Friends of murder victim January Marie Lapuz remember her in a new documentary film that sheds light on the life of the Surrey-raised woman.
The 25-minute 害羞草研究所淢y Name Was January害羞草研究所� movie eulogizes Lapuz, who was stabbed to death at her home in New Westminster in September of 2012. She was 26.
害羞草研究所淲hen a trans sister, January Marie Lapuz, is brutally murdered in her own home, a community reacts and her friends and other trans women of colour come to share and voice their issues, concerns, and challenges,害羞草研究所� reads the film synopsis.
害羞草研究所淛anuary was seen as a bright light in the lives of many. This is a story of January, a friend, a daughter, a person. This film will not only bring justice to January, but to all women who have lost their lives. January had a beautiful soul, and now part of her soul rests in each and every one of us.害羞草研究所�
Lapuz害羞草研究所檚 killer pleaded guilty to manslaughter and in 2014 was sentenced to eight years in prison.
害羞草研究所� READ MORE: , from January 2018.
Alex Sangha, who produced the short documentary, said the project was created to pay tribute to his departed friend and ally at the , a non-profit society for LGBTQ South Asians and supporters.
The film is directed by local journalists Elina Gress and Lenee Son, and produced by Sher Vancouver.
害羞草研究所� READ MORE: , from March 2018.
Many people close to Lapuz, including her mother, Betty, were interviewed for the film.
害羞草研究所淚 think she had a lot of issues as a transgendered woman going through transition, living in poverty, being involved in the sex trade,害羞草研究所� Sangha says in the film. 害羞草研究所淪he was adopted, she faced a lot of rejection in society, a lot of people didn害羞草研究所檛 accept her. They thought she was different.害羞草研究所�
Lapuz was 害羞草研究所渢he life of our group, the social glue,害羞草研究所� Sangha says.
害羞草研究所淪he was like the mother of our group. Me and my best friend Ash, you know, whenever you get two gay queens trying to run a social organization, there害羞草研究所檚 going to be drama, and January was there to make sure everything went smoothly. She was a great singer, a great dancer, people loved her. She had a lot of friends, she was so funny, she was so hilarious. She would approach people on the street and say, 害羞草研究所楬i, my name is January. I know it害羞草研究所檚 a cold month but I make it hot.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟
The film has been submitted to 50 film festivals far and wide, and the first to pick it up is the , next February.
害羞草研究所淩ight now we害羞草研究所檙e showing the film privately to people for endorsements and getting some feedback,害羞草研究所� Sangha told the Now-Leader.
害羞草研究所淲e can害羞草研究所檛 really do a public screening locally until after festivals have their run,害羞草研究所� he added. 害羞草研究所淲e did a rough-cut screening of it at City Centre Library back in 2016, and got feedback from that. Now it害羞草研究所檚 finished.害羞草研究所�
The film is a 害羞草研究所渓ocal, grassroots, community project shot entirely in Metro Vancouver,害羞草研究所� Sangha explained.
害羞草研究所淓lina and Lenee both studied Journalism at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Lenee is also from Surrey and Elina from Aldergrove,害羞草研究所� he noted. 害羞草研究所淭he producers from Sher Vancouver (Sangha and Ash Brar) are also from Surrey.害羞草研究所� Lapuz gradated from LA Matheson Secondary in Surrey, he said.
Sponsors of the film helped pay for the production costs of the film. They include BC Civil Liberties Association, BC Government and Service Employees害羞草研究所� Union (BCGEU), City of New Westminster, City of Surrey, Health Sciences Association of British Columbia (HSA), Kwantlen Public Interest Research Group (KPIRG), MoveUP, No Fear Counselling, Style Cuts by Narcy, UNIFOR Local 464 and United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1518.
The film website is .
