MANILA, Philippines?Some months ago, Judy Ann Santos? starrer, ?Ploning,? was tapped by the Film Academy of the Philippines to represent the country in the Oscars? Foreign Film category.

Subsequently, an unprecedentedly earnest and relatively well-funded campaign was launched to boost the movie?s chances of making it at least to the category?s finalist round. Recently, however, the sad news came that ?Ploning? had ended up as an also-ran.

Significant inroads

Expectedly, the downbeat report was greeted by some ?I told you so?s? from the usual unfriendly neighborhood knee-jerk cynics?which were immediately countered by determinedly upbeat ?We did our level best and made significant inroads? statements from ?Ploning?s? producers and drumbeaters.

So, is the glass half-empty or half-full? Now that the furor over the movie?s ?expensive failure? has abated, here?s a hopefully less sanguine and more objective view of ?the ?Ploning? experience?:

Filipino films have won top prizes in other international competitions?so, what?s the big deal about making it to the Oscars? finalist level in the foreign film category? Sure, the US Academy Awards are the world?s biggest cinematic competition, but they aren?t at the top in terms of quality, objectivity and critical significance, so why should Filipino filmmakers regard them as the cinematic world?s Holy Grail?

We think that our collective obsession with making a dent in the Oscars is, to say the least, misplaced?and quite colonial-minded. Instead, why can?t we go out of our way to celebrate our movies? triumphs at the Cannes, Venice, Berlin and other prestigious film festivals?

These actual feathers in our country?s cinematic cap are an even bigger deal than a possible Oscar finalist slot?and, if properly publicized, both locally and internationally, would provide a bigger and better psychic boost than the Academy Awards.

Unprecedented campaign

Second key point: Why was the unprecedented campaign launched to boost a flawed film like ?Ploning?? We submit that the Judy Ann starrer was not the best choice to represent Filipino movies at the Oscars. So, why the major effort to boost its chances among Academy voters? Largely, we surmise, because of Judy Ann?s enthusiasm for it.

Now, the actress-producer can?t be faulted for believing in her movie and doing everything to help it make its mark. But, more objective people should have been less eager to jump onto the production?s Oscar bandwagon.

Yes, the film?s failed Oscar bid has had some positive outcomes, like local film people?s enhanced understanding of what it takes to get the attention of the Academy voters. But, the price was too big for the potential award?s inflated significance.

Lessons learned from all this? Don?t get so fixated on the Oscars, there are other awards worth yearning for and actually winning. And, let?s choose better films to represent us.