This is my second time to have watched an indie film with pinoy theme here in Singapore, the first one is Serbis.
Pinoy Sunday is a film made in Taiwan by a Malaysian writer and director, with Filipino actors that plays out primarily in Tagalog. How's that? The theme of the movie is universal, it tackles the story of the migrant workers. In this particular movie it evolves around the two characters of two Filipino working in Taiwan, on their off day.
Dado (Bayani Agbayani) and Manuel (Epi Quezon) are friends with different disposition in life and character, Dado is a cautious family man with a relationship with Anna (Meryll Soriano) who works as DH, while Manuel is cocky single and chasing Celia (Alessandra de Rossi) a club singer. They have their own story to tell.
On their off day while sitting in the park they chance upon an abandoned red sofa outside an apartment building left by a Taiwanese young couple. With much prodding Manuel was able to convince Dado to take home the sofa. Having no means of transportation with no money on hand, they literally brought it on foot. With the ultimate goal of Manuel to have it at their rooftop and dream of endless nights comforts, they have to endure the heat and the busy weekend traffic just to get the sofa home. During the course of their journey, few incidents are happening along the way and their friendship is being pushed to its breaking point.
I like the story telling of the movie, it is pleasantly easy and enjoyable to watch. The writer/director conveys the difficulties faced by migrant workers in a brighter and hopeful tone. Though the movie tells the story of two Filipinos in Taiwan, the film linear to any nationality in a urban asian city like here in Singapore. The movie captures the spirit of friendship, the sense of optimism, and hope despite the hardships shared by the characters in the movie. Like Dado and Manuel, we have our own sofa to carry : commitments, struggles, temptations, passions, and dreams. Just like them, we should know how to carry it, when to push, and have time to catch breath when it become too heavy to carry.
Director Ho Wi Ding was present after the movie screening and held a Q&A. He answered how he come up with the story and what his reasons of getting Filipino actors for a Taiwan movie setting. He also answered what happened to the sofa in the end, because it doesn't shown in the film. The director says he wanted his audience come up with their own on the outcome of the sofa.
For me, I wanted the sofa ends up at the rooftop and let Dado and Manuel enjoy their dream of having ice-cold San Miguel beer in hand every night.
