Sassa Gurl (center) in a scene from “Balota.” Image: Courtesy of Cultural Center of the Philippines While Sassa Gurl knows she did her character justice in the Cinemalaya 2024 film “Balota,” she explained that one of the reasons why she did her best is to represent the LGBTQIA+ community. The content creator-actress is set to make her Cinemalaya debut with “Balota,” which revolves around electoral violence.
The Kip Oebanda-helmed film stars Marian Rivera, Will Ashley, Joel Saracho, Donna Cariaga and Gardo Verzosa. “Feel ko marami pa akong improvement na kailangan..
. pero binigay ko ang best ko,” she told reporters on the sidelines of Cinemalaya’s press conference. “Binigyan ko ng kulay at buhay ang character ko.
Hindi lang naman para sa’kin ito. Ito ay representation sa mga queer artists na bigyan pa kami ng mas maraming trabaho. Ginawa ko ito para sa community namin.
” (I feel I could still improve, but I did my best. I gave color and life to my character. This is not for me alone.
This is a representation of queer artists in hopes that we will be given more jobs. I did this for our community.) Sassa Gurl is happy that her Cinemalaya debut is a film that “fits her advocacy and branding,” while noting that she would have funny moments — or, according to her, “nilaro,” but it’s done with “consent.
” “Kadalasan, hindi ako nakakakuha ng political roles. Pero ngayon, happy ako kasi may touch ng reality naming kabaklaan. Paano nga ba nakakar.