Walang KaParis director on why it took time to do Alempoy’s follow-up film
MANILA, Philippines — If a person you love and can never forget has forgotten about you and his feelings for you, would you still try to pursue that person?
That’s the major question that the Amazon Original Movie Walang KaParis — Sigrid Andrea Bernardo’s follow-up film to her 2017 romantic-comedy movie Kita Kita — attempts to ask. To recall, Kita Kita became the highest-grossing independent film at the time of its release, and gave birth to the successful tandem of Alessandra de Rossi and Empoy Marquez, dubbed by fans as Alempoy.
In Alempoy’s second film, which is set in Paris, Empoy is a visual artist who appears to enjoy having many lovers, but is actually pining for that mysterious muse of his paintings. One day, a woman (Alessandra) appears in his life claiming to be the subject of his works.
“The film talks about taking risks in love. What if the person that you love has forgotten you and has forgotten the feelings, would you still pursue those feelings for that person?” direk Sigrid, who also wrote the script, said in a virtual interview with The STAR.
“It’s a matter of deciding what you want in life — is love important to you even if that person no longer loves you? Will you still push yourself towards that person (hoping) that person will love you again?”
She said that Alex’s character Mary is deeply in love with Empoy’s character Joseph. “But what if he cannot reciprocate or match that kind of love, would you still love that person even if wala kang hinihintay na kapalit?...
“At some point in your life, you’ve been through that experience of loving someone so much that whatever happens and despite not being loved back, you will still give your everything. But the question there is, hanggang kelan ka mag-titiis, na wala kang hinihintay na kapalit pagdating sa pag-ibig?”
Based on direk Sigrid’s statements, obviously the film tackles a more profound kind of love compared to Kita Kita’s “meet-cute narrative” — a storyline borne out of wanting to create that “best second film” for Alempoy after the box-office achievement of Kita Kita.
She said, “To be honest as a director and writer, I had so much pressure after Kita Kita, to the point that I’d rather see them doing another film together under a different director hahaha!
“Coming from Kita Kita, matagal ko talagang inisip, what’s the best second film for the both of them. With Kita Kita, they were able to show their candid selves, their being natural, on and off screen, and you know, even if walang expectation as a love team, kikiligin ka.
“But this time, since you were able to establish a love team — that’s why they’re called Alempoy, right — what’s next?”
Sigrid said she tried putting herself in the shoes of the audience and imagined what they possibly wanted to see in a follow-up project. She concluded that she “needed to level them up as actors.”
“Even with the love story in Walang KaParis, it’s deeper and you will really see their talent as an actor portraying a different role that isn’t very light,” she said.
“If you will watch the film, (Alessandra and Empoy) are doing different timelines and characterizations. So, they really had to concentrate on their roles, and they didn’t give me any problems.”
She also said that this time around, Alessandra and Empoy’s characters got to dive into the complexities of romance, including “the pains and happiness of being in a relationship.” Whereas in their first film together, “it was really getting to know each other, and unrequited love, dito kasi may love na. It’s just a matter of who will reciprocate that love and how you’re willing to wait for that reciprocation to happen.”
Sigrid also shared what it was like directing Alempoy anew in their reunion film. After their first film together, she acknowledged that a “big change” happened not just with her career, but also with the careers of Empoy and Alessandra.
“There were positive and somehow negative effects also because there were a lot of expectations, especially with me as a director. Para akong bibe na umiitlog ng ginto, na parang feeling ng mga tao, lahat ng gagawin ko kikita ng P500 million.
“I mean, ang dami dun masaya, because it opened a lot of doors for me. But again, there’s also that downside to it and that’s the pressure.”
Somehow, going through similar experiences post-Kita Kita and understanding what was going on with their careers and “within ourselves” led her and the lead stars to form a close friendship.
So close and so comfortable with each other that it also became a challenge for the director when shooting the second film.
“When we were shooting Walang KaParis, we were already so at ease with each other. So, lagi kong sinasabi kay Alex (Alessandra) and Empoy, since they were also very much at ease with each other, which is actually good for me, it makes my job easier because no more awkwardness.
“But they were so comfortable with each other that I said, wait, I needed to work on your romantic chemistry over the bestfriend chemistry. I had to really work on that more. (I told them) I know that you love each other as a friend but you’re portraying characters here, which are not bestfriends.”
Nevertheless, they pulled it through filming overseas at the height of the pandemic no less, despite direk Sigrid’s personal concerns during that tough time.
“You can imagine (filming) during the pandemic… I’m sure a lot was going through your mind at that time as well. Pero kami iniisip namin, my God, andito pa rin ako sa trabaho… iniisip ko pa rin yung pelikula. Kung mamatay man ako at may huling pelikula akong gagawin, it should be Alempoy. So ni-risk ko talaga… ganung level (ang iniisip ko)... that could be my last film. Ganun ang mahal ko for Alempoy and what Kita Kita did for me.”
Despite clamor, it took nearly six years for another Alempoy film to be released. Sigrid only started writing the film in 2019. Prior to that, she turned down the offer to direct it. It took two years of convincing before she decided to give it a go.
“After Kita Kita in 2017, I was approached to do another Alempoy film right away, but I wasn’t ready talaga. I declined talaga. After two years of ligawan — depende din sa deal eh, tapos gumawa pa ako ng films for other companies — in 2019, I decided sige nga why not.
“And it was a very difficult process for me because ano nga yung next film ng Alempoy? Unlike when I make other films, mahirap but again the pressure of doing another Alempoy film was different.
“It was very personal. I had to accept to myself success of Kita Kita. I had to go back to that and accept,” she added.
But then, the pandemic happened.
“We took the risk. This is the script, I told the producers. Sinabi niyo sa akin gumawa ako, but pandemic (came) so bahala na kayo if you still want to produce it. And I’m grateful that they were willing to produce it.”
While the film is not a prequel or sequel, Sigrid wouldn’t deny that “there’s some homage” — a show of “respect” — to Kita Kita in Walang KaParis.
As for the choice of Paris as a film location, there was no special reason behind it. The truth is, she and her partner were just enjoying home-cooked pares when she thought of doing a film set in Paris.
“But I’ve been to Paris three times already and I super love the city. It’s a romantic country for me — France. When we shot the Paris scenes, I didn’t want the touristy scenes so I did my research on places that weren’t touristic spots.
“It’s really more about Filipinos living there. I’ve met a lot of Filipinos there, OFWs, even TNTs (undocumented immigrants), nakausap ko rin. When you say Paris kasi, it’s like Disneyland, it’s very beautiful. But I wanted it to be more realistic and show that there’s beauty in Paris, not even in the tourist spots.”
Produced by Spring Films and Viva Films, Walang KaParis is now streaming on Prime Video.
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