Ask any Filipino immigrant parent what they wanted for their children and nine out of ten would say they wanted their dreams to come true. The tricky part is things usually get blurry because of a misalignment between the parents’ dreams for their kids and their kids’ dreams for themselves. Thus, when a kid says he or she wants to be a doctor someday, it’s unclear whether that means he or she truly wants that for himself or herself, or whether that dream was imposed on them by their parents.

Such a dilemma is the premise behind “The Perfect Couple,” a short film written, and Executive-produced by yours truly and directed by Enrico Banson of Lumos Films.

In early 2021, I approached Enrico with my screenplay, and we quickly decided to collaborate on a project that highlights Filipino culture in a new, honest, and exciting way.  “The Perfect Couple” showcases the constant struggle in the Filipino community of acceptance, challenging traditions, and creating new pathways amidst a culture that constantly conflicts within its generations.

“It was very exciting to include many Filipino and Filipino-American artists into this project and the final result is something we’re all very proud of as a cast and crew,” said Banson.

The exact same sentiment is shared by the film’s lead actors Camille Aragon and Julian Bataclan, who had never met before but quickly developed a connection and strong rapport, due in part to the film’s unifying message and shared Filipino American experience.

“Nobody’s perfect” and “it’s okay to not be perfect” are some of the key themes of the movie.

Camille, a Harvard-educated, former Peace Corps volunteer-turned yoga teacher and stand-up comic, is a living testament of these principles. Today, she advocates for authenticity and self-healing.

“It’s traumatizing,” Camille said, when asked about her experience growing up in a Filipino-American household. “There’s always that extra pressure to have the perfect grades and the perfect career and it’s so unnerving,” she added. 

I asked Camille what made her shift from a traditional career to being a yoga teacher and stand-up comic. “It may sound cliché but it’s all about following your passion.” 

“I learned to co-exist with my childhood trauma and told myself that since the worst had already happened, standing up in front of strangers and speaking my truth to inspire laughter would be an amazing way to continue my healing journey,” Camille added.

I don’t know about you, but I am truly inspired by Camille’s story. I don’t know how many people can leave post-Harvard, corporate life, and start a new career that’s not really perceived as “lucrative” by prevalent societal norms.

“And that’s the thing, we have to question these norms and follow a path that’s good for us physically, emotionally, and spiritually,” Camille ended. 

Julian is on a similar path. He’s an Engineer by trade and a graduate of USC, but his early childhood was filled with quoting and imitating his favorite actors, including his childhood idol, Jim Carrey in Ace Venture: Pet Detective.

“It really is about passion,” Julian echoing Camille’s earlier statement. “Nothing can ever compare to that feeling of being able to express complex emotions and create characters that can help move the story forward and connect with the audience,” added Julian.

 I asked Camille and Julian what drew them to work on this project.

“It’s a great story that I know would resonate with a lot of Filipino-Americans, especially those who were raised by their immigrant parents.  Plus, it’s an honor to have worked with Princess Punzalan, who’s an icon in Philippine cinema,” said Camille.

“For me, it’s a dream come true,” said Julian.  “I am just thankful to you, Mike and Enrico for trusting me to play the lead part of ALFRED,” he added.

“I had quite the victory shout in my car when I got the offer and I’ve just been grinning ever since that morning,” recalled Julian. 

“And all this happening in Filipino-American History Month and in the wake of my birthday a few weeks ago, it is a complete honor and privilege to be bringing this story to life,” ended Julian.

As the writer and Executive Producer for the film, it’s an honor for me, too, to be able to share this story to the world. I am so excited that we are now about to showcase our project at various film festivals this November, and I cannot be more thankful to all the cast and crew for being part of this exciting journey.

“Indeed,” echoed Enrico, whose directing career started when he got his degree in film from San Francisco State University. Enrico’s directed two full-length indie films since then.

 Join us on our journey!

There are three ways to watch the film in November. We are part of the Filam Creative Shorts Awards on November 11 (IG @filamcreative), and then we will have our premiere at the Asian World Film Festival on November 12 (IG @asianworldff), and lastly, we will have a special screening at the Kumu USA studio in Los Angeles on November 15 (IG @kumu_usa). Afterwards, we will have the film available to watch online through Amazon Prime Video, Vimeo, and YouTube.

For other updates on the film, please follow Enrico and me on Instagram @filmguy78 and @kissmymike_official, respectively.

Let’s do this! 

Let’s show Hollywood that Filipino and Filipino-American films are viable.