Cinemata was the official media partner of MULAT Documentary Guild’s ‘RamPelikula: Celebrating Queer Docu on Screen’ event held on July 17, 2023, which emphasised the importance of queer narratives and visual storytelling in empowering the LGBTQIA+ community in the Philippines. Through the partnership, Cinemata as a social issue platform was introduced to event attendees and students from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
The event featured the film screening of Tulipa (2022), a documentary by Rhadem Musawah that explores the lives of Filipino LGBTQIA+ migrants who moved away from the Philippines to assert their rights to gender equality. The screening was followed by a discussion on the challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community and the transformative power of storytelling to promote inclusivity and empowerment.
MULAT Documentary Guild is based in the PUP College of Communication. The organisation aims to foster social awareness among students and drive youth contribution to societal change through creative audio and video forms.
Prior to the film screening, RamPelikula featured student performances and a talk by ASEAN SOGIE Caucus Program Associate Donna Nuñez on the impact of queer-led storytelling in advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights and recognition. These kinds of narratives, she stressed, play a pivotal role in persuading the undecided public about the importance of passing the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill in the Philippines. Nuñez also underscored the significance of publishing narratives and stories that have been marginalized and excluded from the mainstream, as they hold the power to challenge societal norms and foster greater inclusivity.
