Crowds descend on film shooting locations

Cathy Garcia-Sampana, who is the director of Hello, Love, Goodbye and its sequel, said she and her crew members were pleasantly surprised when hordes of fans showed up at their film shoot in Calgary. (Josh McLean/CBC)

The cast and crew of a highly awaited film from the Philippines, Hello, Love, Again, were in for a pleasant surprise when they were greeted by hordes of fans recently at a shoot in Calgary’s southwest.

The film stars two well-known actors from the Southeast Asian country — Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards — and is slated to be released in November. It’s a sequel to the 2019 blockbuster, Hello, Love, Goodbye, which became one of the highest-grossing Filipino movies of all time.

The presence of the stars in Calgary generated excitement among local fans, who turned up in large numbers to show their support and catch a glimpse of the actors.

Mike Purisima, who is the host of the Please Pause podcast that covers Filipino and international cinema, said celebrity culture is a huge deal in the Philippines.

“Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards are some of the biggest movie stars in the Philippines,” he said. “Celebrity culture here in the Philippines, it’s on an entirely different level than the rest of the world. So when you’re a celebrity at the peak of your career, you’re everywhere. Commercials, noontime shows, movies, TV series.”

According to him, what sets the original movie apart is its relatable plot that looks at the lives of overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong.

“It’s a movie that’s very close to the people’s hearts because it was about these expats in Hong Kong, overseas Filipino workers, as we call it here locally and in the Philippines. So it’s very relatable to the masses, and everyone knows someone working in a different country.”

Endearing, relatable

Vangie Caoile, founder and chairperson of the Calgary non-profit group Fiesta Filipino, echoed this sentiment. She said movies like these showcase the stories of many members of the Filipino Canadian community.

“The story is very endearing because it tells the story of every individual who came to Canada to find a better life,” she said.

“It’s about resiliency. It’s about finding better lives outside of our home. So the struggle is real. The pain is real, you know.”

Director Cathy Garcia-Sampana picked Calgary to shoot Hello, Love, Again after scouting Canadian locations. (Josh McLean/CBC)

Cathy Garcia-Sampana, the director of Hello, Love, Goodbye and its sequel, chose Calgary after scouting a couple of locations.

“When I saw Calgary during spring, I fell in love with it. I felt like it’s the best backplate or location for my story,” she said.

“I am looking for a place that tells me so much of what Canada is and differentiated from what Hong Kong is because these are the two locations that will be shown in the story.”

She added she likes the mountains and natural scenery, which offer the perfect backdrop for Hello, Love, Again, coupled with the fact that Canada has a sizeable Filipino population.

“Canada is a famous second home to Filipinos. It’s like where you wanna be because here you can be more. In Calgary, in Canada, if you were a domestic helper, you don’t stay that way forever.

“It can be more like you can do admin jobs, you can be a nurse, a caregiver. In other words, it’s pretty much you can be anyone you like in Canada.”

A pleasant surprise

Garcia-Sampana said she was thrilled to see the immense support displayed by fans in Calgary. (Josh McLean/CBC)

When asked about the fans who showed up to the Bridlewood shoot over the July 27-28 weekend, the director said she was taken aback.

“I was surprised but thrilled and because Filipinos are still that loving and supportive,” she said. 

“Unfortunately … we disrupted, you know, peace and we created disturbance somehow. But I love the love they gave us. And how, how I wish I could give them what they want. How I wish I can give them my actors all the time for them to see because I know it’s like [a] once-in-a-lifetime chance, but then we need to follow by the rules.”

Looking for opportunities

Kathryn Bernardo, who is the female lead in the sequel — Hello, Love, Again — said people in Calgary have been welcoming. (Josh McLean/CBC)

Bernardo, who is the female lead in the sequel, said people have been welcoming and helpful so far. She admitted she was surprised when the fans first showed up.

“I think we were all surprised. I didn’t know that there were a lot of Filipinos, especially in that area. So I wasn’t aware at first. And then when I went out, I got shocked because everyone was there. Of course, we’re very thankful because we feel their support for the movie, for me and Alden, and for the film especially.”

The actress shed some light on her role in the sequel.

“I think a lot of Filipinos can relate to it because, first, the Filipino community here is very huge. And I think some people choose to stay here because of the opportunities.… I’m like representing this girl who has a lot of dreams, who wants to be more, and I think Canada is the perfect place for that.”

Alden Richards, the male lead in Hello, Love, Again, said the essence of the film lies in understanding how Filipinos who’ve moved abroad live and relate with each other. (Josh McLean/CBC)

Richards, who is Bernardo’s co-star, agreed.

“That is the essence of the film, how the Filipinos living abroad and working abroad live and, you know, relate to one another. The sacrifices that we have done for everyone, ourselves, our families, our loved ones,” he said.

“I think that resonates with the [original] film and especially after it was shown way back [in] 2019. I think it really made a mark with a lot of Filipinos all over the world because of that.”