Brillante Mendoza steps out of his comfort zone, social realist cinema, to direct a romantic film that, in keeping with his radical, out-of-the-box reputation, challenges viewers by tackling a deeply moving story between two women in love.

Charo Santos (center) and Boots Anson Roa pose with young co-actor Barbie Forteza.

“Until She Remembers” stars Charo Santos and Boots Anson Roa in roles quite bold yet endearing that completely overturn their established true-to-life image often described as wholesome stars only. This time around, the two veteran actresses portray women who have a shared history of romantic love during their teenage years. Now in their fragile stages of life, the former young lovers are reconnected under one roof through the inspiration of Charo’s grandchild, played by Barbie Forteza.

Throughout the 1-hour-47-minute film, one experiences a kind of tenderness akin to fragrance rarely felt in current cinema. The film glides slowly into your heart, creating memories, recalling, reflecting, past lives. At best, there is stillness in the moment, poignancy in every other scene. All of these, you savour like the beautiful memory of a first love, the wonderful thrill of a first kiss.

Charo and Boots render what should be their defining roles to date, performed with surgeon-like accuracy and precision at the operating table, yet something so full of heart and ease and warmth and truth and candor. Not to be left behind is Barbie, one of the best young actresses we have around, who proves she can face up to the veterans in her own way.        

“Until She Remembers” is such a wonderful experience not only because of the thoroughly moving performances of its cast, the concrete, a cohesive, full-length narrative not usually seen in a Brillante film, that makes the viewer a keen follower. More so, it is admired for the subtle and not-so-subtle messages it leaves behind. That love between persons of the same sex is real. That genuine love, when you find it, must be kept and cherished and remembered and cared for.

How apropos that Brillante had the inspiration to use The End of the World, a popular hit song in the 1960s by Skeeter Davis, as the movie’s theme. Strains of the song weave in and out of certain scenes in the film that further enhance the atmosphere, not to mention romance, forbidden as it were, in no uncertain terms.

In the end, after having consumed all that overdose of lyrical romanticism, with matching antiquarian production design and Pablo Neruda poetry in front, back, and center, I had this thought balloon in my mind: Could Brillante, best known for his alternative kind of cinema, really have directed this film?

“Until She Remembers” is a thing of beauty, a joy forever.