Sleep with Me, starring Janine Gutierrez and Lovi Poe, is the next “girls’ love” series that will tickle your fancy! All six episodes just dropped on streaming service iWantTFC and the series immediately became the top trending topic on Twitter in the Philippines.
More than engendering “kilig” from the female leads, the series tackles the struggles of interabled, queer individuals and how they navigate life in a society that makes them feel like outcasts.
Poe portrays Luna, who suffers from a rare sleeping disorder, while Gutierrez plays Harry, an ever-lovely late-night radio DJ who uses a wheelchair.
The series, which recently won the audience award for Best Episodic Series at an LGBTQ+ film festival in Los Angeles, and is also available for iWantTFC premium subscribers outside the Philippines and Indonesia, is directed by queer filmmaker Samantha Lee.
No matter how you identify as, Sleep with Me is definitely a must-watch. Here’s why:
It is a beautiful love story between two girls
According to Lee, Sleep with Me is a simple and tender love story between two individuals who just happen to be girls. The series does not overcomplicate the sexuality of Harry and Luna because they both know (and are 100 percent sure of themselves) that they are madly in love with one another. And even if they are both female, that isn’t a problem at all because, as the saying goes, “love is love.”
It represents persons with disabilities
The series also highlights the struggles (whether visual or not) of persons with disabilities (PWDs). In Luna’s case, her disorder isn’t visible as she’s been diagnosed with delayed sleep phase syndrome (no, it is not insomnia). Luna is awake during the wee hours of the night and falls asleep during the day, which makes her feel isolated from the rest of the world.
In contrast, Harry uses a wheelchair due to a past car accident. A lot of scenes highlight the lack of importance society gives to wheelchair users. However, it also gives a different perspective on how not to feel sorry for them, as evident in one scene, wherein Harry tells a worried Luna, “I’m not as fragile as I look.”
Lovi and Janine have palpable chemistry
What happens when two gorgeous and alluring women play each other’s love interests? A major heart-fluttering
kilig-fest. From Harry and Luna’s enchanting meet-cute, to their impromptu “date,” their intimate first night, and all the awkward yet adorable exchanges in between, their delicate love and fondness for each other radiates through the screen and makes viewers’ hearts skip a beat.
Luna’s angst is relatable Luna is a science textbook writer who carries a lot of emotional baggage stemming from her rare condition and lingering issues from her past relationship. She’s used to shutting herself out from everyone else in her twilight-lit bedroom and relies on a cup of ramen and iced coffee on a nightly basis.
Although she may seem stuck-up, in reality, she is just clouded by her deepest fears and is longing to be loved. That is why she found a friend in Wendy (Nour Hooshmand), who gives her wise, unsolicited advice and is willing to listen to Luna during the rare times she opens up to her.
Harry’s sweet disposition lightens up the mood
Unlike Luna, Harry is confident, a go-getter, and is the complete opposite of “torpe.” After all, she was the one who made the first move. Harry is Luna’s ray of sunshine and comes up with top-notch punchlines to reassure Luna of her love and make her feel secure. “Gawa tayo ng mundo na para sa ating dalawa lang (Let’s create a world for just the two of us)” and “starting today, ako na ‘yung magwo-worry sa’yo (I am the one who will worry about you) 24/7” are some of her best remarks.
It highlights a cute
sibling bond
In addition to Harry and Luna’s love story, the series explores the familial bond between Harry and her gay brother Kai (Kerwin King), as well as Luna and her younger sister Lia (Reign Parani). Harry and Kai are queer siblings who bring out the best in each other. Meanwhile, Luna is somewhat able to let her guard down whenever she talks to Lia, who lives in another country.