Picture a huge diamond necklace, not unlike your average piece of costume jewelry, that happens to be worth $15 million. The necklace is an important artifact in the Filipino community and somehow ends up in the hands of a queen – a drag queen.

Tore Dahlin, director and writer of the independent film “Corky’s Hot Ice” did picture this stolen necklace and he wrote a film about it.

“I wrote the film because my late partner was Filipino and I loved the culture,” Dahlin said. “I also loved good drag for entertainment.”

The film, which features some fabulous drag mixed in with a smidgeon of Filipino history, opened in two Bay Area theatres last Friday.

The movie begins when a diamond necklace that belongs to the Filipino government is stolen during the impeachment of its president in 2001. The necklace, called the “Tears of Liberty” is so symbolic to the
Filipino community that there are many replicas. A necklace, assumed to be the original, ends up in present day San Francisco where it is stolen yet again from a pawn shop owned by the city’s police chief.

The police investigation turns into a lover’s weekend for the two investigators and their informant as they search for suspect, Corky Hotpoint, at a drag queen pageant. Through a series of comedic moments and heart warming interludes, the characters learn valuable lessons like listen to God when he sends you a sign, love who you will and pay attention to the necklace you have around your neck.

“I didn't set out to make an award-winning festival movie. I just wanted to make something light and campy with a positive message at the end,” Dahlin said.

The director began writing the film several years ago, and after sending a script to producer Mark Calvano, the two started working on rewrites and casting roles. “This was the first time I’ve ever [read] a screen play in my life,” said Calvano at the premiere. “It was a lot of work and creativity.”

Calvano discovered “Corky’s Hot Ice,” previously called “Big Diamond Mystery,” in an advertisement for local actors. Calvano, continued to help Dahlin tweak parts of the script and find drag performers such as Dana International and Flava, who both performed musical numbers for the film.

Dahlin and Calvano didn’t want to submit the movie into film festivals and chose to take an alternative route instead. “The movie went through all the trials and tribulations that a usual independent film went through,” Dahlin said.

The movie was filmed seven years ago, but Dahlin suffered the loss of a loved one that stalled the movie for several years.

Two of the actors, who happen to be SF State alumni, appear in the film. Both said they jumped at the chance to audition because they loved the personality of the film. “It’s a movie about accepting one another no matter how crazy we may be,” said Rajiv Shah, 28, who graduated in theatre studies in 2005.

“The message of the movie is about finding one’s truth and happiness,” said recent graduate James Quedado, “[No matter what] one’s identity – gay, Asian American, man or woman.”

Dahlin said he was happy with the choices he made for the film. “We were lucky because talent in the Bay Area is very high,” he said.

Several of the film’s local actors came to the sold out premiere at San Francisco’s Landmark Opera Theatre last Friday. Many had not seen each other in several years.

The movie’s tone was light and fun, drawing laughs from the crowd at regular intervals.

“I think the movie showed a lot of heart,” said Cameron Wride, a junior at SF State. “It was obviously a labor of love.”

Wride only had one criticism of the film. “It was not eloquent enough to stand out as exceedingly subtle or clever.”

Other movie goers enjoyed it as well.

“I was cracking up like crazy,” said Johnny Moallem, a friend of Calvano.