Olaf de Fleur's transsexual Cinderella film The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela has won the Showtime Vanguard Award at Newfest, New York City's gay and lesbian film festival. Showtime says the award is given to films celebrating a breakthrough or visionary achievement. We first reported on Queen Raquela back in February after winning over Berlin Film Festival judges who awarded it the Teddy Award for best film with a gay theme.

The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela stars Raquela Rios as a Philippine transsexual prostitute in search of a fairly tale life in Europe. It is Rios' film debut, a transsexual herself. Director Olaf de Fleur found Raquela Rios on the Internet while she was living in the Philippines.

In an interview posted on the official movie website Rios admits she spends too much time on the Internet searching for the perfect guy. She says she realized early on she did not feel comfortable as a male, but due to strict parenting she kept it to herself. Finally, at the age of 17, she began living life as a girl. It was “freedom” said Rios.

Additional information on the film can be found at www.queenraquelathemovie.com.

Hip-hop gay opera BASH'd's initial run at NYC's Zipper Factory has been extended till at least August 30th based on ticket availability.

BASH'd, which has had a recent run of hot press after winning the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding New York Theater -Off-Off Broadway, is the work of Canadians Chris Craddock & Nathan Cuckow.

BASH'd is nasty, in-your-face, high-energy rap, as rap is, but carries a serious message. On its MySpace page, the pair open with, “If we yell FAGGOT and you think it's whack, well f**k that, it's our word and we're taking it back!”

The opera tells the story of a pair of lovers, when one is bashed the other decides to take revenge. It is loosely based on the real-life spike of gay related hate crimes occurring during Canada's national debate to legalize same-sex marriage.

The official BASH'd website says, “[BASH'd] is told entirely through rap, spoken word and poetry, turning the often homophobic musical genre to our own purpose.”

For tickets contact the Zipper Factory at www.thezipperfactory.com.

Gay Entertainment Report is a feature of On Top Magazine and can be reached at ontopmag@ontopmag.com.