‘And So It Begins’ is Philippines official entry to Oscars 2025 best international feature film. Image: Facebook/Fap Orig Ramona S. Diaz’s documentary film “ And So It Begins ” has been selected as the Philippines’ official entry to the 97th Academy Awards Best International Foreign Film Category.
The news was announced on the Facebook page of the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) on Wednesday, Sept. 25, with pictures of Diaz receiving the plaque. “And So It Begins” tells the journey of former Vice President Leni Robredo ’s presidential run during the 2022 election and provides an in-depth look at the complexity of Philippine politics.
It is a companion film to “A Thousand Cuts” that tackles Rappler CEO Maria Ressa’s fight against disinformation and press freedom. “And So It Begins” first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2024, while “A Thousand Cuts” also premiered in the same festival in 2020. In August, “And So It Begins” debuted at the 2024 Cinemalaya and got limited screenings at selected local cinemas.
During its local premiere, Robredo shared the lessons that she wants the young voters to get from the documentary film, saying that it’s not about “changing the world,” but focusing on fixing the “small spaces that are available.” Robredo also shared that “And So It Begins” was supposed to be titled “This is How It Ends” given the saddening outcome of the 2022 national elections, but they settled with the for.