As Pride Month kicks off today, June 1, sapphic representation in local cinema is already making waves with the reveal of Open Endings, an upcoming entry in Cinemalaya 2025.
Late last month, the film revealed its cast members including Janella Salvador, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Klea Pineda, and OPM singer Leanne Mamonong. The story follows four queer women—exes turned best friends—whose ride-or-die bond is tested when one makes a life-changing decision that stirs up old emotions and uncovers long-buried secrets.
By casting openly LGBTQ+ supportive women in the lead roles, Open Endings takes a big step for queer visibility in local media—not just showing queer stories, but letting real-life advocates bring them to life.
In 2023, Klea publicly revealed her lesbian identity and stars in her first major film, Open Endings. She’s joined by Leanne—half of the indie pop duo Leanne and Naara—who is making her acting debut. Both are openly queer artists known for their vocal advocacy on LGBTQ+ issues.
Janella, who plays Charlie, has long supported sapphic narratives. She previously dedicated her music video “Hey You” to young queer love and portrayed romantic dynamics between women with her Darna co-star Jane de Leon. In an interview with MEGA Digital, the actress even dressed as iconic sapphic figures like Evelyn Hugo and Héloïse from Portrait of a Lady on Fire.
“The way I’ve been holding this in for months,” she wrote on X.
On the other hand, Jasmine, who is no stranger to queer roles, brings her experience from her award-winning performance in Samantha Lee’s Baka Bukas (2016), where she earned Best Actress honors at the Cinema One Originals Film Festival.
With a story penned by Pearl Next Door writer Keavy Vicente and helmed by Dalaginding na si Isang director Nigel Santos, Open Endings is shaping up to be a film by, for, and about queer people.
