Why Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera’s ‘Remember’ Is the Cinematic Pause We All Need Right Now

Memories play out when we hit the rewind button of our lives. When the film starts rolling again on a specific chapter in our journey, we remember the value of the moments, both good and bad, that have made the past worth remembering. 

For celebrity couple and box-office king and queen Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera, one memory they would always love to rewind to is filming the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival entry Rewind, which remains the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time.  

It was “a core memory,” as Dingdong put it. When they worked on Rewind, they focused more on living in the moment and on embracing the material they hoped would tug at viewers’ heartstrings as much as it appealed to them emotionally. That it resonated with many made the project and the filming experience even more memorable. Awards and recognition are blessings, but they were never the goal for actors like them, who are passionate about telling stories. And so, years after Rewind, the question they excitedly tackled was “What’s next?” 

“You work on a story you believe in,” said Dingdong, who established his film production company, AgostoDos Pictures, in 2011, and is the founder and chairman of AKTOR, a collective of Filipino actors, performers, and creators. 

“Kasi ganoon din kami doon sa Rewind. Sobrang naniwala kami sa kuwentong ’yun. Sobrang na-move at na-touch kami. So that’s how we choose stories e,” he added. “Kung paano ba kami tinatamaan as people, as actors, and as performers.”

Rewind was historic, and the pressure is inevitable now that Dingdong and Marian reunited for another film with primarily the same dream team, led by director Mae Cruz-Alviar and screenwriters Enrico C. Santos and Daisy Cayanan-Mejares. “Normal naman siguro ’yung pressure. Imposible namang wala ’yun. But we always just focus on the work,” Dingdong mentioned.

Neither a prequel nor a sequel, their new movie, Remember, brings a comforting familiarity and a totally fresh cinematic ride. Reading the fans’ early comments on their teaser, Marian said, “Majority talaga ng kinukumento nila ay kailangan natin ng ilang rolyo ng tissue na naman.” 

But before the movie can work its magic on the audience, the core team had to feel those exact emotions first. 

“Kami ni Sir Enrico, ang hirap talaga ng trabaho namin as writers and creatives is kami ’yung dapat unang naniniwala sa sinusulat namin,” Daisy shared. “So, kung ’yung eksena nakakaiyak, tapos ikaw mismo na gumagawa, hindi ka naaapektuhan, hindi ’yun totoong nakakaiyak.”

Rewind and Remember took Dingdong and Marian on different emotional journeys. “And we hope iba rin ang maging emotional journey ng audience dito sa Remember,” Dingdong said.

If Rewind started on a happy note, with characters navigating family life alongside their own dreams for their respective careers, Remember kicks off with a broken family, with the hope of and faith in reuniting for a child’s sake.

As the story goes, Joseph, Dingdong’s character, has made a mistake so unforgivable it has torn apart his family with Ria, Marian’s character, and Ella (Zia Grace), their daughter. The crack in their relationship creates both emotional and physical distance, almost irreparable only a miracle could bridge the gap.

“Ang tanong d’yan, bilang mga magulang, hanggang kailan at hanggang saan mo kayang tiisin ang mga mangyayari alang-alang sa mga anak mo?,” Marian shared, summing up what Remember is about. 

With that statement alone, we get the idea of forgiveness, selflessness, unconditional love, and hope for a better future. But the thing with stories like Rewind is that you think you know what’ll happen, but it still pleasantly surprises in the end. Remember is shaping up to be a classic in the making with that kind of effect. With a universally appealing, timeless story, the creators set out to put forth a film that reminds us of the value of family, faith, and what it truly means to love against all odds. 

But memories are tricky because the happy ones are embedded alongside painful moments tucked away in the corners of our mind. If there’s one thing we picked up from Rewind, though, it’s that everything happens for a reason. And the moments we have gone through become fragments of our present and future. The memories Dingdong’s and Marian’s characters draw upon to anchor themselves in past love will likely strike a deep emotional chord with viewers. And the reception will vary, as each viewer’s reaction depends on the personal memories the scenes awaken. And therein lies the true magic of storytelling: its impact multiplies exponentially. 

Dingdong shared, “We focused on making sure that ’yung characters na pino-portray namin ay malinaw namin made-deliver. Kasi ganoon kami naniniwala sa kuwento e, na talagang dapat e saktong-sakto ’yung pagganap namin dito. We are excited because we are sure that it will deliver a different type of feeling after watching it.”

In this economy and times of uncertainty, as Enrico said, moviegoers mustn’t feel shortchanged. They not only need to get what they paid for but also what they deserve. So, there was a conscious effort to create a movie that will delight and surprise viewers.

