Mavx Production, OctoArts Films, and Viva Films’ Through Night and Day is the story of engaged couple Ben (Paolo Contis) and Jen (Alessanda de Rossi). Ben and Jen embark on a prenuptial trip to Iceland to fulfill Jen’s dream of checking that off her bucket list. While there, Ben and Jen’s 13-year relationship undergoes stress and becomes strained. They go back to the Baguio with a relationship to match the climate of the City of the Pines. As the movie continues, the audience finds out the real reason why that trip becomes the tipping point of Ben and Jen’s engagement.
Alessandra, as always, is a pleasure to watch. She is so natural in front of the camera. She has no insecurities and no holds barred when it comes to her role as Jen – her take on Jen’s character makes Jen lovely, raw, brutal, irritating, and pitiful. Alessandra’s Jen found a hole in my heart and clawed it open and made me cry until my eyes were all red and puffy and my nose runny. I felt Jen.
Paolo will not crack the top ten list of leading men. Maybe not even the top thirty. But his Ben is lovely. His Ben is the epitome of what a leading man (or woman, for that matter) should be in real life: caring, understanding, ready to sacrifice his (or her) own happiness for his loved one, and patient. I fell in love with him over and over again. Sana all may Ben.
Through Night and Day is directed by Veronica Velasco and is written by Noreen Capili.
For a related entry, please read Kita Kita (I See You).
Without going into the details, these the things that I learned from the movie Through Night and Day:
- Love selflessly. Be it yourself or others.
- Say sorry. And mean it. The movie mentions something like, “it does not matter who is wrong, what matters is doing the right thing”. I concur.
- Be patient. Don’t give up on yourself and on your loved ones. You and them deserve as much patient as one can muster. And then some.
- Travel together. In Through Night and Day, Ben and Jen travel to Iceland together, and in that trip they see the best and the worst of each other. Do this after the Covid pandemic when all is safe.
- Watch the sunset together. Sunset is one of the most precious time of day. Watch it with your loved ones. If you are separated by oceans and mountains and given the Covid restrictions, do it virtually. If you belong to different time zones, schedule a different activity with the same effect.
- Be honest. Especially to yourself and to your loved ones. If you love the other person, tell him or her. If you do not love the other person (anymore), do the same thing. It is worse than ripping off the bandage, but it will avoid wasting everyone’s time.
- When love is gone, let the friendship remain.
- It is okay to ugly. It is better to let the emotions flow for a healthier life and relatively quicker moving on period.
- Write. If you cannot say it, write it. If you want to remember something, write it. Write everything. Write anything. You can read them a few years later and remember things – cry over them or laugh at your pettiness. Also, take a lot of photos and videos.
- Wish the other genuine happiness.
Here are some hugot lines from Alessandra de Rossi and Paolo Contis’ Through Night and Day:
“Every time I look at her, I forget everything. Siya lang ang nakikita ko. Siya lang ang mundo ko. Siya lang ang gusto kong makasama. From now on, what’s important is the life I’m going to spend with her.” – Benjamin (Paolo Contis)
“Malaking part ka ng past ko, present, ‘di ko ma-imagine ang future ko na wala ka.” – Ben
“Kita mo, tanggap naman natin ang isa’t isa. So we’re meant for each other, okay? And my love for you is the only thing I’m sure of.” – Jennifer (Assuntas de Rossi)
“Ma, kung saan gusto ni Jen, doon ako. I’ve loved her since high school. Siya lang ang babaeng minahal ko.So wherever she is, that’s where I want to be.” – Ben
“Because what you thought was an ending, could also be a beginning of something more beautiful.” – Jennifer
“Dear Jen, tama nga sila. Matetest ang relasyon ninyo kapag nag-travel together. Ito ang first out of the country trip natin. Inaamin ko, minsan nakakainis ka. Madalas umiinit ang ulo ko sa ‘yo, pero titiisin ko kasi mahal kita.” – Ben
“Baby, you’re my cratest love of all.” – Jennifer
“So hindi mo na ako mahal kasi inaaway mo na ako. Ang sama-sama mo na sa akin, wala na akong pwedeng gawing tama.” – Jennifer
“Minsan hindi rin maganda ang sobrang unpredictable, ‘di ba? Minsan maganda ‘yung sigurado. ‘Yung hindi pabago-bago.” – Ben
“Alam mo gusto ko lang, bigyan kita ng sobrang memorable na trip. Kasi kapag napapasaya kita, alam ko sobrang saya ko na rin. Kaya lang hindi ako Masaya eh.” – Ben
Ben: Yung trip natin, eye-opener siya for me. Parang ibang Jen ‘yung kasama ko.
