For better, for worse

Date of Publication

3-2025

Document Type

Bachelor's Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts Major in Communication Arts

Subject Categories

Film and Media Studies

College

College of Liberal Arts

Department/Unit

Communication

Thesis Advisor

Nathaniel M. Arciaga

Defense Panel Member

Maysa Salonga Arabit
Hannah Ruth Sison-Santos
Jeremy Tan Tintiangko

Abstract/Summary

For Better, For Worse is a full-length screenplay that explores the relationship between two queer women, one Filipino and one Filipino-Chinese, as they navigate the intersecting pressures of culture, gender, and sexuality. Within the Filipino-Chinese community, cross-cultural relationships are met with distinct challenges, where notions such as “Great Wall” still persist. Queer relationships are similarly faced with obstacles, as members of the community are unable to express themselves freely in conservative environments. Adding to this are the expectations placed uniquely on women, that push them to prioritize family, marriage, and bearing children. As such, the protagonists’ relationships are complicated by the compounded weight of these pressures, forcing them to confront not only the limitations imposed by their respective backgrounds, but also the broader implications of living as queer women in Filipino society. For Better, For Worse aims to dissect this relationship and intersectionality, alongside whether or not they can remain aligned in their pursuit of love and self-identity.

The screenplay itself is 117 pages long, supplemented by a 20-page film treatment that includes the logline, character biographies, and step outline. The project took six months to produce. The first half of the process involved conducting interviews with two Filipino-Chinese queer women, in order to root the screenplay in lived experiences and cultural nuances within the community. The second half of the process was dedicated to writing and editing the screenplay, with the help of a Filipino-Chinese translator and consultant. The output is written in three languages: English, Tagalog, and Romanized Hokkien.

Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Electronic

Keywords

Motion picture plays--Philippines; Sexual minorities in motion pictures

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Embargo Period

4-1-2025

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