The surprise began on set, between the lead stars. Despite all the projects they’ve done together, Dingdong and Marian still get surprised by what the other brings to the table. Dingdong, for one, said that Marian’s portrayal in Remember is so different: “Kahit ako nagulat sa pagganap niya… Marami na siyang nagawa, ’di ba, sa lahat ng mga karakter na ginampanan niya. Pero dito kasi, lalo na acting in front of her, and beside her, alongside her, talagang namangha ako sa transformation niya. Kasi hindi ko siya nakita as herself. Nakita ko siya as a character. At may mga times pa nga na cut na, pero parang akala ko, ’di pa siya si Marian, siya pa si Ria. Ganoon siya ka-convincing.” 

“Ah, kaya pala hindi mo ako pinapansin,” Marian interjected, laughing. “So, kailangan kong tanggalin ’yung wig ko para lang pansinin niya ako.” (Marian has officially joined the “Star Cinema Wig Universe” of iconic actresses who have worn wigs to underscore character transformations.)  

Marian is equally thrilled about returning on set with her husband, whom she described as someone who gives his 100% in everything he does. “’Pag sinabi talaga na rolling, in character talaga siya,” Marian shared. “At ang maganda kasi sa kanya is very professional siya. Kapag trabaho para sa kanya, trabaho. Siguro kaya kami magkasundong dalawa sa trabaho dahil alam namin ang trabaho. Sa cut, alam mo ’yun, mag-aaliw-aliw kaming dalawa. Pero ’pag oras ng rolling at oras ng trabaho, ay, doon kami nagkakasundo dahil isa ito sa pinakamahal naming ginagawa.”

From the Philippines, the production team brought the story of Remember all the way to Quebec, Canada. It was not the first location they had in mind, but when they found it, everything just fell into place as if the universe were telling them they made the right choice. 

Later on, they discovered that Quebec’s official motto is je me souviens, which means “I remember.” The movie’s release date, November 11, also happens to be the city’s traditional Remembrance Day to honor the memories of those who served and sacrificed in service to Canada. 

“Nu’ng nakita na namin all these other elements,” Direk Mae said, “it just felt like we were redirected. No matter how much we prepared for that other location, we were just brought back to a location that was perfect for the story.” 

The filming experience for Remember marked several firsts for Dingdong and Marian. Not only was it their first time in Quebec, but it was also their first time filming abroad together. 

“Nag-enjoy kami dun, at memorable sa amin ito,” Dingdong shared. “First sa’min ’to.”

As parents to two kids, Zia and Sixto, the decision to be away for work, even just for a while, was hard. They had to talk to their kids and explain to them what the changes in their schedules would entail. 

Marian said, “Hindi p’wedeng umaalis kami na hindi nila alam. Ine-explain namin sa kanila kung bakit kami aalis, anong meron kami. At ginagawa pa lang namin itong Remember, alam na nila ang lahat ng mangyayari. Hindi pa kami busy sa buwan na ito, last, last month pa, nakausap na namin na ito ’yung schedule namin. Magiging busy si Dada at si Mama. Ito ’yung mga mangyayari. So, naiintindihan naman nila.”

She added, “Ang hirap, pero naging worth it ang lahat.”

Remembering their experiences filming in Quebec, Marian quipped, “Nakakatawa kasi para kaming nagbabahay-bahayan doon.” The couple said it was like they were back to their boyfriend-girlfriend phase, when it was just the two of them. 

The standout memory for Dingdong was when Marian cooked tinola for him. “Dahil kami lang doon sa aming apartment, may patinola si misis,” he smiled.

“Hindi lang tinola! Naghuhugas ng plato,” Marian replied. 

“Ako na ’yun,” Dingdong playfully chimed in. “Ako na ’yung naghuhugas, s’yempre.”

“Naglalaba. Naglilinis ng bahay,” Marian continued. “Wala naman kaming kasamang iba kundi kami lang. So, kaming dalawa lang talaga ang gagawa doon sa bahay.” 

But, back home, Dingdong is full of praise for Marian for keeping their household intact. Even with a thriving career of her own, Marian remains anchored firmly in her roles as a mother and a wife.

“We have an app,” Dingdong revealed. It has all their schedules on it. “Pero sa totoo lang, mas maraming schedule ’yung mga anak namin dahil pinupunuan niya talaga ng activities,” he added. “Ang galing-galing talaga ni Marian. Siya ’yung nagma-manage ng activities ng kids.”

Marian joked that their kids were even busier than them on the day of our cover shoot. But she was quick to explain the reason for why she keeps them active: “Hindi dahil sa gusto kong maging busy sila. Kasi may rule ako sa mga anak ko na, tinatanong ko sila kung ‘Ano ba ang gusto niyo ma-achieve?’ o ‘Ano’ng gusto niyo gawin?’ So, gagawan ko ng paraan lahat ’yan. So, kaya may calendar ako para sa kanila kasi gusto ko na may goal sila sa buhay kahit bata pa sila.”

