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| gabbi and khalil at the presscon of LSS at Tipsy Pig |
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| khalil, gabbi, direk jade castro and ben&ben at PISTA NG PELIKULANG PILIPINO first presscon |
GABBI GARCIA and Khalil Ramos belong to different networks but they’ve found love in each other and are now together for the first time in “LSS, Last Song Syndrome”, produced by Globe Studios and an official entry in the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino that opens in theater on September 13. So how is it working with each other in a film where they play the lead roles?
“It’s great as we have discovered more of each other,” says Gabbi. “But initially, we didn’t want to work together but after reding the script, we fell in love with it and we decided to do it. I really don’t know about Khalil’s work ethic but, working with him, I found out he’s amazing. He’s very open, not only a good singer but also a good, generous and a serious actor. We both get to sing and act together in ‘LSS’.”
“We have good teamwork as it helps that we’re really already comfortable with each other, hindi na kami nagtatantiyahan,” says Khalil. “Bigayan kami, she asks for my help and I also ask hers kung paano namin mas mapapaganda ang mga eksena namin together and how we’ll be more effective on screen. Tulungan talaga. Our characters got connected through the music of Ben&Ben which is an integral part of the movie.”
What do they like the most about each other? “I like it that he’s not controlling,” says Gabbi. “He allows me to be myself and doesn’t hinder me from growing. He helps me achieve my full potential.”
“Gabbi is a very independent woman,” says Khalil. “In some ways, she’s more mature in her thinking than me. I also love it that she’s very close to her family.”
In “LSS”, Gabbi plays Sarah, an aspiring musician who is their family’s breadwinner and struggling to find her own place in the sun, and Khalili plays Zack, a “torpe” guy who has an unrequited love for another girl who happens to be in love with someone else. The film shows how two people who come from different backgrounds, one an introvert and the other an extrovert, ultimateky find each other and make a meaningful connection.
We ask the film’s director, Jade Castro (of the acclaimed “Endo” and “Zombading”), if the fans of Gabbi and Khalil can expect romantic “kilig” scenes in the movie. “Oh yes, siempre hindi mawawala yon,” he says. “But more than that, the film shows the relatable story of how the pursuit of love and your dreams can come with good music.
"Gabbi and Khalil meet while following their favorite band, Ben&Ben, whose breezy folk sound make them bond with each other. The songs of Ben&Ben are intertwined with the story which shows how a single unforgettable song can change their lives forever. The band members play themselves in the movie at ang galing nila, natural lang, very open to instruction.”
The members of the Ben&Ben Band are twins Paolo Benjamin and Miguel Benjamin Guico, Poch Barretto, Jam Villanueva, Agnes Reoma, Patricia Lasaten, Toni Munoz, Andrew de Pano and Kiefer Cabugao. The film includes many of their hit songs and they have an original song composed as the theme song of “LSS” titled “Araw-Araw”. Another new songs inspired by their part in the movie is “Mitsa”, which is included in their new album, “Limasawa Street.”
