Gay, undocumented Filipino couple fights for their future in stirring doc We Had A Plan

For over a decade, gay Filipino couple Paul and Daniel lived a humble, happy life in Amsterdam, working seven days a week as cleaners, saving up money so they could one day return home and build the future for themselves they always dreamed of.

They even got married—er, well, “married.” Since they were illegally in the Netherlands, they couldn’t technically tie the knot there, but they still threw themselves a wedding, surrounded by friends and family and filled with love.

How about we take this to the next level?

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After a decade away, they felt that love again when they were warmly welcomed back to the Philippines. Word quickly got around town that Paul and Daniel were rich, and relatively speaking, they were. They put some of their savings towards a nice home.

Then they got back to work. Daniel returned to his job as a nurse, even though the long hours and low pay couldn’t quite compare to what he was making in Europe. Meanwhile, Paul focused on getting a construction business off the ground, but was running into bureaucratic obstacle after bureaucratic obstacle.

As for their relationship, while same-sex couples are tolerated in the Philippines, same-sex unions are not officially recognized (though, as of earlier this year, the court system ruled that they could legally be co-owners of the same property), bringing its own set of challenges for the pair as they attempted to build a new life for themselves.

It soon became clear that the future they imagined wasn’t going to be possible back home. So where was home, really? Daniel’s job in nursing would allow them the opportunity to legally return to the Netherlands, though in order for that to happen, they’d have to spend some time living half-way across the world form each other.

Could their love endure the distance, the borders, the uncertainty, and all the other hurdles that stand between them?

The eye-opening new documentary We Had A Plan chronicles Paul and Daniel’s story, following them from the Netherlands to the Philippines and back again as they’re forced to adjust their dream again and again, but never compromising on their commitment to each other.

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It’s a specific story, but one with a universal appeal as it touches on migration, LGBTQ+ acceptance, economic inequality, labor, and social security—issues that are all deeply intertwined in our modern globalist society.

The film comes from directors Suzanne Raes & Venice De Castro Atienza who were given unfettered access to Paul and Daniel’s lives, and was filmed in both countries they’ve called home, sometimes simultaneously.

Speaking with Variety, Atienza shares what personally connected her to their story: “As a Filipino filmmaker who has also left my home country, I approach their story with closeness and intimacy, recognizing the collective experience of choosing between leaving to provide for loved ones and staying to share a life with them. In We Had A Plan, we witness two people try to change the configuration of the world to build a place for their love.”

Ahead of its world premiere at the International Documentary Film Festival of Amsterdam next month, We Had A Plan was picked up by sales/distribution agency Cat&Docs, and company president Catherine Le Clef adds why she believes in the resonant messages found in Paul and Daniel’s experiences:

“Through their personal stories, the film offers a deeply human perspective on a foreign workforce that is too often reduced to statistics, stereotypes or simply made invisible. It is also an important reminder of the very real human cost behind the systems that depend on their labor. We felt that this combination of intimacy, tenderness and social relevance made the film particularly powerful and timely.”

Ultimately, it’s a story about love. A bittersweet one, sure, but one that reminds us there is no greater cause to fight for.

Check out a teaser trailer for We Had A Plan below, and stay tuned for more details on where the film’s headed next.

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