Charo Santos is once again taking another bold leap in her career as she takes on her first-ever queer role in the upcoming film Until She Remembers. In the movie, she steps into an unconventional narrative that challenges both age and tradition, marking a significant moment for Philippine cinema as it places queer love, selflessness, and sacrifice at the heart of its story.
Directed by Cannes-winning filmmaker Brillante Mendoza, the film pairs Charo with fellow veteran actress Boots Anson Roa-Rodrigo. In Until She Remembers, Charo takes on the role of a devoted and selfless grandmother who guides her granddaughter (Barbie Forteza) on a journey of loss and self-discovery. Together, they care for Boots’s character, who appears to be ill. Their reunion later in life becomes a quiet but powerful reflection on memory, love, and the courage it takes to live one’s truth – opening new ground for LGBTQIA+ stories on the big screen.
The film also features voice overs and monologues of the three actresses reciting Pablo Neruda’s iconic poem, Tonight I Can Write (The Saddest Lines).
In an interview with The STAR during Boots’s 81st birthday celebration last January, Charo reflected on how the project came together and what convinced her to say yes. Early last year, she shared that she had already been in conversations with various producers and filmmakers, searching for material that would challenge her creatively. That search eventually led her to Direk Brillante, marking their first collaboration.
“I also wanted to work with Direk Brillante. Alam mo naman ako, I’m always looking for another adventure, another challenge,” she said.
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The announcement of a senior-led girl's love film immediately surprised many, but Charo was quick to say she shared the same reaction.
“Na-surprise kayo? Ako din, na-surprise!” she exclaimed.
According to Charo, it was Boots herself who first shared the concept.
“You know — not for myself ha — na-surprise ako that Tita Boots even suggested it. She was the one! Sabi niya, ‘Charo, let’s do a film.’ ‘Of course, Tita Boots!’ sabi ko. That’s on my bucket list. I mean, to be able to finally do a film with your idol.
“Then she said, ‘Pero sana, hindi mag-tita at mag-ate.’ ‘Anong naiisip mo, Tita Boots?’ ‘Lesbian lovers.’ Sabi ko, ‘Oh, Tita Boots, nagbibiro ka! Nagbibiro ka, eh!’ Sabi ko, ‘Papayagan ka ba first ng husband (Atty. King Rodrigo) mo?’ ‘Di ba? Tapos sabi ko, ‘Ang Santo Papa, baka may masabi.’ ‘Di ba?’” she maintained.
Her disbelief, she explained, came from the public image Boots has carried for decades.
“She is this pristine image, ganoon. And alam ko, saradong Katoliko siya, ganyan. Not just discriminating, ha? But (it’s) the image. The image, persona.”
“But she said, ‘No! I’m game!’ Sabi ko, ‘Have you spoken to your husband about it?’ ‘Yeah!’ ‘Are you sure? I mean, nasabi mo ba na ganito? Baka mamaya, may love scene tayo! Naku, alam mo na!’” Charo recalled with a laugh.
Despite the initial shock and lighthearted teasing, both veteran actresses ultimately committed to the film, fully aware of the importance of the story they were about to tell.
For Charo, the emotional weight of the material was undeniable.
“Naiyak ako. Masakit. But at the same time, you feel happy that in their lifetime, they were able to live their truth.”
She pointed out how difficult it was for people from older generations to openly claim who they love, especially in a time when such truths were often hidden or silenced.
“Mahirap yun for people coming from the silent generation and boomer segment na lalabas ang katotohanan… that you finally give yourself the opportunity to say, ‘This is the person I love.’”
“Loving is a human experience. It doesn’t matter who you are and what you stand for. Lahat tayo tumitibok ang puso natin. At ‘pag nagmahal tayo, we don’t look at labels,” she emphasized.
One of the film’s most tender scenes according to Charo involves a caregiving moment where she bathes Boots’s character, a moment that requires trust, openness, and emotional safety for both of them. Recalling their shared moment, she said: “She was so relaxed. I was also so relaxed. We were both not anxious about doing the scene.”
“It was like the most natural thing to do between people who love each other, who care for each other… Na paglilingkuran mo at pagsisilbihan mo, lalo na may sakit siya… So caregiving was not a burden for me.”
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“So hanggang sa pagpapaligo, natural (it came naturally). Then, there’s trust, right? I said, ‘Tita Boots, dito kita aanuhan. Ito ang ira-rub ko.’ You know, you talk about it because you choreograph the scene together,” she shared.
That ease was rooted in a bond that goes back decades ago when Charo first met Boots when she was just 17 years old, with the latter being 10 years older. Being friends with Boots for more than 50 years, Charo describes her as her “idol.”
“I’ve always held her in the highest regard. I’ve always had that respect. I’ve always looked up to her. She’s my idol,” she said.
“She’s truly a kind person and a very gentle person. You don’t have to see each other every day, but every time you see her, she seems to know what’s happening in your life. She has genuine interest in other people,” she added.
With its senior protagonists, quiet intimacy, and embrace of queer love, Until She Remembers stands as a meaningful step forward for LGBTQIA+ visibility in Philippine cinema – one that proves love stories do not diminish with age, and that it is never too late to be seen.
The film also stars Angel Aquino, Albert Martinez, Eric Quizon, Vince Rillon, Erlinda Villalobos, and more. Until She Remembers opens in Philippine cinemas on February 25.