Breaking barriers: Award-winning LGBTQ representation in Philippine cinema

For decades, LGBTQ characters in Philippine films were often confined to caricature—comic relief, tragic figures, or sidekicks whose queerness existed only to support someone else’s story. In recent years, however, Filipino cinema has undergone a quiet but significant shift. On major stages and at prestigious award nights, LGBTQ performers have not only been seen, but honored for performances that reshaped how queerness is portrayed on screen.

These wins are not simply personal triumphs. They are cultural milestones that reflect a broader change in storytelling—one that treats LGBTQ lives with dignity, complexity, and emotional truth.

At the forefront of this movement was Paolo Ballesteros, whose transformative performance in Die Beautiful redefined what a leading man could look like. His portrayal of a gay man who comes out in death was fearless, tender, and politically charged, confronting prejudice while celebrating self-expression. When he became the first openly queer actor to win Best Actor at the Metro Manila Film Festival in 2017, it marked a breakthrough moment: queerness could carry a film and be rewarded for it.

The momentum continued with Iyah Mina, whose restrained and emotionally grounded performance in Mamu, and a Mother, Too brought trans motherhood into focus without sensationalism. Her Best Actor win at Cinema One Originals in 2018 was the first for a transgender performer at a major Philippine film festival, recognized for craft rather than spectacle.

In 2023, Kaladkaren added another chapter to this evolving history. Known widely for her work in television and impersonation, she surprised audiences with her dramatic turn in Here Comes the Bride. Her Best Supporting Actress win at the Summer MMFF made her the first transgender woman to receive the award, affirming that trans performers could move across genres and be judged on merit rather than novelty.

Most recently, Vice Ganda’s Best Actor win at the 2025 MMFF for Call Me Mother marked a full-circle moment for LGBTQ representation in mainstream Filipino cinema. Long celebrated as a box-office force and pop culture icon, Vice’s win recognized emotional restraint and depth in a role centered on chosen family and compassion. As the second queer actor to receive the MMFF’s top acting honor, the victory highlighted both the distance the industry has traveled and the space still opening ahead.

Taken together, these achievements represent more than a series of “firsts.” They point to an industry gradually moving away from stereotypes and toward stories that reflect lived realities. Each award widened the space for LGBTQ narratives to exist in the mainstream—not only as stories of struggle, but as stories of humanity.

As Filipino cinema continues to evolve, these performers stand as proof that representation matters not only in visibility, but in validation. Their wins affirm a simple truth: LGBTQ stories deserve to be told, and LGBTQ performers deserve recognition on the country’s biggest cinematic stages.

Award-Winning LGBTQ Milestones in Philippine Cinema

• Paolo Ballesteros – First queer actor to win Best Actor
  MMFF 2017, Die Beautiful

• Iyah Mina – First transgender actor to win Best Actor
  Cinema One Originals 2018, Mamu, and a Mother, Too

• Kaladkaren – First transgender actor to win Best Supporting Actress
  Summer MMFF 2023, Here Comes the Bride

• Vice Ganda – Second queer actor to win Best Actor
  MMFF 2025, Call Me Mother