Die Beautiful (2016)

Die Beautiful (2016)

TV-14

itunes

A poignant and heartwarming Filipino film that celebrates the transformative power of authenticity and resilience

The Very Best

8.1

Movie

Philippines
Tagalog
Comedy, Drama
2016
JUN LANA, JUN ROBLES LANA
Adrian Alandy, Albie Casiño, Cedrick Juan
120 min

What it's about

Trisha, a Filipino transgender woman, suddenly dies while being crowned in a beauty pageant. Her last wish was to be presented as a different celebrity on each night of her wake, but her conservative father wants to bury her as a man.

The take

It is hard to be unmoved by how Die Beautiful defies conventions and explores the essence of identity, acceptance, and resilience. Centered around the life of Trisha, a transgender woman with a passion for beauty pageants, the film takes us on a rollercoaster of emotions as we witness Trisha's life unfold, both in joyous moments and in the face of painful degradation and assault. The film seamlessly weaves together humor, tenderness, and raw vulnerability, delivered stunningly by its lead, Paolo Ballesteros. With other films such as Kalel, 15 and Bwakaw under his belt, director Jun Lana continues to meld reality with hope, injecting kindness and heart into much-needed queer stories.  

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