The Calgary International Film Festival gets going on September 22, and one of its feature films follows the journey of a Filipino care worker.
Francheska: Prairie Queen tells the story of Francis “Kiko” Yutrago, an aspiring drag star who supports his family back in the Philippines.
“Kiko's mission is complicated by the fact that he and his fiancé live in a tiny bible belt town in southern Alberta,” states a CIIF blurb about documentary film.
“When a typhoon hits his parents' house, Kiko relies on his drag persona, Francheska Dynamites, to bring in the extra cash they desperately need,” the writeup continues.
Francheska: Prairie Queen director Laura Lynn O'Grady documented the “highs and lows of Kiko's journey as he prepares for a pageant”.
The 64-minute documentary is in English and Tagalog with English subtitles.
The first CIFF was held in 2000.
In 2022, the festival celebrates its 23rd year, from September 22 to October 2.
The CIFF states online that this year’s 11-day festival showcases over 175 multi-genre feature and short films from Canada and around the world.
Also, the festival is now the largest film festival in Alberta.
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