A new Philippine documentary is putting transgender political participation at the center of Pride Month, following two trans candidates who risked visibility, backlash and personal sacrifice to claim space in public office.
“Honorable,” directed by internationally acclaimed filmmaker and human rights advocate Rhadem Musawah and co-directed by Palanca Award-winning writer and professor Francis Aguas, traces their campaigns during the 2025 Philippine midterm elections and asks a direct question: who gets to be called “honorable” in a democracy still grappling with equality.
Produced by Seven Ivy Films and Aguas Film & Art, the film unfolds in a country where transgender people are celebrated in pageants and popular culture yet remain largely unprotected under the law. Against that backdrop, the documentary follows two candidates as they navigate prejudice, entrenched political structures and the everyday realities of running for office while trans. Their journeys highlight how titles, respect and recognition are often reserved for a narrow idea of who is deemed fit to lead.
“Honorable” situates those stories within the high-pressure environment of the 2025 midterms, capturing campaign sorties, community meetings and quiet moments offstage. The film shows how each candidate balances the demands of public service with personal safety and family responsibilities, and how every handshake, speech and policy proposal must contend with a society that can praise trans entertainers yet question trans leadership. Rather than relying solely on talking heads, the documentary leans into intimate, observational scenes that reveal how representation affects daily life.
For Musawah, whose work has focused on marginalized communities, the project is framed as more than a film about elections. “Honorable” explores courage and visibility, the weight of carrying an entire community’s hopes on a ballot, and the emotional cost of fighting for recognition in systems not designed for trans voices. Co-director Aguas brings a literary and academic perspective, weaving in narrative structure and context about Philippine politics, law and culture.
The documentary arrives at a moment when global Pride conversations increasingly intersect with demands for political and legal protections. By centering Filipino trans candidates and their supporters, “Honorable” challenges audiences to confront their assumptions about leadership and legitimacy. The film’s core question (who gets to be called honorable) resonates far beyond one election cycle, inviting viewers to consider how titles and respect can either reinforce exclusion or open doors to genuine representation.
