At the height of the pandemic in 2021, Al Jazeera reported on the plight of thousands of undocumented Filipino migrant workers in Switzerland. Because of their illegal status, it wasn’t very hard to exploit them. They were paid very little for services rendered and charged exorbitant fees to manage the high cost of living in the affluent Central European country. In more dire cases, six Filipino sans-papiers (undocumented workers) would cram into narrow one-bedroom flats just to make ends meet.
If legal overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) constantly hurdle disheartening challenges to support their families back home, imagine what the undocumented ones are forced to endure.
Such is the dark side of the Filipino diaspora — over 15 million workers and permanent residents living overseas. That’s about 12% of the Philippines’ 128 million population in 2026.
Some of those stories involving Filipino sans-papiers—mostly cleaners or healthcare workers—come to vibrant life in director Dominik Locher’s third feature film, “Enjoy Your Stay.” Featuring seasoned character actresses headed by lead star Mercedes Cabral, the Swiss-French-Filipino production cowritten by Honeylyn/Honee Joy Alipio opened to good reviews (“entertaining, beautifully shot, wonderfully acted,” “with great twists and turns”) in the Panorama section of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival last month.
In the Swiss Alps
The film is set between the Christmas and New Year holidays in the Swiss Alps and revolves around Luz (Cabral), an undocumented worker hired as a cleaner in various luxury chalets in Verbier.
Desperate not to lose custody of her young daughter back home, the penny-pinching and debt-ridden 35-year-old single mother soon becomes embroiled in human trafficking after she’s thrown into the deep end of a precarious arrangement with her boss Thibault (Alexis Manenti) and recruiter Madame Rina (Madeleine Nicolas).
The other Filipino actresses in the main cast are Anna Luna, Hasmine Killip, Donna Cariaga, Ruby Ruiz and Irma Adlawan. Nico Antonio plays Luz’s ex-husband Tonio.
CoverStory reached out to Cabral and Nicolas to talk about “Enjoy Your Stay’s” premiere at the Berlinale — one of the world’s top three film festivals (along with those at Cannes and Venice). The screenings were also attended by screenwriter Alipio, Killip, Cariaga and Adlawan, who described the shoots (in Geneva, Verbier and Martigny) as “exhausting and fulfilling” during a panel discussion in Berlin.
The last time this writer spoke with Cabral, we told her about our interview with South Korean film master Park Chan-wook (“Oldboy,” “No Other Choice”) on the Bangkok set of the HBO series “The Sympathizer” in 2023 and how the acclaimed director’s face lit up when we mentioned her name. The actress was in the cast of Park’s film “Thirst,” which won the Jury Prize at Cannes in 2009. She also played the title role in Frederikke Aspock’s Moscow fest-winning Danish film, “Rosita.”
Attending the Berlinale wasn’t Cabral’s first rodeo at a major international festival. The Cinemalaya-winning actress (“Ang Kubo sa Kawayanan”) also graced the screenings of the Nora Aunor-starrer “Thy Womb” in both Cannes and Venice in 2012. Aside from Park’s “Thirst,” her other films that made waves in Cannes are “Serbis,” “Ma’ Rosa” and “Kinatay,” all helmed by best director winner Brillante Ma Mendoza.
In Cannes, Cabral was noticed as much for her acting chops as for her beauty. She was even voted “the most beautiful woman in Cannes” through an online voting poll conducted by paparazzi after attending the “Kinatay” premiere in 2008.
Asked what sets the Berlinale apart from the festivals in Cannes and Venice, she said: “Every festival has its own energy. The Berlinale feels very engaged and intellectually curious. Berlin audiences really listen — they lean in. Premiering in the Panorama section is especially meaningful because it celebrates bold, socially relevant storytelling.
“On the other hand, the Cannes Film Festival is iconic and glamorous — there’s a certain electricity on the Croisette that’s unforgettable. The one in Venice, which is the world’s oldest film fest, has this romantic, cinematic history — you arrive by boat, watch films in those historic spaces… it feels timeless! But Berlin feels very grounded to me. The conversations there go deep — which makes the festival extra special.”
3-hour chat
During a freewheeling three-hour chat following her return from Germany, Mads Nicolas — who won the best actress award in October at the LA-based IndieX Film Festival for her role in Ryner Viray’s short film “Ang Luha ay Bahagi ng Karagatan” — basked in the thrill and satisfaction of filming “Enjoy Your Stay” in Switzerland and attending the Berlin fest. (Disclosure: We directed Mads in various incarnations of Eve Ensler’s Obie-winning play, “The Vagina Monologues,” and the 2007 staging of the Stephen Sondheim musical, “Into the Woods.”)
