Does "Transit" have what it takes to be the Philippines’ first film nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Academy Awards?

The film by 26-year old Hannah Espia tells the story of a Filipino family and their struggles to fight the Israeli laws forcing children below 5 to be deported back to their native land.

The drama film starred Jasmine Curtis-Smith, who plays the character of a Filipino teen “forced to hide from the Israeli government” in an effort to keep authorities from sending her child to the Philippines, said The Hollywood Reporter.

The Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) confirmed Wednesday that "Transit" had been chosen among the top three films nominated to be the country’s official entry at The Oscars 2014. "Transit" is vying for the elusive award against 62 other films nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Academy Awards.

The Academy of Motion of Picture and the Arts is expected to release the list of films nominated for the category in January 2014 and the winner will be announced at The Oscars 2014 in February 2014.

The choice for "Transit" was not an easy process, said Philippine award-winning director, Peque Gallaga, a member of the selection committee.

“I was impressed by the selection process. I realized that what we were doing was actually recognizing the Oscars as the biggest market there is; and, at the same time, choosing a film that would best project how we wanted other people to look at us,” Gallaga said, according to PH news outlet, Inquirer.net.

“We were very serious about our job,” added Gallaga. “It was my first time to sit as head of the committee; the others had been doing it for a long time now.”

Most parts of the film was shot in Tel Aviv, Israel and has bagged multiple awards after its debut at the 9th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival in July 2013. It already has 10 awards to its name and the film continues to receive recognition for its style and technical mastery. It beat out the other top two nominees: Brillante Ma. Mendoza’s “Thy Womb” and Erik Matti’s “On the Job.”

The film won best film and best director award for Hannah Espia in the local scene. It will be featured in the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea from Oct. 3 to 12.

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