Kwento Ni Toto: Charo Santos

2025/06/07

Charo Santos and Dingdong Dantes Explore a Love Beyond Labels in “Only We Know”

Toto 6/07/2025 05:50:00 AM

Two people. One connection. A story only they understand.

That’s the central thread in the upcoming romantic drama Only We Know, starring screen veterans Charo Santos and Dingdong Dantes. The film opens in cinemas nationwide on June 11, bringing with it a quietly powerful tale that navigates the undefined spaces of human relationships.

Directed and written by Irene Emma Villamor, known for hits like Meet Me in St. Gallen and Sid and Aya, the film dissects labels, age gaps, and expectations. In Only We Know, the connection between Betty and Ryan doesn’t need to be named but only understood.

The title draws from a moment captured on the film’s poster: Betty and Ryan in a quiet, intense conversation, smiling as if sharing an inside joke. It’s that kind of bond, intimate, undefined, and deeply personal, that shapes the film’s core message.

Betty, played by Charo Santos, is a retired English teacher finding her rhythm in life after work. Ryan, portrayed by Dingdong Dantes, is a grieving engineer still haunted by the sudden loss of his wife. They meet by chance and, through shared moments and emotional healing, form a connection neither of them expected.

“It is a story about love, however you want to define it,” Santos shared during a press event. “It’s only Betty and Ryan who can define the beautiful kind of relationship that they have.”

The film steers clear of conventional romance formulas. While early thought and buzz focused on the “older woman, younger man” pairing, both the stars and the director insist the story digs deeper than stereotypes. “Ang interesting sa pelikula na ito ay babasagin nito ang kahulugan ng label,” Dantes said.

Villamor revealed the idea of the pairing surfaced seven years ago and took shape through multiple rewrites. The pandemic reshaped not just the storyline but the perspective from which the narrative is told. “The good thing was that the script was distilled to its very essence,” she said.

Shot in just 13 days, the film benefited from a chronological shooting schedule, allowing the chemistry between the leads to grow naturally. Despite being first-time co-stars, Santos and Dantes built a rapport on and off camera that director Villamor described as “10 out of 10.”

Their chemistry is visible in the trailer’s now-viral “great love” moment, where Betty wonders if we only ever get one true love in a lifetime. It's a question that lingers throughout the film, challenging both characters, and viewers, to think about how they define love and companionship.

In one scene, Betty muses on the beauty of routine, a detail that anchors the emotional realism of their relationship. They shop for groceries, drink together, and swap stories, are just some of the ordinary moments made extraordinary by the intimacy they build.

The supporting cast includes Shamaine Buencamino, Joel Saracho, Max Collins, Al Tantay, and Soliman Cruz, adding depth to Betty and Ryan’s world. One dinner scene sees Tantay’s character question Ryan’s intentions, a reminder that not everyone understands a bond that exists outside the lines.

In a world full of noise, Only We Know offers a soft yet resounding reminder: sometimes, the most meaningful relationships are the ones that don’t need explanation. Just understanding.

Catch Only We Know in cinemas starting June 11 and witness a love story that’s as thoughtful as it is tender, one that invites you to feel, not define.