By Erin Chew
Filipino cinema has been breaking records, and romance film Hello, Love, Again is leading the way.
Starring Kathryn Bernardo (Hello, Love, Goodbye, A Very Good Girl) who plays Joy Marie Fabregas and Alden Richards (Hello, Love, Goodbye, Five Breakups and a Romance) who plays Ethan del Rosario, the film has become the highest grossing Filipino film of all time. They achieved this just ten days after opening in theaters in the U.S. on November 13.
This film also reunites the duo in this meet cute, second chance love story- the sequel to Hello, Love, Goodbye from 2019. In Hello, Love, Again, many themes get thrown around. This is what makes it so special for Bernardo, that one film can spread awareness about many issues and at the same time bring joy, heart thrills and giddy feelings with a romance component.
“There is obviously love which is the main theme running throughout the film, self-discovery as Filipino foreign workers, fighting for joy, finding home and the sacrifices you make for your loved one”, Bernardo passionately expressed in a recent interview with AsAmNews. “At the core it also shows the hardships and difficulties in the lives of foreign/international workers – something which is a common life among Filipinos”.
The film is set five years from when Joy said goodbye to Ethan and Hong Kong to pursue her dreams in Canada. After fighting for their love to conquer the time, distance and a global shutdown that kept them apart, Joy and Ethan meet again in Canada but realize that they have also changed a lot. As they rediscover each other, they navigate the complexities of their new lives, finding romance and connection amidst the changes.
A very intense film premise indeed – but one which will educate and give audiences all the little fluttering heart butterflies. This was one of the things Richards hopes he was able to portray well. Richards mentioned that Ethan is a lot like him in real life – slightly spontaneous and lives for the moment, especially if it’s about love.
“With this sequel a lot of things change for Ethan– for example, how will he take being in a long distance relationship with Joy and how will he deal with lockdowns and the COVID-19 pandemic”, Richards expressed. “Like me, Ethan is a go with the flow kind of guy and will deal with difficulties when it presents itself – that is me every day”.
Touching on the issue of foreign/international workers is extremely significant as it is one of the major themes for the film. It indirectly provides social commentary on this issue by showing the struggles and challenges Filipinos experience working overseas. According to The Philippines Statistic Authority (PSA), ten percent (2021-2022) of the country’s population are foreign/international workers.
For Bernardo, showing both the positive and the negatives of being a foreign/international worker was something she hoped the film portrayed strongly and accurately, and she was determined to give these workers a voice.
“The thing about foreign/international workers from the Philippines, is that they are really our nation’s unsung heroes. They go through a difficult process to go and work overseas, leaving their family/families to work hard, and send money back for their family/families to live a happy life. Playing Joy, who was one of them, I ensured I did so with the utmost respect and I hope this was felt and seen”.
Finally, the question about second chances in love and life was discussed by both Bernardo and Richards. Both echoed similar sentiments, but for Richards this meant living life to the fullest and not allowing any time pass by without action. Ethan epitomized this and walked through life with this mentality.
Richards posed the question as to whether anyone and everyone should live life this way.
“For me, second chances in love and life means not missing any moment. If your lover is hundreds of miles away, get in a car and drive there without regrets, and if they are overseas, fly over to see them as love is so precious. Everyone deserves a second chance in love and life, but when you have that chance, never let it go”.
Bernardo saw this topic in the same way, except she added the significance of planning and proper communication. Without good and proactive communication, misunderstandings in relationships will happen, and second chances are in many ways more important than the first.
This was principles, she lives by when in character as Joy and in her real day to day life.
“I am with Alden that grabbing the moment when it comes is most important. However, I believe that second chances is a privilege granted by some spiritual power above – whatever that may be. This is why when second chances roll around, one must ensure they are proactive and ensure all communication channels is honest and pure. Love is all about trust and when this love is separated by distance, then this aspect is even more important”.
Hello, Love, Again debuted in North America on November 15, 2024 and achieved a milestone opening weekend of $2.4 million across the region. At the closing night of the Asian World Film Festival held in Los Angeles on the November 21, 2024, Bernardo won the Rising Star award for her performance in the film.
AsAmNews is published by the non-profit, Asian American Media Inc.
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