Fil-Am Sydney Loyola on his journey and transition in bio doc 'The Road to Sydney'

GMA Network

a day ago

Sydney Loyola was enjoying her lunch at the Plage des Palmes at the Boulevard de la Croisette in Cannes, France. Her bio documentary film just had an early screening at the Palais D at this year's Marche' du Film at the 78th Cannes Film Festival. And she looked very happy and pleased.
Charming, gracious and polite, the well-coiffed and made-up Sydney had a big warm smile on her face. It was her first time in Cannes, and she just couldn't hide her excitement.
"This is my first time in Cannes, and this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience," she said, especially having her bio doc screened at one of the most popular festivals in the world.
So, what does she look forward to doing or seeing here in Cannes, we asked.
"I was looking forward to meeting Tom Cruise, but I missed him during the opening of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning," she confessed with a smile. "But the number one thing I want to do here in Cannes is to experience mingling with other folks and just the opportunity to screen the film and somehow give awareness to people as to where we're coming from and to be able to tell our story," she replied.
Loyola, a trans woman and acclaimed Philippine dance master and choreographer, shares her deeply personal journey in the documentary film, "The Road to Sydney" which is helmed by writer-director-producer Benito Bautista ("HARANA: The Search for the Lost Art of Serenade") and produced by Emma Francisco of Wanderlustproject Films and Sonia Delen, Wendy Pascual and Conrad (Radi) Calalang of OneUp Film Studios.
Contributed photo
Born and raised in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines, Loyola found solace in dance while enduring bullying during her childhood. Her passion led her to perform with the world-renowned Bayanihan Dance Company and later established herself as a premier choreographer of Philippine folk dance in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Now facing the challenges of job loss and the threat of eviction following her gender affirmation and transition, Loyola begins a transformative path toward healing. "The Road to Sydney" follows Loyola's journey from Jay to Sydney as she embraces life as a woman, reconnecting with her cultural roots, reclaiming her artistry, and seeking reconciliation with her estranged father.
"This film is a tribute to Sydney's resilience and a call for greater empathy toward the transgender community," says director Bautista. "I want this film to highlight the struggles faced by the transgender community and tell a powerful human story that fosters empathy and respect. My hope is that it inspires audiences to become allies and helps reduce the tragic challenges faced by the transgender youth." The film was screened twice at Marche' du Film at the Cannes Film Festival.
From a young age, Sydney endured emotional and physical abuse—not just from the local kids and townsfolk, but also from her father. 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.
The film began production in 2017 and was completed in March 2025. It weaves together the stories of Sydney's friends, each grappling with discrimination, labeling, transition, struggle, physical abuse, and eventual triumph. It's a compelling testament to resilience in the face of discrimination, offering a nuanced exploration of dance as a form of self-expression that rises above gender and societal bias.
"At OneUp Film Studios, we are committed to amplifying LGBTQ+ voices through powerful storytelling. The Road to Sydney shines a light on the lived experience of a trans woman of color, and we're proud to support a film that challenges prejudice, fosters understanding, and celebrates authenticity. Sydney's journey is not just inspiring—it's necessary," reveals Sonia Delen, an executive producer of the film.
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We were able to interview Loyola in Cannes, and she shared with us the challenges she experienced in her journey and transition from Jay to Sydney.
Your story is really moving from your transition from Jay Loyola to Sydney Loyola, and you made us cry, especially your first meeting with your father, Arthur, who is based in Camarines Norte, in Bicol. So, talk about that.
When we were planning that we would be meeting my dad, I was ready to be disappointed. I'm always expecting the worst that will happen. But eventually, my dad was very open, and he gave me that huge hug that I was expecting.
For me, it's very fulfilling. It's already a fulfillment of all the things I was having doubts about, like all of my frustrations when I was young, when I was growing up.
When I met him face to face, I thought I was able to see the person whom I'm looking for, the person who would approve of me as an individual. And I found it. I found it in him when I met him.
So, it's the fulfillment of my entire journey.
It was like a full circle of that journey since I was able to talk to my dad, look him face to face, and look him straight in his eyes. It was unexpected that he would accept me. I was surprised that he gave me that warm embrace that I had been longing for all my life.
Why did you decide that your story should be told?
Very good question. Oh my God. That's a very tough question. Number one, I think it will be a good story, a good opportunity for others who are still hiding, for others who don't have courage. Because with film, it can go beyond the theaters and be seen by everyone around the world.
Probably there's a young boy who is in the same place as me. And coming from my perspective, it might also serve as an inspiration for them to embrace their own identity. It might be a good platform for them to realize that all they need to do is just continue and be courageous. Just go on and take their own journey, and don't get disappointed or don't get discouraged by the things happening around them.
For me, the film will help them focus on what they want to do for the rest of their lives.
What was the most difficult thing that you encountered during the transition? What was the most challenging thing for you?
I think I'm very critical of myself. The most challenging thing for me is when I am transitioning from Jay to Sydney, the physical change is because I feel that I am rushing, because I want to see Sydney already.
But there's a process. The physical transition from Jay to Sydney was very challenging because when I wake up in the morning, I'm already expecting to be Sydney, but still, I am not. So, I still have to go through a lot of physical change, and my inner being is the same.
I push myself too much. I am always very critical of myself.
Can you talk about how blessed you are? Maybe we can call them your angels - your producers, and your director - and how you found each other?
I always believe in destiny. And I think it is really a blessing for me. I think God will put you in a place and in a time and space, and you will be meeting the people whom you are destined to meet. So, I think meeting Wendy, Radi, Sonia, Emma, and Benito is destiny, and it's a blessing. It's something that you wouldn't even imagine is going to happen.
So, for me, God will always put you in a place where you will meet the people in your destiny.
It's the alignment of the universe. And I'm so blessed, and I am so thankful that I was able to meet them. Because imagine now it's the film, and now the film is no longer about me. It's for those who are still hiding, for those who are still scared of coming out, for those who are still finding the courage to speak out. So now it's my gift to them because I have received the gift from God of being able to tell the story. Now, I think I have to pay it forward.
Wendy Pascual, Sonia Delen and Conrad (Radi) Calalang of OneUp Film Studios with Sydney Loyola in Cannes. Contributed photo
When we were talking about it, my thinking was my life would be an open book now. No more hiding. And it took me a lot of courage. It's not that I am very courageous, but I think the world just left me with no choice.
That I really have to speak up. But the first thing was trusting Benito on how he's going to tell the story on film. I told him that I'm putting my trust in you. This is a story that I really hold close to my heart. And it's up to you how you're going to present it to the world, using your lens as a director, as a storyteller. So, it takes a lot of trust and understanding of each other's craft, because my craft is dancing and his craft is film. So, I think that the fusion of these art forms is important in our collaboration.
What do you hope your film can do?
I am hoping for more visibility. I think Cannes is a very good platform for the film to have better visibility for other countries to see the film, and for us, a very good exposure.
Also, being a Filipino American and being a Filipino, presenting what we have culturally because my transition is just part of the film, but it's also about Philippine culture as a whole. Dance is also involved.
What was the reaction of the audience here in Cannes when you showed it to them?
They are so curious about the journey and how I decided, and how we were able to get in touch with the director, and for the director to tell the story.
So, they were asking how you guys find each other and how it all started? So, I was part of the committee of Kalayaan committee in San Francisco. I worked with Sonia and the rest of the producers. And I don't have any family in San Francisco, so I have like a chosen family.
So, when I was transitioning, I thought of sharing this journey with them. So, it all started there. —MGP, GMA Integrated News