Janella Salvador hopes to be ‘a vessel’ for sapphic stories
“By educating yourself, you make others feel safe.” For Janella Salvador, preparing for the upcoming sapphic film “Open Endings” meant going beyond typical script analysis and acting methods by immersing herself in workshops on SOGIESC (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression and Sex Characteristics)—to ensure that she and the rest of the team were on the same page in bringing this story to life.
Because while she has been a vocal ally of the LGBTQIA+ community, she acknowledges that there’s still much to learn and room to cultivate deeper empathy and understanding.
“Iningatan nila. They had the community’s best interest in mind. We didn’t want to offend or alienate anyone—even unintentionally,” Salvador tells Lifestyle Inquirer. “It’s always nice to learn so you don’t end up stepping on other people.”
And sometimes, she says, that can be as simple as honoring how people want to be addressed—their names, pronouns, and identities. “It’s not that difficult,” the singer-songwriter stresses. “Gestures like this can go a long way.”
Not a coming-out film
Directed by Nigel Santos, “Open Endings” is an entry to this year’s Cinemalaya Film Festival, which runs from Oct. 3 to 12. The story follows four queer women—exes-turned-best friends, to be precise: Charlie (played by Salvador), Kit (Klea Pineda), Mihan (Leanne Mamonong), and Hannah (Jasmine Curtis-Smith).
Salvador’s character is that financially struggling friend in her late 20s. She is the “baby girl” of the group, the one always in need of guidance. She falls in love fast and commits just as quickly. After only a month, she’s already ready to move in. She wears her heart on her sleeve—and then some.
Sounds familiar? “I’m a hopeless romantic, too,” Salvador says, laughing.
This isn’t a coming-out or coming-of-age film, as sapphic stories in the mainstream often tend to be, and Salvador finds that refreshing. It’s just four women coexisting and navigating the intricacies of their unique relationships and intertwined pasts. Outside their circle, they put up with discrimination—misogyny and harassment—that has been normalized in everyday life. And all of this is told, imperatively, through a female lens.
“It’s important that it highlights the point of view of women. The movie brings up different topics that I hope will stir emotions, spark discussions, and make people realize, ‘Ganito pala ang mga pinagdadaanan ng mga babae,’” Salvador says.
Challenging herself
To help build trust—especially given the emotional and physical closeness the roles required—the artists also participated in intimacy workshops focused on “consent, communication, and setting healthy boundaries.” These sessions gave them the confidence to work knowing they wouldn’t be pressured into doing anything uncomfortable. As such, chemistry among the artists naturally grew onscreen.
“I felt there was magic when the four of us were together,” she says.
And what’s a queer story without a sprinkling of ‘kalat?’” Salvador jokes. Because life—especially in the community—can get messy. “You end up doing things that can get you in trouble,” she points out. But that’s just part of the journey. And that’s where the value of friendships comes in—the ride-or-dies who have your back.
“You need a solid group who will catch you when things don’t work out,” she adds.
As an actress, Salvador sees landing the role as a dream come true. She has been in showbiz for more than 10 years now, and though she has had no shortage of success on television, the 27-year-old actress feels it’s about time to do more films—especially indies—with scripts that challenge her and substantive characters that have the potential to make an impact.
“I want to challenge myself and tell stories that haven’t been told before,” she says.
But this project is bigger than her personal ambitions. As a former student in an all-girls school—and someone who has admitted to having crushes on women—promoting inclusivity in her work has always felt “personal,” and there was a yearning “to be part of [projects] that can represent that side of the community.”
But it wasn’t until “Darna” (2022)—where Salvador’s portrayal of the villain Valentina and her chemistry with the titular hero (played by Jane de Leon) unexpectedly sparked sapphic undertones and widespread fan shipping—that she became more vocal about her desire to play queer roles.
Advocacy beyond work
Following this, and frustrated by the lack of sapphic representation in the mainstream, she initiated a sapphic storyline—inspired by her own experiences—for the music video of her song “Hey You” last year, also opposite De Leon.
Local showbiz isn’t without a share of notable sapphic films. There’s “T-Bird at Ako” (1982), “Rome and Juliet” (2006), “Ang Huling Cha Cha ni Anita” (2013), and “Rookie” (2020). On television, there’s “The Rich Man’s Daughter” (2015). Still, Salvador knows that the Philippines is still far from catching up with, say, Thailand in terms of popularity of sapphic stories, but she hopes that “Open Endings” can help turn the tide.
“Malayo pa pero ang saya isipin na nagkakaroon na tayo ng progress,” she says.
Salvador’s advocacy extends beyond her work. A dedicated supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community, she has participated in Pride events like the “Love Laban 2 Everyone” Pride March, which she called a “dream” experience. On social media, she has also shown she’s unafraid to speak out, calling out homophobic and lesbophobic remarks when she sees them—even from within the community.
Recognizing the responsibility that comes with her platform, she adds, “I’m very thankful that I gained more confidence to be more vocal about it. I have people listening, and I’m so grateful; I promise not to take it for granted. Hopefully, I can be a vessel for more characters and films with the same theme.”
