THE ROAD TO SYDNEY DOCUMENTARY

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Summary
Information

THE ROAD TO SYDNEY DOCUMENTARY

By Benito BAUTISTA

WANDERLUSTPROJECT FILMS - as PROD

Documentary - Completed 2025

Philippine dance master Sydney Loyola overcomes a bullied childhood in Palawan through her passion for dance. Now based in San Francisco, she faces job loss and eviction after her gender affirmation. Undeterred, Sydney embarks on a healing journey to embrace her authentic self as a woman.

- Year of production
- 2025
- Genres
- Documentary, LGBT, Social issues
- Countries
- USA, PHILIPPINES
- Languages
- ENGLISH, FILIPINO
- Duration
- 99 mn
- Director(s)
- Benito BAUTISTA
- Cast
- Sydney LOYOLA
- Producer(s)
- Emma FRANCISCO (Wanderlustproject Films), Sonia DELEN (ONEUP FILM STUDIOS), Wendy PASCUAL (ONEUP FILM STUDIOS), Radi CALALANG (ONEUP FILM STUDIOS)
- Synopsis
- This is a story about Jay Loyola’s journey, highlighting the struggles he faced both in the past and present as he grew up in the beautiful islands of Palawan. After immigrating to America, he embarked on a journey of self-fulfillment and self-authentication, ultimately becoming Sydney.
  
  From a young age, Sydney endured emotional and physical abuse—not just from the local kids and townsfolk, but also from her father. To shield herself, she concealed her deep desire to embrace her true identity. Encouraged by her mother, she discovered dance, which became her refuge from the discrimination and pain she experienced. With dedication, she honed her skills as a choreographer and ultimately moved to America, seeking a more compassionate and accepting society.
  
  In the midst of her feminization and gender affirmation, Sydney got fired from her job and was evicted from her apartment. With wounds still healing from a surgery, she had to pack up and leave. Seeking justice, she reached out to Angela Alioto, a prominent discrimination attorney in San Francisco.
  
  Sydney plans a trip back to her hometown in Palawan, Philippines, returning as her true self for the first time to perform a dance choreography she created, for the island that shaped her. As she prepares, she wonders: will she find the courage to confront her father and close the painful chapter of her past? Will he reject her again, or will he embrace the woman she's become? The answer lies in this pivotal moment, which could either heal or reopen old wounds.
  
  The film weaves together the stories of Sydney’s friends, each grappling with discrimination, labeling, transition, struggle, physical abuse, and eventual triumph. It’s a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of a biased, bigoted society, offering an exploration of dance that transcends gender and societal judgment.