The Oscar is generally considered one of the most prestigious awards a filmmaker can acquire in their lifetime. Competition is stiff and the selection process is stringent, but behind every nominee lies The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: a collective of seasoned individuals in the film industry specifically chosen to pick the best of the best in cinema. This year, three Filipino filmmakers became members of The Academy: Baby Ruth Villarama, Ditsi Carolino, and PJ Raval. All three directors belong to the Documentary category of The Academy.
Documentary film director Villarama shares her excitement on Facebook.
There are over 842 new members, half of whom are women, from 59 countries, and they are members alongside Spider-Man actor Tom Holland, Oscar-winning singer-actress Lady Gaga, and Crazy Rich Asians director John M. Chu, to name a few.
This story originally appeared on Spot.com.
* Minor edits have been made by the Esquiremag.ph editors.
