Filipino filmmaker Arvin Belarmino invited to join the Oscars Academy

Filipino director earns rare Oscars Academy invite, joins global film leaders shaping future award winners.

Award-winning Filipino filmmaker Arvin Belarmino has earned one of the film industry’s highest honors after being invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), the organization behind the Academy Awards or the Oscars.

Belarmino was among the 529 artists and executives from around the world invited to become Academy members for 2026. According to the Academy, this year’s invitees include 95 Oscar nominees, 21 Oscar winners, and three recipients of the Scientific and Technical Awards.

Recognized under the Short Films branch, Belarmino was cited for his acclaimed works “Agapito” and “Hinakdal.” His inclusion places him among the international filmmakers who will help shape the future of the Oscars by voting on Academy matters, including future Academy Award winners.

Belarmino has emerged as one of the Philippines’ most celebrated independent filmmakers. Raised between Manila and Cavite, he has earned international acclaim for his emotionally charged and socially grounded short films. This year, his film “Agapito” competed for the Short Film Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, while his earlier works, including “Radikals,” “Hinakdal,” and “Nakaw,” have collected awards and screened at prestigious festivals worldwide. He is also developing his debut feature film, “Ria,” through major international film programs.

Meanwhile, Filipino-American filmmaker Andrew Stephen Lee also received an invitation under the Short Films branch. Born and raised in San Francisco, Lee is known for films that explore his Filipino heritage, including “Manila Is Full of Men Named Boy,” which premiered in competition at the Venice Film Festival, and “At Little Wheelie Three Days Ago,” which received a Special Mention at the Locarno International Film Festival.

The inclusion of both Belarmino and Lee underscores the growing influence of Filipino and Filipino diaspora filmmakers in world cinema.

Academy membership is by invitation only and is extended to artists and executives who have distinguished themselves through their contributions to motion pictures.

The Academy announced the new class on Wednesday, saying the invitees represent “a remarkable group of film artists and professionals from around the world” whose work has made significant contributions to the global film industry.

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