Pictures courtesy of Tom Sys
This week, Netflix released globally a brand new documentary, a few months after its premiere this January. Titled, A Queen’s Runway, the nearly 2-hour-long documentary provides exclusive and unprecedented access to the world of Miss Universe Philippines.
Belgian director Tom Sys, who is based in Los Angeles, wore many hats throughout production, but his hard work paid off; the documentary was sold to Netflix in a four-year deal and added globally on April 10th, 2025. We spoke to him during the week of release to ask about the journey he’s been on, how the Netflix deal landed, and what’s coming up next.
Hi Tom, congratulations on your documentary launch on Netflix. Can you talk a little about how long you’ve been working on this project and how it came into fruition? How long did the project take to complete in total?
Thank you! Even though it feels like I’ve been living with this documentary for a long time, the actual production turnaround was surprisingly fast. The concept had been simmering for a while, but we—MOVART—officially began developing it in November 2023. Just a month later, in December, we secured exclusive rights from the Miss Universe Philippines organization to create a documentary about their 2024 competition. From that moment on, it was all systems go.
We jumped straight into pre-production, pulling together every resource we could to bring this bold vision to life. In early April 2024, with just a two-person team—myself and my colleague Erik Sopracasa—we packed our gear and flew to the Philippines to begin filming.
Picture: MOVART
What followed was two and a half of the most challenging, enlightening, and genuinely life-changing months of my life. We had a front-row seat to the entire Miss Universe Philippines journey, immersing ourselves not only in the competition but also in the richness of Filipino culture—a world so different from mine, and in every possible way, a beautiful one.
By late June, I urgently needed to begin post-production. While Erik stayed behind to wrap up final interviews, I returned to my hometown of Puurs, Belgium, awaiting a new U.S. visa. There, in my childhood bedroom, I edited non-stop, literally day and night, for four months. With over 250 hours of footage, I shaped a story that had a well-rounded arc, genuine depth, and a distinct voice. Eventually, we had a three-hour cut…
From there came the difficult task of trimming it down—painful, but necessary. As we neared picture lock, Erik began color grading, our sound guru Mason Stroud dove into the mix, and the incredibly talented Jay Mosquera—an illustrator for Disney—contributed beautiful design elements.
That cut would eventually become A Queen’s Runway. And in a beautifully poetic twist, exactly one year after securing the rights, Netflix offered us a licensing deal. It felt like the stars had truly aligned.
Picture: MOVART
You’ve mentioned that this is the first ever time this level of access has been granted – how easy was it to gain that level of access? Were there any hesitations?
From the very beginning, we were clear with the organization about the level of access we needed to bring our vision to life. Setting those expectations upfront was crucial. From there, we focused on building genuine relationships with everyone involved—especially the delegates and members of the organization. We made sure they understood what we were creating and why it mattered.
Almost everyone was not only understanding but genuinely excited to be part of it. At the end of the day, we’re preserving a unique chapter in their lives—giving their journey a place in history. Because of that, most of them fully embraced the process, allowing us to tell their stories authentically, through both their highs and their most vulnerable moments.
Picture: MOVART
I must admit I didn’t know a lot about it and probably had a lot of preconceived assumptions about the people who partake and about the competition itself (not all positive, it must be said!). Would you say you had the same? What opinions did you have that have changed since embarking and are there any that were cemented throughout?
Before this project, I had very little exposure to the world of pageantry. Like many people, I had heard the occasional stories and was aware of some common stereotypes, but those didn’t really cross my mind when the idea for this documentary first came up. Once I began researching Miss Universe Philippines, I realized we weren’t just covering a beauty competition—we were telling a story celebrating pageantry, specifically in relation to the Filipino culture.
When I began principal photography and witnessed the inner workings of the competition firsthand, I saw the reality behind the glamor. That’s the truth we show in the film. I’ll admit, before starting this project, I may have underestimated the scope and depth of this industry simply because I didn’t know much about it, but when you get to follow it firsthand, that quickly changed. What I found was a world filled with strength, tenacity, and incredible emotional resilience. The journey demands so much from the delegates—physically, mentally, and emotionally. I walked away with a deep respect for anyone who has the courage, ambition, and confidence to step onto that stage and aim for the crown.
Picture: MOVART
Is there any particular story in the documentary that instantly stands out as a memorable moment for you?
