Raquela Rios (Center) and friends (from L to R) Via (Olivia Gaudio) and Aubrey (Brax Villa) pose above Cebu City in a scene from the 2008 Berlin Film Festival Teddy Award Winner, THE AMAZING TRUTH ABOUT QUEEN RAQUELA, the entertaining and empowering semi-autobiographical story of Raquela Rios, a ladyboy and internet star from Cebu, which opens in US theaters this weekend. The multi-award-winning independent film, which centers on Raquela's dreams to see the world and travel to Paris in search of love, is directed by Olaf de Fleurs and is believed to be the first Philippine-Icelandic co-production in cinema history. Distributed by Regent Releaseing/here! Films, THE AMAZING TRUTH ABOUT QUEEN RAQUELA opens Sept. 22 for week-long runs in NY (Quad Cinemas), LA (Regent Showcase La Brea), Columbus, Ohio (Drexel East) and Palm Springs (Cinemas Palme d'Or). For more information, www.queenraquela.com.
photo credit: Regent Releasing/here! Films