Defying Traditions: 'Si Astri maka si Tambulah'
The love story of Astri and Tambulah captivates us, even as we know its sad fate. Xeph Suarez's 'Si Astri maka si Tambulah' (Astri and Tambulah) depicts a young and forbidden romance in a culture that shuns LGBTQIA+ identities. The film explores the struggles and joys of a Moro transgender who defies the norms of her society. The film begins with a scene of Astri performing pangalay , a traditional dance, while Tambulah accompanies her with a tambol , a drum. They are on a boat, surrounded by spectators who pay a small fee to watch Astri's graceful movements. The film reveals how the two earn their living by entertaining others while saving up for Astri's dowry. Astri and Tambulah share a home in the stilt house community of the Badjaos, somewhere in Zamboanga City. Astri's father has reluctantly "accepted" his daughter and her chosen identity, but he still insists on marrying her off to Sitti, a woman betrothed to her from birth. Astri, a 16-
