Emmy-Nominated Rain Valdez and Rachel Leyco to Produce Trans-Led Rom-Com

Fae Pictures has partnered with Now>Ever to finance and produce the new trans-led rom-com Re-Live: A Tale of an American Island Cheerleader, written by Rain Valdez and Rachel Leyco.

When a high school in Guam decides to create a “Do-Over Week” for their 10-year reunion, 29- year-old transgender Hollywood movie star Rowena decides to face her past and go back to her hometown to live her childhood dream of becoming a cheerleader. But Rowena’s commitment to the cheer squad falters when her mother’s cancer spreads.

Valdez is set to star as ‘Rowena’, with Leyco to co-star as ‘Rochelle’, the uptight mean-loving sister to Rowena. The project won the Inside Out LGBT Pitch Please! contest last year in Toronto.

With indie film and television producer Shant Joshi of Fae Pictures (Framing Agnes – in post-production- and I’m Fine- streaming on Dekkoo) and 2020 Primetime Emmy-Nominated actress Rain Valdez of Now>Ever (Razor Tongue -streaming on YouTube) producing, the project is expected to shoot in Hawai’i, Guam, and Los Angeles next year.

“As queer Filipina-Americans, this story is special to us, as not only are we spotlighting our underrepresented communities and pushing them into the forefront, but through this funny, heartfelt rom-com, we are changing the narrative in cinema – that women, Asian-Americans, and LGBTQ+ folx, belong and need to be represented in these spaces.” – Rachel Leyco & Rain Valdez/Now>Ever.

Fae Pictures is financing development and will be pitching the project as a part of their slate at the International Financing Forum @ TIFF and at Toronto’s Inside Out LGBT Film Festival this October.