Just months after being recognized in an international film festival, the documentary “Jake and Charice” about singer Jake Zyrus reached further heights as it was nominated in the 2020 International Emmy Awards.
Under the Arts Programming category of the award-giving body, “Jake and Charice” was listed as an entry from Japan. It will compete with three other entries: “Refavela 40” from Brazil, “Vertige de la Chute (Ressaca)” from France, and “Why do we Dance” from United Kingdom.
Zyrus called this nomination “surreal” as he posted the nomination on his Instagram account while thanking the Emmys.
“It’s an honor,” he wrote.
The International Emmy World Television Festival will be from Nov. 13 to 23, with the winners being announced on the last day.
Produced by Japan’s NHK and co-produced with ABS-CBN, “Jake and Charice” follows his transition from Charice Pempengco to Jake Zyrus.
“Why did Charice choose to live as Jake? How did his family and other people dear to him react? NHK documented Jake’s life and new challenges, his joys and sorrows, and the journey he took to finding his own voice,” a part of the documentary synopsis read.
In June, the documentary won the Gold Camera award at the US International Film & Video Festival.
[READ: ‘Jake and Charice’ docu bests in int’l film fest]
It won against four entries in the Social Issues category: “My Birthday: Keeping Memories Alive Through Love” (Hong Kong), “RT Reporta: “La Bestia” Y Sus Ángeles” (Russia), “Pakistan Child Protection,” and “From The Soil: How One Village Cut Poverty Through Flowers” (China).
This is not the first time for Jake to work with filmmakers from Japan as he was tapped for the role of Akira in the film “Yaru Onna (She’s a Killer)” in 2018, when he was still Charice.