When Lola, a beloved trans woman, dies, her friends (Freddie, Lars, and Gigi) arrive at the funeral only to learn her family intends to cremate her “as a man.” Refusing to let her be erased, they steal the coffin and haul it into Freddie and Lola’s tiny city apartment.
There, grief turns to action: they open the casket, lovingly restore Lola to her true self, and plan the farewell she wanted. By the time her chosen family gathers at the burial, Lola is honored as herself, sent off with pride, laughter, and loud affection.
Described as “Weekend at Bernie’s meets Priscilla Queen of the Desert,” the film uses humour, heart, and absurdity to explore themes of LGBTQ+ acceptance and trans rights while delivering an entertaining crowd-pleasing comedy.
The production places trans performers in lead roles and features a predominantly LGBTQ+ creative team, including the writer, director, producers, director of photography, editor, and art director. Many of the filmmakers come from migrant backgrounds and are now based in the Netherlands, bringing diverse perspectives and experiences to the project. To ensure authentic representation, trans creatives were actively involved throughout the development process, contributing to the film’s design, scripting, and visual execution. In addition, trans women from Germany, Jamaica, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom were consulted during script development and contributed directly to the shaping of the story and characters.
While the film is a comedy, it engages with significant themes including chosen family, queer erasure, and trans identity. Through its characters and story, it celebrates resilience, community, and the importance of visibility.
Shot and produced in Amsterdam over four days, the film was financed through a combination of grants, community fundraising initiatives, and crowdfunding. Support from the local LGBTQ+ community was instrumental to the production, including fundraising through queer city tours, queer pub quizzes, and storytelling nights, as well as in-kind donations, sponsorships, and appearances by well-known Amsterdam LGBTQ+ personalities as featured extras.
The project was awarded the €15,000 Rozefilmdagen Fiction Prize based on the strength of its film plan and creative vision. The film is scheduled to premiere at the 2027 edition of the Rozefilmdagen Film Festival and at TransScreen 2027.
Lola — Diana Salles
Freddy — Thom Gerrits
Lars — Geoffrey van der Ven
Gigi — Renée Eikelkamp
Mrs Verhoef — Nicole Honnebier
Hot Guy in the Club — Steve Tamayo
Undertaker — Thomas Taylor
Stoner Man — Jordan Wright
Priest — Joseph Kearney
Man Outside Funeral Home — Jozef Misik van der Ven
Phil Bischoff, Adonis Stergiopoulos, Ivo Vassilev, Yoacin Villalobos, Chris Adam, Jess Saunders
Caroline, Marcin Kalbarczyk, Thomas Puvill, Fédra Bártfai, Javier Arriaga, Tuaca Kelly, Izzi Lee, Ronnie & Marianne
Snorella, Bex Cole, Stefan Geesink, Jennifer Hopelezz (Grizolda), Eli Verboket, Chris Adam, Phillip Melchers, Maria Celeste Rooker, Mattia Vanetti, Xiaohe Liu, Phil Bischoff, Jess Lisi, Blas Romero Cabello, Kyle Snyder, Xavier Naarden
Director / Writer — Brandon Oelofse
Producer — Joseph Kearney
Producer / 1st Assistant Director — Magdalena Lepczynska
Production Assistant — Daria Popesco
Production Assistant — Celeste Rooker
Production Assistant — Sofia Pereira
Production Assistant — Dalila Bottari
Production Assistant — Mia Nitschkowsky
Production Assistant — Jess Saunders
Production Support — Beatrice Miu
Director of Photography — German Martinez
1st Assistant Camera — Tim Broers
2nd Assistant Camera — Aukje Bink
2nd Assistant Camera — Daan te Brake
2nd Assistant Camera — Lot Jansen
Gaffer — Berend Keesman
Grip — Ole Schwartz
Best Boy — Ángela Mathilda
Best Boy — Philippe Rutten
Best Boy — Elise Ballais
Sound Field Recordist — Clara Cozzolino
Sound Recordist Assistant — Emilien Vong
Production Designer — Benze De Ream
Set Designer — Ever Peng
Prop Master — Daniielle Walton
Hair & Makeup — Vito Armando
Stylist — Jonathan Ho
Styling Assistant — Leila Saad
Styling Advisor — April Jumelet
Costume Support — Nick van den Berg (Nick’s Aan)
Costume Support — Morgan Catalina
Costume Support — Cream Vintage
Silks Rigger — Saar Rombout
A Film by Brandon Oelofse
Produced by Joseph Kearney & Magdalena Lepczynska
Director of Photography: German Martinez