DIE BEAUTIFUL directed by Jun Robles Lana (MMFF 2016 entry)

Actor Paolo Ballesteros leads the cast for the first time in Die Beautiful, an official Metro Manila Film Festival 2016 entry directed by Jun Robles Lana. The film is a story about a transgender woman’s corpse which is stolen by her friends to honor her wish to be presented as a different celebrity on each night of her wake.  A poignant character study celebrating individuality.

Direk Jun Robles Lana shares, “I have always found it ironic that in most cases, to appreciate a life, we have to look at it in the context of death.  Just as Trisha challenged conventions during her life, I wanted to show how she continued to do so even in death.  It's a life filled with as much joy and laughter as it was peppered with pain and sorrow, but in the end, I hope audiences will see that despite many different circumstances, Trisha is really not different from the rest of us -- an individual in search of happiness -- perhaps just a bit more extraordinary and a shade more beautiful.”

Synopsis

Trisha, a Filipino transgender woman suddenly dies while being crowned in a beauty pageant.  Her last wish is to be presented as a different celebrity on each night of her wake, but her conservative father wants to bury her as a man.  Trisha's friends are left with no choice but to steal her body and hold the wake in a secret location.  And as Trisha is transformed to look like different celebrities, they also look back at the colorful and extraordinary life that she has led -- from being a son, a sister, a mother, a friend, a lover, a wife and ultimately, a queen.

Paolo Ballesteros stars in DIE BEAUTIFUL (MMFF 2016 entry) 

Main Cast

Paolo Ballesteros as TRISHA

Christian Bables as BARBS

Gladys Reyes as BETH

Joel Torre as PAPA (TRISHA’S FATHER)

Luis Alandy as JESSIE

Albie Casiño as MIGS

Inah de Belen as SHIRLEY MAE (teen)

IC Mendoza as ERIKA

Cedrick Juan as PAULA

Lou Veloso as FLORA

Kokoy de Santos as MIKO

Jade Lopez as DIANA

Faye Alhambra as SHIRLEY MAE (young)

Kenshee as TRISHA (young)

Iza Calzado (special participation) as As Herself

Eugene Domingo (special participation) as MAU MAU ZALDRIAGA

About the Director

Jun Robles Lana is one of the Philippines' most accomplished filmmakers. His multi-awarded film Bwakaw became the Philippine entry to the Oscars in 2012 and won numerous awards including Best Actor for lead star Eddie Garcia at the Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong.  This was followed by Barber's Tales which won the Philippines' first Best Actress award at the Tokyo International Film Festival in 2013 and the Crystal Mulberry Audience Award at the Udine Far East Film Festival in Italy in 2014.  His 2015 film Anino Sa Likod ng Buwan (Shadow Behind the Moon) won Best Director, Best Actress, Fipresci Critics Prize and NETPAC Best Asian Film at the Pacific Meridian Film Festival in Vladivostok, Russia and won Best Director at the International Film Festival of Kerala, India.

Die Beautiful Full Trailer (MMFF 2016 entry)

TITLE: Die Beautiful

DIRECTOR: Jun Robles Lana

STORY: Jun Robles Lana

SCREENPLAY: Rody Vera

PRODUCERS: Jun Robles Lana, Ferdinand Lapuz

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Lily Y. Monteverde, Roselle Monteverde, Perci Intalan

PRODUCTION COMPANIES: The IdeaFirst Company, Octobertrain Films, Regal Entertainment

International Film Festivals/Awards

December 2016 - Special Jury Award for Outstanding Performance 

21st International Film Festival of Kerala, India

November 2016 - “Reel Talk” Selection 

Special Screening, 40th Toronto International Film Festival

October 2016 - Best Actor (Paolo Ballesteros)

29th Tokyo International Film Festival

Audience Award

29th Tokyo International Film Festival

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