A Queen’s Runway
The pressure, the passion, the path to the crown. The documentary, "A QUEEN'S RUNWAY" gives you an exclusive look at the world of The Miss Universe Philippines organization and its candidates.
Creators: Erik Sopracasa, Janine Tugonon
Directors: Erik Sopracasa, Tom Sys
Executive Producers: Erik Sopracasa, Janine Tugonon, Voltaire Tayag, Tom Sys, Jonas Gaffud
In Association With EMPIRE.PH and Miss Universe Philippines
From the Philippines to a global audience.
Feature Documentary · Producer / Director / Writer
THE CHALLENGE
I saw an opportunity to tell a different kind of pageant story.
Miss Universe Philippines is one of the most important annual events in The Philippines and a deeply rooted part of Filipino culture. For many Filipinos, pageantry represents far more than a competition — it is a celebration of beauty, identity, community and national pride.
Rather than focusing solely on the competition, I wanted to go behind the scenes and understand the women themselves — their ambitions, their families, their struggles, and what it meant for them to represent their communities on a national stage.
The goal was to create an intimate, character-driven documentary that could connect with audiences beyond the pageant world while offering a deeper look into a cultural phenomenon that means so much to the Filipino people.
FROM IDEA TO GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION
What started as an independent documentary became a film distributed internationally, including a global acquisition by Netflix.
The project became an example of how a strong story, strategic positioning and persistent relationship-building can take an independently produced project from concept to a worldwide audience.
MY ROLE
I developed, produced, directed, wrote and sold the documentary, overseeing the project from development through production, post-production and distribution.
I secured exclusive access to the competition and its contestants, developed the characters through pre-interviews, assembled the production team, and led a multi-month international shoot in the Philippines.
I also oversaw the project's positioning, marketing and distribution strategy, ultimately bringing the film to a global audience.
“His dedication to storytelling, combined with his business acumen, truly sets him apart.”
V.L. - Director of Acquisitions and Content Lead, Netflix
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