Experiencing Interruptions?

I Am Mutya And I Thank You!

Mutya, a young girl from Naga City aspires to become a beauty queen. At their school, their teacher announces that there will be a pageant for young girls. Mutya’s fascination and excitement to become a beauty queen leads her to the idea of joining the event. Her classmates tease and make fun of her that she’s not fit to join the pageant because she’s big and not beautiful, which makes her sad and unmotivated after hearing hurtful words from her classmates. Her distress led her to cry on her grandmother Monica’s shoulder. Despite being bullied by her classmates, her grandmother encourages and pushes Mutya to join the pageant. On the quest to get the crown, Mutya finds comfort in her grandmother and best friend’s support to her pageant journey, holding and embracing their love and care for each other. On the day of the pageant, Mutya sashays the stage confidently channeling the best version of herself. The film closes as Mutya fulfills her dream to be a beauty queen.

  • Joshua Doce
    Director
  • Joshua Andrey Alcantara Doce
    Writer
  • Kate Khorene Vidanes
    Key Cast
    "Mutya"
  • Remedios Josephine Cuyo
    Key Cast
    "Lola Monica"
  • Michaela Postre
    Key Cast
    "Dan"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Comedy, Coming of Age
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes 58 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 15, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    100,000 PHP
  • Country of Origin:
    Philippines
  • Country of Filming:
    Philippines
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Bicol State College of Applied Sciences and Technology
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival
    Manila, Philippines
    Philippines
    Philippine Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Rigmat Arts And Culture Festival 2024
    Philippines
    August 13, 2024
    Official Selection for Exhibition
Director Biography - Joshua Doce

Joshua Andrey A. Doce, LPT, is a Bicolano filmmaker and educator whose work bridges cinema, pedagogy, and community engagement. He made his directorial debut with 'Jose Maria,' a finalist at the Cinemalaya Campus Short Shorts (Bicol Region), and has since earned official selections in local and international festivals, including the Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth and the Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival. He served as Bicolano Language Consultant for 'Unhappy For You,' produced by Star Cinema and Viva Films, starring Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto, and worked as Second Assistant Director for the Cinemalaya 2025 full-length feature 'Padamlagan.' A Licensed Professional Teacher, Doce integrates storytelling into education while continuing to champion regional narratives that resonate with wider audiences.

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Director Statement

The film ‘I am Mutya and I Thank You!’ is deeply rooted in pageantry where the word ‘Mutya’ is commonly used as pageant title in some beauty pageants in the country. Alongside, is the catchphrase ‘and I Thank You!’ that is commonly used as an ending statement of a candidate that speaks volume, substance, and conviction in their answer to the question. This film is anchored to pageantry where the main character named, ‘Mutya’ is a pageant fan and a beauty queen wannabe. In her journey towards joining their school pageant, she faces a challenge. She got bullied by her classmates because she was told she's not fit to join because she is fat. Her determination to join the pageant goes on through the help of her safety blankets, Lola Monica and Dan. This film is a manifestation of reclaiming one’s identity and individual differences or uniqueness with volume, substance, and conviction that no matter how others perceive us in any way, it doesn't matter, because we know ourselves more than them.