How to get over a broken heart, according to Nakalimutan stars

MANILA, Philippines — The lengths you go to just to recover from a heartbreak is the theme of the upcoming romantic comedy-drama, Nakalimutan Ko Nang Kalimutan Ka.

The film marks a couple of firsts. It’s the first film of former Pinoy Big Brother housemate Fifth Solomon and the first film venture of long-time concert producer Wilbros Live.

“We’ve been wanting to try movies. Our mission is to help promote Filipinos around the world through concerts like we combine international and local artists. And with movies, we’re able to and need to release it globally. It’s worth trying,” said Glenn Llamas, one of the brothers behind the production outfit. “When I saw the script and read the story, I believe this is a strong movie. I believe this film has a fighting chance. Filipinos are always known to enjoy and watch movies and concerts.” 

Nakalimutan Ko Nang Kalimutan Ka is topbilled by Alex Gonzaga, whose character will exhaust all means, including the surgical kind, just to bury her past with an ex. Vin Abrenica, Candy Pangilinan, Jerald Napoles, Rufa Mae Quinto, Jayson Gainza, Loisa Andalio, Alora Sasam, Joj Agpangan, Jai Agpangan, Ricci Chan, Juan Miguel Severo and Keiko Necesario also appear in the film.

“There’s realism mixed with fantasy,” explained Fifth, who also wrote the script, in a presscon. “Like if there’s a clinic that can remove your broken heart, will you have it taken out? Something like that. Because at times, we’ve done everything to move on, we tried Tinder, food-tripping, getting ourselves drunk or soul-searching in Korea, but why can’t we still forget the person we (once) loved?” So, given the chance, he added, will you be willing to have your heart replaced so that you will forget all the painful memories?

The stars won’t go that extreme for sure. But like the film’s lengthy title, they all agree the recovery is a long process.

For Alex, she has learned to forget all her exes but “I couldn’t forget all my stupidity because during the time I was dating, from the start pa lang, (people were telling me) that’s not the guy for you. I always had doubts, but I would also always convince myself ‘no, that’s not true, kami, kami, kami.’ Even when I saw that we were drifting apart, I (would find) ways of making myself look really stupid just to prove to myself that ‘No, this is right for me.’ But it turned out they were right, he’s not really meant for you.”

Alex with Jerald, who stars as the best friend

Jerald, on his part, shared, “Maybe (this is a) cliché but the wound really hurts while you’re going through it. Pag-naghilom siya, mas matatag na yung parte ng balat na nasugatan pero meron ng marka ang sugat. So there’s a little part of you, which you gave away, and part of that person that you won’t forget. It won’t go away. Once you’ve entered another person’s life, and once another person comes into your life, some things will be left behind.” 

The actor revealed that his biggest heartbreak was his previous relationship. “I was living with my ex-girlfriend, a French girl, muntikan na ako mapabilang sa mga kababayan na naka luwag-luwag (laughs). Pero di natuloy, kasi ex eh.

“We lived together for two years, and I couldn’t forget that because it was my first time to live-in with someone. We made plans, we saw the future. The reason I couldn’t forget her because we were like a married couple already. It was her face that I saw first the moment I wake up, and it was her face I would last see before I would sleep. Damn! But we’re OK now. When I went to France last month, we saw each other and talked. Four years after our break-up, that was our first closure (in person).”

Keiko, who also performs the film’s theme song, Let Me Be The One, related her own experience as well. “I’m NBSB (No Boyfriend Since Birth). I’m waiting for the right one. And I think there’s nothing wrong with that. But I take a risk. I’ve fallen in love thrice, as in nagmahal talaga. Pinaka-masakit siguro happened three years ago, but you have to remind yourself that you need to forget and you will be able to forgive what happened and forgive yourself,” she said, adding that since she’s a religious person, her decisions are coupled with prayer. 

When asked to offer concrete ways of moving on, Joj shared, “Always remember self-love. If you don’t leave something for yourself, ikaw yung kawawa (you’ll find yourself in the losing end). So self-love is important. It’s not selfish. Then I love to travel. That’s one thing. Another is be thankful for the people who are there for you like family, friends because at the end of the day, they’re the ones who can help you. It’s your choice to stay tanga (stupid) or become a strong person, the best version of yourself.” 

According to Jerald, it was easier for him to move on with his life because her girlfriend moved back abroad. “I had no choice eh, I needed to accept it. (I had to accept that it was painful), habang naliligo ka, nag-sho-shower ka, ‘Hindi na niya ako mahal.’ Basically, it helped that she was no longer here. You have to cut the communication (line). If you want a concrete tip, you shouldn’t have any communication with the other person. You have to give yourself time and the next time, for the closure.”

Does he believe that in order to “get over, get another”? Jerald said, “The thing is, if you will find a rebound, make sure you’re not fooling yourself. Because sometimes, when you don’t know that person is a rebound, you might think you’re hurting that person but you’re actually hurting yourself. You’ll try to keep up with the feelings na nasaktan ka, kailangan mong pag-takpan sa pamamagitan ng pag-rebound. So, to each his/her own but as long as you’re not hurting another person, that’s a good process (of recovering from a heartbreak).”

With Vin Abrenica as the man who broke the heart of Alex’s character

Alex, on the other hand, believes one has to teach himself or herself to forget. “Sometimes, you have to fake it till you make it. You have to convince yourself that you’re happy, you’ve forgotten (the person) even if you haven’t yet, you have to tell yourself always ‘move on, move on,’ then one day, you will wake up without having to make any effort to forget because you’ve totally forgotten already.”

The funny actress further shared that she moves on by doing all things that make her look stupid “in one take” — call, text and go after that person — and when she has nothing more to give, that’s the time she has to pick herself up. “Ako kasi totodohin ko muna ang pagiging tanga. Yung mag-mumukha na talaga akong putik. Kunwari na text mo na, todohin mo na, tawagan mo na. Laylay na talaga, sagad na talaga, sa pagiging tanga. Kapag sobra na akong tanga na wala na akong magagawa kasi nasa baba na ako, kailangan mo na siempre umangat.”

Alex was also queried about the boys who broke her heart, but she wouldn’t give names. She is writing a book about getting over exes and stressed that none of them is in showbiz, contrary to what people think.

She said, “Sa lahat po ng aking ginaganito, wala pong showbiz, believe it or not. Kung meron kayong iniisip, kung iniisip niyo po si Kean (Cipriano, the rocker-actor who was once rumored to be her boyfriend), hindi po. Daming nagsasabi kung part siya ng libro, di po talaga. Because what happened with us was just friendship and nag-feeling lang kami na may something. But we both knew, there was really nothing.”

“So everyone in the book, they’re non-showbiz. How many? There are 32 of them (laughs). No, there are three of them. Two of them Chinese, one of them, the producer (laughs),” joked Alex.

The writer-director readily agreed with his stars that moving on is hard, but it’s not impossible. “Masakit siya, sobrang sakit, especially if you’re used to it and one day, it’s no longer there. What I do is, I keep myself busy with work, I go out, go shopping ­— see, it’s so expensive to move on, right? The person who hurt me is in Australia, so mahal (it’s expensive)! Hindi ko na hinabol kasi may visa pa eh (laughs),” Fifth said, referring to an ex he met while taking up a Masteral course in Film in Australia. “So, I just accepted it because it was going to cost me money. And you just have to entertain yourself and accept the fact that you need to forget.”

Nakalimutan Ko Nang Kalimutan Ka premieres on Sept. 19.