MANILA -- The stars of the sapphic Cinemalaya movie "Open Endings" believe the success of their film is proof that there is a growing audience for more queer media in the country.
"Open Endings" was the biggest box office hit of the recently concluded Cinemalaya Film Festival, emerging as the No. 1 movie at Shangri-La Plaza, Ayala Malls Cinemas, and Gateway Cineplex.
While it missed out on the Audience Choice award, "Open Endings" earned a special citation for "Best Ensemble Performance," as Cinemalaya highlighted the performance of all four of its stars.
Kapamilya actress Janella Salvador, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Leanne Mamonong, and Klea Pineda have been universally praised for breathing life into the story of "Open Endings," which depicts a ride-or-die friendship among four queer women -- all of whom dated each other at some point in their lives.
READ: Janella Salvador takes pride in success of 'Open Endings,' eyes more sapphic roles
"We're really thankful na many people have seen the film," said Salvador, who stressed that the movie is "from queer people to the queer people."
Asked at the Cinemalaya awards night if there will be a commercial screening for their film, the "Open Endings" cast said they are hoping for it.
"Kasi, obviously naman, we were No. 1 for the box office in Cinemalaya, which we're very thankful for sa lahat ng nanood, lahat ng ticket-buyers, lahat ng audience namin," said Curtis-Smith.
"Pero we're hoping [for] bigger opportunities for Open Endings, and also for queer films, projects in TV or digital," she added. "Kasi clearly, there's an audience for it. Ready ang mga tao dito. Wala lang enough of it."
"It's getting there -- nakita natin 'yung progress, kaya importante na laging meron, and we always give space. Because you just have to build it, and people will come. Build the house, build the structure and people will come."
This is not the first time that a queer film -- in particular, a sapphic film -- has gained traction with audiences.
In 2023, the sapphic film "Rookie" -- directed by Samantha Lee -- won the Audience Award in Cinemalaya.
READ: Why audience award 'matters most' for 'Rookie' director Samantha Lee
READ: Aya Fernandez, Pat Tingjuy in awe of support for 'Rookie'
Even in 2016, "Baka Bukas" -- directed by Lee and starring Curtis-Smith -- also won the Audience Award in the Cinema One Originals Film Festival. Another Lee opus, "Billie and Emma," was an Audience Award winner in the 2019 Inside Out Film Festival in Canada.
With "Open Endings" again showing that there is indeed a demand for more local sapphic representation, its stars are calling for similar projects to be given a chance.
"Hopefully, after the success of our film, sana magkaroon pa. Magtuloy-tuloy, and magkaroon pa ng more films like this," said Salvador.
"It's important that we continue to tell stories, so this is just part of that bigger goal that we're all going for. So yeah we hope that more stories like this continue to be appreciated by people, and we hope that it continues to educate the people as well," added Mamonong, who made her feature film debut in "Open Endings."