Jennifer: Ibang Jen? Bakit?
Ben: ‘Yung Jen kasi na kilala ko, considérate, sensitive, hindi pabago-bago ng isip. Ngayon parang iba eh. Nahihirapan ako.
Jennifer: Nahihirapan ka? Ben, hindi pa tayo kasal. Ben, kapag kinasal tayo, araw-araw mo akong kailangang intindihin. Paano ‘yan? Araw-araw tayong mag-aaway dahil hindi mo ako maintindihan?
Ben: Baka … baka kailangang i-move natin ‘yung kasal.
Jennifer: Ba’t ‘di mo na lang ako hiwalayan para todo na?
Ben: Hindi naman sa ganoon. Gusto ko lang na…
Jennifer: Hindi. Doon din naman papunta ‘yun, Ben. Kasi ‘yun ang tingin mo sa akin, inconsiderate. Na wala akong kwentang girlfriend. Ben grabe ka. Grabe ka. Dito talaga sa Iceland, dito mo talaga sasabihin na ayaw mo na akong pakasalan? Kung kalian ang ganda-ganda ng kulay ng sky. MAgsusunset na, Ben. It’s my favorite time of the day, Ben?
Ben: see? Gusto mo ako lagi ang nag-aadjust sa ‘yo eh. Ayaw mo sumama sa akin sa New York ‘di ba? Our relationship is based on your happiness. Kung ano’ng gusto mo, kung ano’ng makakabuti sa ‘yo, which is okay. Gusto ko ‘yun. Paano ako?
Jennifer: So tingin mo sa akin selfish ako? Na pabigat ako sa ‘yo? Ben? Tama ka nga. Maghiwalay na lang tayo. Tama, maghiwalay na lang tayo.
Ben: Sige.
Jennifer: So papayag ka?
Ben: Ikaw ang may gusto noon, ikaw ang maysabi.
Jennifer: Okay. Fine. Sige. Maghiwalay na nga lang tayo. Sige, doon ka sa Amerika mo. Doon mo hanapin ang babaeng kayang ibigay ang lahat ng needs mo. Doon ka, and I’ll stay here in my country. Not this country. This is not my country. At hindi pa ako nakakauwi sa Pilipinas. Sinira mo ang Iceland, Ben. Sinira mo lahat!
“Siya lang ang nakikita ko. Siya lang ang mundo ko. Siya lang ang gusto kong makasama. What’s important is the life I’m going to spend with her.” – Ben
“Ben, tingnan mo ‘yan oh. Halatang-halatang mas love mo ‘ko kaysa sa love kita ano? Rare ang pagmamahal na ganoon eh. Swerte ako na minahal mo ako.” – Jennifer
“Huwag kang feeling. Hindi mo masisira ang sunset. Maganda siya palagi.” – Jennifer
“Masaya talaga ako for you, tsaka napatawad na rin kita for breaking my heart. Sana ako rin Ben, napatawad mo na ako. Marami akong pagkukulang sa ‘yo.” – Jennifer
“Thank you, Ben. Kasi simula noong nagkakilala tayo, inalagaan mo na ako. Hanggang ngayon kahit hindi mo na siya kailangan gawin. Pambihira ang nakakaranas ng ganoong klaseng love. Kaya hindi ako nagsisisi na ikaw ang lalaking minahal ko.” – Jennifer
“Hindi, Ben. Wala na akong kailangan. Nabigay mo na lahat ng kailangan ko. Thank you. Thank you for giving me the best 21 years of my life.” – Jennifer
“Kung mabubuhay man ako muli, ikaw pa rin ang pipiliin kong mahalin. Kahit hanggang ditto lang tayo. Kahit saktan mol ang ulit ako. At hihiwalayan sa favorite place ko. During my favorite time of the day. Okay lang. Dahil wala na akong ibang gusting mahalin kundi ikaw. Mahal na mahal kita, Ben. I want you to be happy. Kahit hindi na ako parte ng happiness mo. Kahit hindi man tayo nagkatuluyan. Masaya ako na naging bahagi ka ng buhay ko.” – Jennifer