Student-filmmaker in LGBTQ fest in Paris

A student film about the coming-out experience of Filipino youths has been accepted at the Chéries Chéris Festival du Filme LGBTQ, a film fiesta focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals, is set from Nov. 14 to 21 in Paris, France. Yakap by Margo Manalo

(photo), a Digital Filmmaking alumna of De La SalleCollege of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), focuses on the reality of coming-out of the closet in the Philippines.

“I wanted to write a different reality that LGBTQ people face, since we usually see coming-out stories that deal with two extremes: Either your family is completely accepting, or they turn you away,” she shared.

“But the reality, I knew, was somewhere in the middle, and I wrote it as a commentary on the kind of society we have, where sometimes we just brush things under the rug, and even though we’re called the most gay-friendly country, discrimination still exists,” she added.

She said that it feels good to work hard for something and have it go far. “It’s a humbling experience that’s teaching me to just work hard in everything I do. I’m inspired to keep creating.”

This was Manalo’s undergraduate film thesis, under the mentorship of multi-awarded director and scriptwriter and DLS-CSB faculty Jose Javier Reyes. It will be screened at the Mk2 Quai de Loire and Mk2 Beaubourg Theaters.

Now on its 23rd year, Chéries Chéris was conceptualized in 1994 as a venue for original productions that center on gay experiences. It has since given out a number of recognitions for deserving productions.