For filmmaker Arvin Belarmino, being invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is beyond a personal milestone but also an opportunity to amplify Filipino cinema on the global stage.

Speaking to ZEEN, Belarmino admitted the news initially caught him completely off guard, revealing he first learned about his inclusion through congratulatory messages before receiving an official email from the Academy.

“It’s so big for me to take in,” he recalled. “Nag-sink in lang talaga nung natanggap ko na yung official email. Sobrang saya. I’m still in shock.”

While joining the Academy places him among the filmmakers who help determine the winners of the Oscars, the director said the recognition also comes with a greater opportunity to push for stories that reflect authentic Filipino voices. Rather than changing his approach as a filmmaker, Belarmino said he intends to stay grounded and remain faithful to the creative voice that has guided him since making his first film in 2009.

“I have to stay grounded… 

I still need to believe that 

2009 Arvin na sobrang gutom. 

Kailangan kong manatiling 

gutom at maging consistent.”

Belarmino also hopes that increasing international recognition for Filipino filmmakers, including recent milestones achieved by other artists, encourages local decision-makers to invest more confidently in films that prioritize artistic vision alongside commercial success.

He pointed to the country’s rich cinematic history, citing filmmakers such as Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal, and Marilou Diaz-Abaya, whose works proved that artistically ambitious films could also thrive in mainstream spaces.

For the director, global recognition should ultimately create more opportunities—not just for established filmmakers, but also for emerging voices still trying to tell their stories.

“Hopefully mas magkaroon ng opportunity… na ma-showcase ko pa yung voice ko as a filmmaker,”

he said, adding that he hopes the recognition will encourage greater trust from producers and investors in Philippine cinema.

Looking beyond awards, Belarmino believes Filipino films have the potential to connect with audiences worldwide through stories rooted in the country’s culture and lived experiences.

“Cultural exchange” is what excites him most, he said, expressing hope that more international audiences, collaborators, and producers will discover Filipino storytelling in the years ahead. For Belarmino, joining the Academy is just the beginning toward helping Philippine cinema earn the global attention he believes it has long deserved.