What happens when a long-term gay couple attends a wedding that reminds them they don't have the same rights? That's the emotional gut-punch of Kasal (The Commitment), a powerful indie film by Joselito Altarejos.
The film follows Paolo and Sherwin, a couple on a road trip to a wedding-but instead of a romantic getaway, their journey becomes a deep dive into love, commitment, and exclusion. Through casual conversations about adoption, annulment, and family pressure, Kasal subtly reveals the cracks in their relationship and the harsh truth that no matter how strong their love is, the institution of marriage still shuts them out.
One of the film's most heartbreaking moments? Paolo storming out of the wedding after hearing that marriage is "only for a man and a woman." It's quiet, but it says everything.
With its raw storytelling and sharp social commentary, Kasal flips the usual LGBTQ+ film narrative. This time, it's the gay couple observing straight relationships-questioning why they're treated differently when their love is just as real.
The ending? Painfully open-ended. But that's the point-because for couples like Paolo and Sherwin, the fight for recognition is still unfinished.
