By Nestor Cuartero
JUST A THOUGHT: “True love isn’t only based on the things that two people go through together, but it is also based on how real and how hard two people work at loving each other.”
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YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE: Funny that an old, old song has been picked by young filmmaker Irene Villamor as theme of current film, “Meet Me in St. Gallen.”
The song, “You Are My Sunshine,” was recorded in 1939 by Jimmie Davis, who co-wrote it with Charles Mitchell.
It became a big hit and was even declared as one of the state songs of Louisiana because of its association with Davis, a country music singer and governor of the state.
The song was to have other versions in the years that followed. Locally, a fresh new, most welcome interpretation of “You Are My Sunshine” has been rendered by Moira de la Torre and used as recurring theme in the romance film that stars Carlo Aquino and Bela Padilla. The film is produced by Spring Films and Viva Films, the same tandem behind the blockbuster surprise hit, “Kita Kita.”
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ONE ON ONE LOVE STORY: “Meet Me in St. Gallen” tells the story of beleaguered musician Jesse (Carlo) and burnt-out millennial Celeste (Bela). One time, the two run into each other at a coffee shop where they spend an entire night hanging out together. They realize they have a lot of things in common, not the least of which is their undeniable attraction for each other.
Filmed almost entirely in picturesque St. Gallen, the film captures the northern Swiss town’s art and culture scenes.
St. Gallen is described as one of northern Switzerland’s most cultured towns.
It takes pride in its preserved lavish history marked by cobblestone backstreets and squares, half-timbered houses with intricately carved oriel windows.
Carlo and Bela feel they have been privileged to have shot a film in the historic town, albeit at the height of a December 2017 winter. They chorus, “The experience, and the finished film itself, is all worth it.”
“Meet Me in St. Gallen, now showing, has been Graded A by Cinema Evaluation Board. The film has been getting rave reviews from viewers who call it truly a work of art.