“Sunday Beauty Queen” Director Bags Global Study UK Alumni Award

Award-winning filmmaker Baby Ruth Villarama (left) brings honor to the Philippines once more as one of three global awardees in the prestigious 2018 UK Alumni Awards. (British Council photo)

LONDON 18 September 2018 – Filipino filmmaker Baby Ruth Villarama is one of the three global awardees of British Council’s annual Study UK Alumni Awards for 2018, in recognition of her contributions in the area of social impact.

The prestigious award is given to an outstanding alumni of a university in the United Kingdom who used his or her UK study experience to make a positive contribution in society.

“The UK’s recognition of the importance of Baby Ruth’s work in using film as a medium to open hearts and minds is a proud moment for the Philippines,” said Ambassador to United Kingdom Antonio M. Lagdameo.

“Filipinos naturally excel in the art of storytelling but Baby Ruth takes that talent a level higher by using it to ignite an important conversation on many uncomfortable realities and what we can do to make the world better for all people,” he added.

“I made a crazy decision to be a filmmaker because I wanted to change how the world sees the Philippines and more importantly how the Philippines sees itself,” said Ms. Villarama in a video about her journey as a student in the UK.

After completing her Master if Arts in Film Distribution and Marketing at Birmingham City University through a Chevening Scholarship, Ms. Villarama returned to the Philippines to begin working on “Sunday Beauty Queen,” a documentary film that gave viewers a peek into the secret lives of overseas Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong who find joining beauty pageants a worthwhile escape from the daunting realities of work and life.

“Meeting the ‘Sunday Beauty Queens’ in Hong Kong made a huge impact in my life. I now understand that it’s not what our people can get from countries they are working for but what the Filipinos and other migrants can contribute to the world,” the Filipino director said.

The movie premiered globally at various film festivals such as the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea. It was also the first documentary film to win the Best Picture Award in the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival. Moreover, “Sunday Beauty Queen” sparked various meaningful discussions on the living and working conditions of migrant workers around the world.

Before “Sunday Beauty Queen,” Ms. Villarama directed other renowned documentaries such as Jazz in Love (2013) and Little Azkals (2014). She has also trained under some of the world’s best film making organizations such as the International Confederation of Art Cinemas, the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam, and the Pitch Conference at TokyoDocs.

Ms. Villarama currently teaches Film Production Management at the University of the Philippines Film Institute. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Sto. Tomas. END

For more information, visit www.londonpe.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/pg/PHLinUK and @philippinesinuk on Twitter.