[Confession] Sunday Beauty Queen (Official MMFF 2016 entry)
You may have been surprised to see that I've watched yet another MMFF 2016 entry, not a film - but a documentary. Yes, it's a narrative documentary about OFWs in Hongkong! So why the hell did you, Lyka? Let me further suggest as to why you need to watch Sunday Beauty Queen.
Metro Manila Film Fest's first documentary film to ever participate in the festival, Sunday Beauty Queen Directed by Babyruth Villarama follows a group of expatriate domestic workers in Hong Kong as they prepare to take part in an annual beauty pageant.
I was actually going up to the cinema, thinking of watching another film, when I encountered tons of good recommendation about this film then I immediately watched the trailer making my tears flow because of its theme. Right then and there, I bought the ticket and went on.
While this may have been experimental for allowing this film to be on MMFF, it has all the more reason why we need documentary films to be part of the popular annual festival. Sunday Beauty Queen has an enthralling message about real experiences of OFWs that we Filipinos have to see to understand. That even though Filipino domestic helpers work harder than any other helpers in Hong Kong, they find fulfillment through Beauty Pageants.
Is it heartbreaking? Yes. Because even if you don't have loved from overseas, the thought of someone leaving you to work, securing your future and won't be spending time with you is definitely heartbreaking. Is it depressing? No, it's not. Sunday Beauty Queen dignifies the abundance of humanity Filipinos give to their employers despite being strangers. The workers may have found themselves in unfair predicaments at times but it's only a way for them to transform and be a new source of light to others.
Another thing to look forward to is the beauty pageant itself as the Q&A questions tackles the struggles and notions to domestic helpers and what their answers to these questions are.
Sunday Beauty Queen makes us appreciate them more as it serves us a reminder that even if they care for other people instead of us, it's only because they love us. They override their personal ambitions with kindness because they want what's best for us. And above all their hardships, there will always be that one day of the week that makes them queens in their own ways.
Do watch Sunday Beauty Queen before it's taken out in the cinemas!!
My Rating:
Plot: 9.0/10
Acting: 8.5/10
Cinematography: 8.5/10
Characters: 9.0/10
Uniqueness: 9.5/10
OVERALL RATING: 8.9