In Cinemalaya 2025 film ‘Warla,’ Kevin Alambra dramatizes a rare case in PH crime history
Prior to his foray into filmmaking, Kevin Alambra worked as head of research for Maalaala Mo Kaya, and it was through the television drama anthology that he came across his story for Warla, his feature directorial debut now playing at the 2025 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, which runs until Oct. 12 at Shangri-La Plaza Cinemas as well as Ayala and Gateway Malls.
“It was such a meaningful experience because the show championed and gave space to real-life stories, including those of the LGBTQ+ community and persons deprived of liberty,” Alambra told PhilSTAR L!fe. “I took pride in helping bring many untold narratives to light.”
But after the Kapamilya show ran its final episode in December 2022, Alambra and screenwriter Arah Jell Badayos realized there were still a lot of stories left untold, including that of the so-called Warla Criminal Group, who made national headlines in October 2022, after cops arrested eight of its 14 members who are mostly transgender women kidnapping foreign nationals for ransom to fund their sex reassignment surgery. It is reportedly the first of its kind in Philippine crime history.
“I kept asking, 'Why hasn’t this story been told in a film yet, when in many ways it feels like the Filipino version of one of my favorite screenplays, Dog Day Afternoon?'” the director mused. “And more importantly, how did these women reach this point?”
With the urging of his trans woman friend and rights advocate Mela Habijan, Alambra knew that the group’s story had to be his first Cinemalaya film.
“As I spoke with Filipino transgender women for our film, it became clear that amidst the rise of transphobic and misogynistic rhetoric—both online and in public spaces—trans women continue to live with little support or opportunity,” he said.
Author Hil Malatino’s book Trans Care served as a sort of a bible to the director, in that it helped him understand how trans people “find ways to care for one another,” despite the relentless hostility against them.
“What drew me to this story was the contradiction: learning how to care through an act of transgression,” the director continued. “I want the audience to reflect on what it truly means to care—for each other, and for the most marginalized among us. I want them to question their conscience, to confront their biases, and to be challenged to do better. This is probably how we start to support and embrace trans identities—by telling the truth, without shame, without filter.”
He added, “In my interviews, I was struck by how many transgender women understood and empathized with the gang who committed this crime. That kind of empathy deserves to be explored on screen.”
The making of Warla
After securing approval for the concept and sequence treatment, Alambra and Badayos were able to develop the story further through the festival’s film lab in April 2024. Then they proceeded to consult Dr. Brenda Alegre, one of the pioneers of the human rights group The Society of Trans Women of the Philippines, for feedback that shaped the succeeding drafts.
“Our research didn’t stop there and from interviewing a number of transgender women—I even visited a sex reassignment surgery clinic in Bangkok, where a Thai clinic attendant shared that so many transpinays go there because it’s cheaper and more accessible,” shared the director. “That really struck me, because it shows how much we need to push for and normalize trans health care here in the Philippines.”
Production went on for about seven days between July and August, across locations in Quiapo, Cavite, Marikina, and San Mateo, Rizal. Editing followed and was completed within a month, which included producing the original soundtrack, also titled after the film.
Funding, even more so for a movie about the trans experience, was the film’s biggest hurdle. “The moment investors heard the concept, many assumed there’d be no return on investment, or that Filipino audiences simply wouldn’t go for it, especially now when the film industry is already going through very difficult times,” Alambra said.
“In a conservative country like the Philippines, we expected that response,” he continued. “But in a way, it motivated us even more, because maybe—just maybe—this film can help normalize queer, especially trans, narratives in local films, television, and media.”
All-trans women cast
Completing the all-trans cast, led by Jervi Wrightson (also known as KaladKaren), Lance Reblando, Serena Magiliw, and Valeria Ortega, was another challenge. “I wanted a group with real chemistry, physically diverse and reflective of authentic transpinays, while also discovering new talents—not just the familiar faces we often see in films, even in the indie scene,” explained the director.
While most trans talents in the film are first-time actors, Alambra said they offered something far “more valuable than technical experience.” “Their lives, their scars, and their courage shaped the soul of the story. Some were already familiar with the real story or knew trans sisters who had gone through similar struggles. I loved that they did their own research (interviewing the closest person to their character), too. That kind of commitment is something I’ll always be grateful for.”
Wrightson, who plays the group’s leader Joice, even had to learn how to drive a van without any prior experience. “And to make it even more difficult, that moment happened to be one of her heaviest, most emotional scenes in the film,” Alambra recalled.
Reblando, who joins the Warla group after a painful death in the film, said working with fellow trans women “feels like home.”
The actress, who just made her first theatrical lead in PETA’s Walang Aray rerun, added that landing the film’s lead role is significant in that it opens more opportunities for trans talents. “Mas lalawak na ang espasyo para sa mga katulad kong nangangarap lang dati pero ngayon ay binigyan na ng pagkakataong ipakita ang aking mga talento at isulong ang aking adbokasiya para sa trans community, lalo na sa trans youth.”
Asked about the divisive responses the film may draw, Alambra said he welcomes it. “My intent has always been clear: to stand with the community by helping tell their truths, especially at a time when so many feel disregarded or erased in society.”
“At its core, this film is about survival and the fight to claim what’s needed to live fully,” said the director.
Alhambra added, “Warla isn’t about justifying the heroines’ criminal acts. It’s about how these women, in refusing to be victims, become criminals in the only battleground that they think is open to them.”
“If the film stirs discomfort, it’s because it touches real wounds. But I believe that discomfort is necessary—it can open up more honest conversations, and hopefully even push institutions, including the government, to finally give people what they deserve, like the long-overdue passage of the SOGIE Bill. Because at the end of the day, we’re talking about lives.”
Editor's Note: PhilSTAR L!fe was given a free ticket to the showing of Warla.