Swiss Dreams Turn Sour for Undocumented Cleaner

The film "Enjoy Your Stay," directed by Dominik Locher and Honeylyn Joy Alipio, has been acquired by Indonesian distributor Falcon for its premiere in Jakarta. It tells the story of Luz, an undocumented Filipina cleaner in a Swiss luxury ski resort, played by Mercedes Cabral. Luz faces the potential loss of her children to her husband back home.

To prevent this, Luz engages in labor trafficking, lured by promises of legal documents and higher pay from a Swiss gangmaster. This narrative exposes what director Locher terms "the dirty side of the Swiss postcard," detailing the difficult lives of undocumented workers. The film's co-director, Alipio, who is Filipina, spoke of the sadness and shame in seeing her compatriots portrayed as cleaners, though acknowledging it reflects reality.

The film premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in February and later had its Asian premiere at the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. Special screenings were organized for undocumented workers in Switzerland, receiving positive feedback that the film captured their experiences. The filmmakers aim for the movie to spark discussions about mutual treatment and hope such situations become relics of the past.

Locher and Alipio, who met at the Busan International Film Festival, plan to collaborate on future projects focusing on marginalized people worldwide. Their next film, "Partner Zone," will explore an ESG auditor's examination of a gold mine in the Philippines, a country involved in refining a significant portion of the world's gold supply. Scripting for this new venture is anticipated to begin in 2027.