Episode 39 – Sam Lee, Zar Donato, Gabby Padilla

L-R, front row: Samantha Lee, Gabby Padilla and Zar Donato Our (belated) special for pride month continues! For this special episode, we interview Billie and Emma director Samantha Lee and its leads Gabby Padilla and Zar Donato. Widely known as the first openly lesbian filmmaker of Philippine Cinema, Samantha Lee has caught the attention of audiences and critics alike. Her first film Baka Bukas was a surprise hit in the 2016 edition of the Cinema One Originals Film Festival. Her sophomore film, Billie and Emma, exceeded expectations and helped boost the careers of its two leads. Sam, Gabby and Zar share their experiences working on Billie and Emma, and share their thoughts on representation and the need for more diverse storytelling in contemporary cinema. Bonus segment: We find out which LGBT films and performances stood out for the three. Enjoy!   notes: We recorded this episode at Satchmi at SM Megamall. Spoilers are present for Billie and Emma.