Documentary about Jennifer Laude to premiere in Tribeca Film Festival
The story of Jennifer Laude, the Filipina transgender found dead in a motel room in Olongapo City in 2014, is set to captivate viewers at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival in New York.
The documentary "Call Her Ganda," directed by PJ Raval and written by Raval and Victoria Chalk, is part of the feature film lineup of the festival, which will take place from April 18 to 29.
"Call Her Ganda" beat out more than 8,789 total submissions to make it to the lineup, which includes 96 films from 103 filmmakers.
The film focuses on the death of Laude and delves into the ensuing "social and political tensions" between the Philippines and the United States.
The then-26-year-old was found dead, with her head inside a toilet bowl, in the bathroom of the lodge room on October 11, 2014. US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton, who was last seen entering the room with Laude after drinking, was later found guilty of homicide. The Olongapo City court ruled that Laude had tried to keep her true gender from Pemberton.
"Call Her Ganda" will be competing against 11 other documentaries in the film festival.
These films will vie for Best Documentary Feature, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing. —Jessica Bartolome/JST, GMA News