Star Cinema took an unexpected yet clever route in promoting its upcoming film Only We Know. Instead of a traditional press conference, members of the entertainment press were invited to a “speed dating” session with lead stars Charo Santos and Dingdong Dantes.
Each media group was given 10 minutes — just enough time to dig into the film’s premise and perhaps just enough to grasp the intimacy that the film itself tries to explore.
Naturally, questions during our turn followed the theme of the event. Who are Betty and Ryan, really? What is the nature of their relationship?
“They’re soulmates. I think we can call them that,” Charo said without hesitation.
“They need each other,” Dingdong answered, after a pause.
And when the question shifted to real-life versions of their characters, Charo smiled and said simply, “Yes.”
Dingdong agreed — though he clarified that in his case, the relationship wasn’t romantic. “Some other forms… not ‘yung love angle. Marami kasi. Si Betty kay Ryan ay so much more than just… love. [She’s] someone [he] needs.”
That’s the quiet heart of Only We Know, a film directed and written by Irene Emma Villamor that looks into an unlikely connection between two people at very different stages in life.
Charo plays Betty, a retired English literature teacher trying to find her footing post-career. Dingdong is Ryan, a grief-stricken engineer mourning the sudden loss of his wife. The characters meet, and in the film’s own pace, they grow close but in a way that challenges how we define companionship.
Charo put it simply: “It is a story about love, however you want to define it. Love between two people — no labels… It is only Betty and Ryan who can define the beautiful kind of relationship that they have.”
Dingdong added that the film aims to challenge the conventional meanings of relationship labels.
“What’s interesting about this film is that it breaks the meaning of labels — asking, ‘Do we still need a label for this kind of beautiful connection, or whatever we want to call what we have?’”
Betty and Ryan’s story is a tale of two individuals who carry deep emotional scars, slowly learning to find comfort in each other’s presence. Their bond develops not through grand romantic gestures, but through shared silence and understanding. It’s a story about redefining what intimacy and companionship mean — and whether love needs a name at all.
Irene’s direction leans heavily on quiet connection, and the casting plays a huge part in grounding the film in authenticity. According to her, Only We Know was written with both Charo and Dingdong in mind.
“We created the story with Dingdong and Ma’am Charo in mind,” she shared. “Betty is an English literature teacher. Ma’am Charo has been a teacher of life because of everything she’s been through. As a person and as a character, she has all the qualities to bring Betty to the screen.”
Charo, for her part, revealed that the project had been pitched to her seven years ago. “Seven years ago, when it was first pitched to us,” she said.
Dingdong echoed the long development timeline, saying it had been a dream to work with Charo. “It’s on my bucket list to work with Miss Charo. Parang imposibleng mangyari, pero nangyari. It took us seven years to finally realize this movie because there are things that happen for a reason.”
“The right time,” he added. “We were able to make the film without interruption. The entire filming was smooth sailing.”
The supporting cast features Shamaine Buencamino, Joel Saracho, Al Tantay, Max Collins, Soliman Cruz, Isabel Oli, Johnny Revilla, Rafa Siguion Reyna, Yesh Burce, and Gil Cuerva. The film is a collaboration between Cornerstone Studios, AgostoDos Pictures, Star Cinema, and 7K Entertainment.
Only We Know unspools in cinemas nationwide on June 11.