Mads recounted: “The whole experience felt surreal. I used to see photos of friends and colleagues attending the Berlinale, and years later, there we were representing the Philippines. It was heartening to see how the audience reacted to the film. The screenings were full-house and well-applauded. Our European viewers congratulated us and some of our kababayan went out of their way to support the film.”
Even the late screenings of the one-hour-and-40-minute film were well-attended, Mads said: “One of the screenings was scheduled at 10 p.m., so I was surprised that viewers stayed beyond 12:30 a.m. for the Q&A. It was heartwarming to see that kind of interest from viewers, who were very curious about its ‘reality TV’ aspect. They were told that the scenes were based on real stories and characters. It was also flattering to hear a European moviegoer say that ‘Enjoy Your Stay’ should have been placed under the festival’s Main Competition.”
She added: “With this film, we hope to reach a larger audience and continue the dialogue about our OFWs. We pray that in the near future, Filipinos need not leave their homeland just to provide for their families.”
Here’s the rest of our Q&A with Mercedes Cabral and Mads Nicolas:
Mercedes, the film’s large Filipino ensemble received great feedback from viewers and critics alike, but your fine portrayal of motherly sacrifice was consistently singled out for keeping the story cohesive and focused. What are you most proud of, personally and professionally?
Cabral: Honestly, I’m most proud that we were able to protect Luz’s complexity. From the very beginning, Dominik Locher and I decided we didn’t want to portray her as a victim or reduce her into a symbol. We wanted to acknowledge all of her contradictions — her strength, fear, tenderness, even her mistakes.
Personally, I’m proud that I stayed truthful to her without judging her actions. Professionally, I’m proud of the restraint (in portraying her). This film trusts stillness, silence and the small shifts — and that kind of work requires discipline. If audiences are connecting to her, it means they’re seeing her humanity. And that means we were doing our job well.
In a nutshell, what is “Enjoy Your Stay” about?
Nicolas: It’s about the sacrifices of OFWs and how their moral values are tested and compromised once they’re subjected to difficulties and the challenges to survive.
In what way are you similar to your character? How will this resonate with Pinoy audiences?
Cabral: I relate to Luz’s determination. When she loves, she loves fully. Everything she does is anchored on her child. That kind of devotion feels very Filipino to me. What I learned from playing her is empathy without judgment. She makes difficult choices, but they come from a place of love and fear — not selfishness.
By bringing her to life, I also learned that survival is complicated. It’s not always clean-cut. I think Filipino audiences will recognize Luz’s sacrifice. So many Pinoys work abroad, often invisibly, carrying enormous responsibilities for their families. Luz represents that emotional cost — the longing, the guilt, the strength. I hope they see her not just as an immigrant, but as a full human being.
Nicolas: I play the role of Madame Rina, who recruits Filipinos as cleaners. Having been a former OFW herself — and most likely an undocumented one, too — Rina understands the plight of undocumented Pinays in Switzerland. However, she’s also running a business and has to survive. She helps them by giving them jobs, but she also takes advantage of them. She’s in a position to manipulate or exploit fellow Filipinos who are in helpless situations.
Where and when did you shoot this? What are your fondest memories of the shoot?
Nicolas: The scenes of Madame Rina were shot in Geneva in November 2024, but the rest of the shoot went way beyond that. It was exciting to film in Switzerland for the first time and work with European creatives and production staff. Our director guided us in shaping our characters. There was constant consultation before scenes were shot and Dominic was open to suggestions/collaboration. There were no egos… We all worked well together.
In what way do you think will this resonate with Filipino viewers and global audiences?
Nicolas: There are OFWs everywhere in the world. We all know someone who’s one — a friend, a family member, a relative, a former classmate, a coworker, and so on. Their stories and struggles are continuously being told in the news, in films and theater productions. It’s something you just can’t ignore.
Mercedes, between mainstream TV shows like “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo,” where you played the popular mistress Lena, and internationally acclaimed indies, which do you find more satisfying?
Cabral: I’m grateful for both. Projects like “Batang Quiapo” connect me to a wide audience at home, and that’s very meaningful. Television sharpens your stamina and discipline — you learn to work fast and stay flexible. Independent films, especially international collaborations, give me space to explore interiority and restraint.
Working with filmmakers like Park Chan-wook and Brillante Mendoza challenged me in very different ways — stylistically, emotionally, culturally. For me, it’s not about which is more satisfying. It’s about growth. Mainstream keeps me connected. Independent work stretches me. As an actor, I need both. CS
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