There are so many moments in the final cut that mean a lot to me, but the one that always comes to mind first is the sunrise scene in Palawan. In it, Chelsea, Kymberlee, and Christi hike up Flower Island early in the morning to watch the sunrise. Throughout the competition, we were constantly surrounded by 53 delegates, fans, and nonstop energy—but in that moment, everything slowed down. For the first time, there was real stillness, intimacy, and reflection.
The three of them used that quiet morning to pause the whirlwind they’d been living in, to look back and truly appreciate the journey they were part of. With just two weeks left in the pageant, they spoke about how quickly time had flown—and when I heard that, I felt it too. I found myself soaking in the view, the calm breeze, the sunrise (while making sure the camera was rolling), feeling just as grateful for the journey I was on
It was also a turning point for them—where they found renewed courage and strength to finish up the last part of the competition in style, together. That morning bonded them in a way no stage ever could. It’s a memory I’ll cherish forever, and one I still talk about with them whenever we see each other. Because most of the competition happened in the chaos of big crowds and loud events, that moment felt like a sacred pocket of time—just theirs… and mine, and the camera, of course.
Picture: MOVART
You’ve said before that you crafted the documentary with “minimal resources” can tell us what that means in practice? Less budget, less equipment, finding inventive ways to save etc?
At the time of pre-production, MOVART had only been around for a year. We’d built a bit of credibility through short films, but when it came to a feature-length documentary, most people didn’t believe we were ready to take on something this ambitious.
As with any film, fundraising was a major hurdle—because, unfortunately, making movies isn’t free (I wish it were…). With a limited track record, it was tough to find people who believed in this project as deeply as we did. As a result, we secured only modest investment and sponsorships. Our gear was barebones: a few mics, some lights, a gimbal, and a Sony A7 IV. But even with that, we had enough to get started—and for us, that was all we needed to take the leap into the unknown.
Eventually, we received a grant from Film Philippines, which helped ease some of the financial pressure. But gear was only one part of the equation—manpower was another. This was a two-person show. Erik and I were making the sacrifice to dedicate our lives fully to this project with only the movie itself as a return. I called in every favor I could—like our talented friend Mason Stroud, who brought his sound expertise to the table—and pieced together a small team powered by passion and belief.
When there’s no budget, you wear every hat yourself: hence the months of filming, producing, directing, and the countless nights editing to get it done. It was exhausting but also empowering. I hope that, through this film, I’ve not only told a meaningful story, but also proven what I’m capable of across all those disciplines—and maybe earned the trust to have more people believe in the next vision I want to bring to life.
Picture: MOVART
Can you talk about how you go about getting your Netflix documentary added to the streamer? What’s the process like? At what point were they involved in the documentary’s lifespan? Did they provide any feedback?
We pitched the idea to Netflix very early on, and to our excitement, they liked it right away. That said, there were no promises—they made it clear they could only consider the film once it was fully finished. So while there was genuine interest, there was never a guarantee. The message was simple: If you want this to be on Netflix, you have to make something extraordinary.
That challenge fueled us. I became completely obsessed with crafting a well-rounded, emotionally impactful story arc—one that was fast-paced, visually immersive, and stylistically bold enough to really stand out. Throughout production and post, we kept in touch with Netflix, though the only real guidance they gave was a ballpark runtime for the final cut and some quick things to keep in mind. Other than that, it was on us to deliver.
When we finally submitted our official cut, I spent the next week in full-on stress mode—just hoping we’d done enough. A few weeks later, we got the answer we’d been waiting for: they wanted it. The version we sent is essentially the one you’ll see on the platform—almost no changes were requested.
Picture: MOVART
Can you talk about what you’re working on next? What do you have in the pipeline and what are your dreams for the future?
This project has taught me so much—perhaps most importantly, how deeply I love directing. I absolutely hope to continue down this path, whether in fiction or non-fiction. My dream as a filmmaker is to create stories that truly excite me, that have the power to move an audience, and—of course—to build a sustainable career, making a living off of doing what I love.
At the same time, I hope to stay active as an actor, which is where my journey in this industry began. Acting remains a huge part of who I am creatively, and I see it as something that can beautifully coexist with my path as a filmmaker.
On the producing side, we currently hope to kick off a new sports documentary series in Belgium. We’re also in the early stages of producing our first drama series—a fiction project that’s already showing a lot of promise. There’s a lot ahead, and I’m looking forward to continuing to grow, explore, and tell stories that matter.
Picture: MOVART
A Queen’s Runway is now streaming on Netflix globally.
