Other Top Tier Contenders”, which also include France’s “Renoir”, Hong Kong’s “The Grandmaster”, Brazil’s “Neighboring Sounds” and Italy’s “The Great Beauty”.

Not much has changed in the composition of the prediction site’s Top 10 except Iran’s “The Past”, which failed to make it to the Top 5 last month but is now ranked as No. 1. It is followed by Denmark’s “The Hunt”, Saudi Arabia’s “Wadjda”, Australia’s “The Rocket”, Belgium’s “The Broken Circle Breakdown” Israel’s “Bethlehem”, Chile’s “Gloria”, Canada’s “Gabrielle”, Romania’s “Child’s Pose” and Cambodia’s “The Missing Picture”.

Most of these aforementioned films have figured prominently in other Oscar predictions sites.

Two other foreign films that feature Filipino actors have also made their debut in AwardsCircuit.com’s Top 30. They are Singapore’s “Ilo Ilo” at No. 25 and the United Kingdom’s “Metro Manila”, which is No. 27.

Directed by Anthony Chen, “Ilo Ilo” is already in the Top 10 of movie news site Indiewire as of November 9. In the case of Sean Ellis’ “Metro Manila”, the AwardsCircuit.com mention is the first time the film has been included in any reputable Oscar prediction for the Best Foreign Language Film award—possibly boosted in part by the five major nominations it received from the British Independent Film Awards.

The Oscar chances of “Transit” may also have been further improved by its recent acceptance by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as one of two official Philippine entries to next year’s Golden Globe Awards. The other Philippine entry to the Golden Globes is Brillante Mendoza’s “Thy Womb”.

‘Transit’ now No. 15 in Oscar prediction site; ‘Metro Manila’, ‘Ilo Ilo’ also crack Top 30

Source: InterAksyon.com (November 17, 2013 at 10:00PM)

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