A young soprano faces a difficult choice between preserving the voice that has defined his life and fully embracing his identity as a man in “Piyesa,” a 19-minute-59-second Ilocano coming-of-age musical written and directed by Ryand Ugalde. The film is among the 10 finalists of the Sine Kabataan Short Film Lab & Festival 2026, organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).
The film follows Kris (Nichole Ballesteros), a star soprano whose exceptional voice has earned him a place in the chorale and a full scholarship. Months after starting hormone replacement therapy, changes in his body and voice force him to confront a painful dilemma: continue his transition and risk altering the voice that gives him purpose, or preserve his voice by delaying his medical transition.
For Ugalde, the story is deeply personal, inspired by Nichole, an openly queer friend from his high school chorale whose singing made him one of the group’s most admired performers. Through music and movement, Piyesa explores identity, belonging, dreams, and the quiet process of becoming, while placing a trans man at the center of a story where artistry and identity collide.
Also starring Clarence Toledo as Ian and Paul Enrico Centro as Vince, Piyesa is supported by the Ilocos Norte Local Government, feminist groups, and Nasudi Chorale. Written and directed by Ugalde, the film asks what it means to become whole and whether finding one’s true voice sometimes requires letting go of a part of who one used to be.
The Sine Kabataan Short Film Lab & Festival provides aspiring young filmmakers with a platform to showcase fresh talent while encouraging creativity and originality in storytelling. The 10 finalists, announced on June 1, each received a ₱200,000 production grant to bring their stories to life, culminating in their premiere on the big screen at the festival. The festival will take place at Red Carpet Cinema 1, Shangri-La Plaza, from September 18 to 20, followed by screenings at FDCP Cinematheque Centres nationwide from September 20 to 26.
