Actor Paolo Gumabao cannot be more thankful to be given a chance to film the romantic-comedy “Spring in Prague” at the Czech Republic early this year.
His latest screen project pairs him with Czech-Macedonian actress Sara Sandeva, who had a chance to film some scenes here in the Philippines, including Puerto Galera and Tagaytay.
Paolo plays Alfonso Mucho, a resort owner in Puerto Galera. “He’s an independent and hardworking man,” he said. “There was a model foreigner who visited their resort and he meets her.”
He is happy that he and the rest of the cast had a nice experience while filming in Prague, which marked his first visit to Europe.
“It’s such a good fortune to have Prague as my introduction to Europe,” said Paolo. “And I’m glad to do it for a film that bridges nations.”
Paolo’s leading lady was a “great” co-star. Sara, an actress-model in the Czech Republic, is a theater arts graduate. She plays Maruska Ruzicka, or Marie.
“She’s very professional,” said Paolo of Sara. “She’s also very collaborative. … When she gets to the set, she was really a hundred percent. I also learned a lot working with her, here and there in Prague.”
Paolo is also grateful to producer Ferdie Topacio. “Atty Ferdie and I appreciate each other,” Paolo added. “He is a good producer who cares about his actors, the whole crew. He cares about everybody.”
Paolo is apparently a favorite of Atty. Ferdie, who first enlisted him for the action-drama “Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told” (2022).
“May mga favorites ang mga directors,” Atty. Ferdie said. “Si Akira Kurosawa, ang favorite niya si Toshiro Mifune. Ang favorite ni Direk Lester, si Paolo Gumabao talaga. Favorite ko din si Paolo.”
In fact, Paolo is scheduled to do a sexy science-fiction project with horror elements as his next film for Borracho Films next year.
Others in the cast of “Spring in Prague” are Marco Gomez, Ynah Zimmerman, Elena Koslova, Jessy Vidal —who also sings the theme — and Sean Raval.
The recent screening of director Lester Dimaranan’s romantic comedy was graced by former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, whom Topacio considers his second dad after his father passed away in 2015.
With a screenplay written by Eric Ramos, “Spring in Prague” is slated for a December screening, possibly as an entry for the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). The film was given a PG-13 rating.
“Hinahanapan pa natin ng playdate because the competition here is very intense, not from the local films – we welcome Filipino movies – but from the foreign ones,” lamented Atty. Ferdie.
“In South Korea, foreign releases are avoiding to clash with local films. Baligtad. Dahil they developed their film industry with the support of their government. Tayo, walleye.”
Paolo, Direk Lester, and Atty. Ferdie are slated to attend the ASEAN Film Festival in Prague this September, where “Spring in Prague” is an entry. That will also serve as the film’s world premiere.
On the surface, “Spring in Prague” looks like a simple love story. Yet, it has undercurrents. “It has something to say about democracy versus dictatorship or communism,” explained Atty. Ferdie.
“The film is an allusion to the Prague Spring that was an uprising in the sixties. This is the liberation of a person from the shadows of communism. That is an allegory of communism versus democracy.
“The film was done on the 50th anniversary of the Czech Republic and the Philippines’ relations.”
