Sunday Beauty Queen Review

Sometimes, to appreciate a film, all we need is a little bit of heart.

To start off, I am not a big fan of documentaries. I am not built to watch these types of films as I tend to loose focus on what's happening on screen along the way. I think it has something to do with me having a very short attention span. But there is always that one movie that stands out and becomes an exception.

Baby Ruth Villarama's Sunday Beauty Queen is a 2016 Philippine documentary film which follows the lives of five Filipina domestic workers in Hong Kong in their everyday routine, alongside their preparations for the annual beauty pageant. It is one of the eight official entries to the Metro Manila Film Festival 2016. The film is also historical and groundbreaking as it is the first documentary film to enter the said festival. With that being said, it was a very odd entry compared to the rest of the films in the film festival. Yet as it turns out, the film perfectly fits the visions and goals of the new MMFF. It even grabbed the Best Picture award of the recent festival, making it the first ever documentary to win the much coveted award. Shot over the span of three years and edited by her husband who is also part of Voyager Studios, Chuck Gutierrez, this movie has been a labor of love for her. And after seeing the film with my own eyes, I couldn't agree more.

The film follows five domestic helpers days before and during the annual beauty pageant held in Hong Kong for Filipina migrant workers. These domestic workers grind their bodies and tire their minds six days a week, for almost ten hours. But instead of sleeping and resting their exhausted bodies during their rest day, they come together to prepare for the annual beauty pageant. These beauty pageant is organized by Leo Selomenio, who is considered as one of those lucky OFW who is able to have a much comfortable life in Hong Kong and has her own flat which she shares with her partner, unlike those others who have to sleep in a very small space in their bosses' home. Leo is also one of the leaders of the Filipino community in the country, providing assistance to any fellow OFW who needed help. The pageant, which was originally conceived as fund raisers to help the Filipino community in Hong Kong, soon grew from a one time thing to an annual tradition. Everyone is looking forward every Sunday to prepare for the said event. It serves as their escape from the exhausting lives these migrant workers have from Monday to Saturday. But aside from focusing on the pageantry itself, the film also tackles multiple issues that these migrant workers are experiencing every now and then.

Early into the film, we meet one female worker who got home late past her curfew after attending the pageant. Her employer decided to kick her out and fire her that night. We are then told that migrant workers like her are only given 14 days by Hong Kong law to get a new employer and a new job, or else, she will be deported from the country. Aside from this, we hear the usual stories of OFWs who end up having a sour relationship with their employers. Leo narrates at one point of the film that her first employer wasn't really good to her. They even had her sleep at a very small room which was an extension of the kitchen, so when a storm came past their area, the roof of the room flew away, soaking her and all her stuff wet. There's even one story from another OFW wherein she narrates that her boss even forbids her to sit in the sofa. She was told to sleep in the floor, in the kitchen near the refrigerator, if I remember correctly. But what's so beautiful about this film is that it doesn't put too much weight on these long line of abuses.

The film also gives time to show that their are some families in Hong Kong who treat their helpers like family. One best example would be Jack Soo and his helper, Mylyn. Jack is a well known entertainment producer in Hong Kong, and Mylyn has been helping him everyday to move around his place (he lives alone despite having lots of children and grandchildren). Mylyn has already formed a very strong bond with her employer. So strong that we cant help but shed a tear during one of the most unexpected moments of the film.

To be honest, this film is not for everyone. I'm pretty sure not all viewers would appreciate it. The film festival has been catering mostly to family friendly films. Films that would be appreciated by kids around the age of seven below usually top the festival, since majority of the festival's market are families who go to the cinemas to watch movies with their little kids. These kids most likely would appreciate the film that much since there are some moments in the film that can only be understood by reading the subtitles and text on screen. These kids would have any idea what's already going on screen as they can't hardly read those text and would easily loose their focus from watching. I remember when I watched Sunday Beauty Queen last January 2, 2016 at SM Fairview. during the screening, I got distracted with some kids screaming and playing around inside the cinema. Luckily, they stopped after a few minutes so I was able to go back to the film I was watching. I admit, there were also some moments when I started to lose focus from the film as I feel like there are some scenes that were just too long yet nothing is happening yet. I told you from the very start of this review. I am not built for watching movies like this.

But despite that, I love Sunday Beauty Queen. I have already seen at least four films from the recently concluded Metro Manila Film Festival, and of all those four films, this is the first and only one that made me cry. Yes, I shed a tear more than once while watching this documentary. I have seen a lot of movies with tragic stories but none of them has touched and struck my heart like what Sunday Beauty Queen did. I guess it's because what I was watching at that time were real people going through their everyday lives. The pain, the suffering, the hardship and the stories that I was hearing from them were all real.

In one of the film's most unforgettable and heartbreaking moments for me, we see a mother, Hazel Perdido, a computer science graduate who's been working in Hong Kong as a domestic helper for 8 years, as she watches her daughter's graduation through video chat. The bad connection causes the video chat to keep on breaking up, but she still patiently watches her daughter march to the stage at the school ceremony. I don't know but this scene just broke my heart. That moment should have been one of the happiest moments in a mother's life. Seeing her child march up to the stage to accept her diploma. but for Hazel, it was rather bittersweet as she cannot even be there to personally hug and congratulate her own daughter for her achievement. 

But then, after all these heartbreaking moments of the film, the audiences are lifted up from their sad mood by the pageantry that comes later into the final act of the film. This is the part where the film gives the spotlight to the candidates as they go into actual competition along with other participants. We see all the contestants in colorful gowns and over-heavy make up. We are able to witness their much-awaited talent portion. We also get a very humorous Q and A portion with one of the most unforgettable answers of the day after the emcee asks one of the contestants: "What is tourism?" She struggled to finish her answer with broken English but she manages to finish it and made us all smile. It was enough to lift our spirits up and assure us that despite all the sad stories behind these people, they are still able to have fun just like the rest of us. We are reminded that this is not just another sad story to down us. It is a feel-good movie to inspire us.

And just when you thought everything was already over, the film gives a sort-of epilogue to each of the stories of these women. We get a glimpse of the lives of these people after the pageant. As we find out what happened to each one of them, we can't help but hope that someday, everything will be better for them. There's one that really tore my heart and pushed me to the edge, crying. But there's some that signified a happy ending for these women.

Heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time, Baby Ruth Villarama's documentary definitely deserves it's Best Picture award. Of all the entries of this year's Metro Manila Film Festival, this is one hell of an emotional roller coaster ride. You can't help but cry, laugh and smile all throughout the film. This is not just a movie, it is a labor of love. It promises to uplift your spirits high upon leaving the theater, and it fulfills it's promise with flying colors (and with dazzling gowns and crowns).

Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰ out of 5

Starring Hazel Perdido, Cherrie Mae Bretana, Mylyn Jacobo, Leo Selomenio, Rudelyn Acosta

Directed by Baby Ruth Villarama