PINOY SUNDAY tells the story of Manuel and Dado, two Filipino migrant workers who discover a discarded sofa. This transforms their normal Sunday into a tale of adventure, perseverance and self-discovery.
On their only day off, Filipino migrant workers, MANUEL and DADO discover a couch left behind on a Taipei sidewalk. In a life where everything is arranged and all possessions belong to the factory, the couch represents a chance to own something of their own. Aware that carrying a heavy piece of furniture across town is both ridiculous and illogical, the journey becomes an important metaphor for their attempt to make an unpleasant factory dorm that much more like a home. The arduous walk across the landscape is also an internal struggle —a journey that challenges notions of manhood, friendships and family.
On a very basic level, Pinoy Sunday is a typical road film. On their absurdist journey, MANUEL and DADO encounter different archetypal characters. Often humorous and poignant, rife with miscommunication, both parties attempt to overcome linguistic barriers—in Tagalog, Taiwanese, Mandarin, even broken English the language mosaic of factory life in Taipei is demonstrated. From the self-righteous scooter rider, to the melodramatic suicidal student and mother, to the old man and his homemade recycling truck, MANUEL and DADO come across the many faces of a typical globalizing, industrial city.
