MANILA, Philippines—Director Dante Nico Garcia said on Friday friends and supporters shouldn’t be sad for him or for actress Judy Ann Santos because their film “Ploning” did not make the grade for the Best Foreign Language Film race in the Oscars.

“People have been sending sad messages to my Facebook account,” Garcia, calling from Palm Springs, California, related. “Honestly... just to have [been considered for the award] is more than enough.”

He said he and Santos were “just like kids enjoying a field trip,” finding the whole experience “amazing.”

They stayed for a while in Hollywood, lobbying for a nomination. “Ploning” was one of 65 movies considered. Early this week, the short list for the category was announced.

The filmmaker said they both learned from the Oscar journey. For instance, “Time is of the essence. We need time to make foreigners aware of our films.”

“Ploning” was screened to full houses at the Palm Springs Film Festival. The gala awards night on Jan. 6 was unforgettable for Garcia. “I was in the same place (Palm Springs Convention Center) as Clint Eastwood, Sean Penn, Gus van Sant, Anne Hathaway, Kathy Bates and Ron Howard.” Bayani San Diego Jr