MANILA, Philippines – Dingdong Dantes and Anne Curtis team up for the first time in the movie Sid and Aya (Not a Love Story) under Irene Villamor. And it's an intriguing premise that frames their first silver screen collaboration – something viewers will need to watch to understand, Irene says.
At the press conference for the movie last May 17, Anne said she believes that "I love you" doesn't make a love story.
"Hindi lahat ng I love you ay love story na? Oo, naniniwala ako doon. Kasi paano kung hindi sinuklian yung I love you mo? Love story na ba iyon? So naniniwala ako doon sa sinabi ni direk [Irene] na hindi lahat ng I love you ay love story na," she said.
(Not all I love you's is a love story? Of course I believe in that. Because what if that person doesn't return your love? Is that already a love story? So yes I believe in what direk [Irene] said that not all I love you's is already a love story.)
When asked if at one point they also experienced being fooled in their past relationships, Anne, who married Erwan Heussaff last year said: "Nalimutan ko na teh. Kinalimutan ko na yung mga gaguhan na nangyari. Nasa happy place na ako." (I've already forgotten about that. I've decided to forget all the stupidity that happened. I'm already in a happy place in my life.)
Dingdong said: "S'yempre para ma-appreciate mo naman kung ano yung masarap at masaya, kailangan mo rin ma-experience yung hindi okay di ba? Hindi lang sa relationships kung hindi sa lahat ng bagay. Para mas maging matamis yung pag-appreciate mo sa kung ano ka meron ngayon."
(Of course for you to appreciate what's good and makes you happy, you need to experience the heartaches. It's not just in relationship but in everything you do, so you'll learn to appreciate what you have now.)
Not a love story?
In the film, Dingdong's character Sid is arrogant and obnoxious, with a dash of insomniac. He meets Aya (Anne), whom he has hired to spend time with her. Along the way, the relationship becomes complicated when the two start to have feelings for each other. (WATCH: Dingdong Dantes and Anne Curtis in 'Sid and Aya: Not a Love Story' trailer)
While they were careful not to divulge too many details, Dingdong described Sid as a "flawed" person. Anne, meanwhile, said Japan, where some of the scenes were shot, is very special for her character in the film.
Asked why it took time for them to do a project together, both said it was about the timing and the right project. It helped that since they worked together in the past, they were at ease when doing the film.
"I guess it helped in a way na nagkatrabaho na kami dati. So ngayon nagka-work kami, medyo comfortable, hindi nagkakailangan. Anne said.
(I guess it helped that we worked together in the past. So in shooting the movie, we were comfortable, there were no apprehensions.)
Dingdong for his part said: "Nagkakilala kami in the '90s and the theme of the film is somehow related to what the people from the '90s experience dahil tulad ngayon, mahilig tayo sa mga throwback, so feeling ko sakto yung pagkakataon na ito (We met in the '90s and the the theme of the film is somehow related to what the people from the '90s experience, like now, we love throwbacks. So the timing was perfect)."
"Kung nangyari ito ng 10 years ago, baka siguro hindi magiging ganito ka especial yung magsasama namin. That's why we're grateful, especially ako na finally after 20 years, eh nagkatoo din." (If this happened 10 years ago, the tandem wouldn't be as special as now. That's why we're grateful, Finally, after 20 years, it's happening.)
Anne said that when she got the script, she asked Irene what she wanted viewers to take away from it. Irene said it was that people could betray you.
Irene, who also directed the movie Meet Me in St Gallen, was asked how she managed to cope up with people who played with her feelings.
"Gawan ng pelikula. (Make it into a film) To cope [with it], gawan ng pelikula (make a film)," Irene said.
The director also has choice works for people like Sid, Dingdong's character. "Masarap manggago sa simula pero hintayin n'yo na magago din kayo (It's nice to fool around in the beginnig, but wait until you're the one fooled after)," she said.
Sid and Aya (Not A Love Story) opens on May 30. – Rappler.com