As parents, the story of Remember hit them differently, resonating with them deeper than any other project. 

“Malaki ’yung involvement ng bata dun sa kuwento. So, as a parent, gagawin mo talaga lahat para mapasaya ang anak mo. So, nakaka-relate kami dun, sobra, bilang mga magulang,” Dingdong reflected. “Pero, nakaka-relate ako personally bilang isang anak, nakaka-relate rin ako e, kasi, s’yempre, all of a sudden, nakita ko na, ‘Uy, ganito pala ang mga magulang ko sa akin.’ So, nalagay ko rin ’yung sarili ko as a young child, ’di ba, in the shoes of the character. So, ang dami. Very, very relatable sa hindi lang as parents. Pero, s’yempre kami, initially, bilang mga magulang, grabe ’yung pagka-relate namin dito.”

As an all-out mom, Marian couldn’t agree more with what her husband said, but she also pointed out that the magic of Remember‘s story can appeal to everyone.  

“Parang kahit siguro anong status mo sa buhay—anak ka man, magulang ka man, kaibigan ka man, makaka-relate ka talaga sa kuwento ng Remember,” Marian mused. “Lahat ng ito, alam mo ’yun, talagang mailalagay mo ’yung sarili mo at makikita mo ’yung sarili mo dito. Lalo na sa iba’t ibang klaseng eksena namin na parang imposible talaga na hindi ka maantig at hindi ka maka-relate.”

They say moments come and go, but memories last forever. But what if you can no longer remember those memories, slipping through your fingers? Where do you go from there? Who are you, or who will you become without those memories? 

“Sa mundo kasi natin ngayon na napakaraming nangyayari, parang ito ’yung pelikulang kailangan natin. Dahil ’pag napanood mo ’tong pelikula na ito, sabi ko nga, paglabas mo ng sinehan, parang may yumayakap sa’yo at may reminder ka na ‘Ano ba talaga ang unconditional love?’ Paano mo masasabi kung hanggang saan ka kakapit, hanggang saan ka magtitiwala sa Kanya? ’Pag ba may nawala sa’yo, kaya mo pa rin magmahal at magtiwala?”

There will be questions Remember will prompt us to ask. And they don’t necessarily have to be answered. The mere thought of the question, and how it will linger far beyond the screening, is already the seed of realization that brings about enlightenment. 

“Ang mission namin ay mabigyan kayo ng hope at pag-asa kung anuman ang pinagdadaanan niyo,” Marian concluded.  

Answering a question from entertainment journalist MJ Felipe about how they want to be remembered, Dingdong echoed Direk Mae’s thoughts about hoping to be remembered for the positive impact she made even on just one person’s life, whether it’s through a big or small thing. But Marian turned pensive and teary-eyed, saying, “’Yung fame, ’yung ganda, lumilipas. Pero ’pag dinescribe ka ng tao na naging malaking biyaya ka sa buhay nila at nakagawa ka ng kabutihan, ibang klase ’yun. At siguro ’yun ang mas gusto kong maalala sa’kin, na sa buong buhay ko, nakagawa ako ng mabuti para sa iba.” 

It’s exactly what Remember hopes to do for its audience—to make people remember what living and loving is all about, to celebrate life, and to keep living for moments worth treasuring a lifetime. To keep the faith alive: “Tiwala lang.“ These are some of the things Dingdong and Marian live for. 

There may be no pause button in life, but movies like Remember invite us to stop and reflect, without skipping the hard part, before pressing the play button once more. 

The credits may roll, but the most important scenes, the ones we carry back into our own lives, are just beginning. The essence of the film lives on. 

Metro Head: Christina N. Lopez

Editor-in-chief: Geolette Esguerra

Photographer: Mark Nicdao

Sittings editors: Kate Paras-Santiago and Grace Libero-Cruz

Managing editor: Rick Formalejo

Creative director: Randz Manucom

Stylists: Melville Sy, Chelsy Estrada, and Zia Delarosa of Studio 24c

Makeup artist: Emman Magpantay

Hairstylist: Nante Alingasa

Fashion associate: Carla Buyo

Editorial assistant: Chloe Eve Nillar

Videographer: Riel Mandapat

Photographer’s assistants: Arsan Sulser Hofileña, Crisaldo Soco, Villie James Bautista (Senior Lighting Technician), and John Phillip Nicdao (Photo file manager)

Videographer’s assistants: Derrick De Asis, Jerson Tremor, and Chris Santor

Cover story writer: Grace Libero-Cruz 

Shoot assistants: Pauline Monteverde and Lance Martinez

Layout: Alfred Amado

Flowers: Designer Blooms PH

Shot on location at Okada Manila

Special thanks to Star Cinema, AgostoDos Pictures, APT Entertainment, and Regal Entertainment