Alex and Jess are typical, go-getting twentysomethings: embarking on glam careers, pounding back too many shots at their favorite bar, and making a mess of their romantic lives. Up-and-coming actress Jess has a series of boyfriends but relies on bestie Alex to rehash it all during their late night phone calls. Alex fits in on-again, off-again girlfriend Kate between photo shoots and pitching gay television concepts. She’s comfortable being gay — except she can’t bring herself to tell Jess that she likes girls. Are the two of them just a couple of codependent friends, or is the old crush on Jess that Alex has been concealing getting in their way? When Jess accidentally learns that her buddy is a lesbian, she’s a little shocked — and a lot intrigued.

Mixing comedy and commentary, first-time feature director Samantha Lee has made a sassy romantic dramedy in warm pastels with an easy-on-the-eye cast of up-and-comers, giving audiences a refreshing look at lesbian life from a Filipina perspective. Alex learns that it’s all too easy to hide her true identity, and that staying open and staying sane are ongoing processes. Fortunately, Jess and Alex have plenty of friends for reality checks, from bitchy stylist Julo, to confident David, to Mother, an old-fashioned queen who tells Jess some tough truths about show business and the choices she must make.

— MONICA NOLAN