Filipino cinema shines again with ‘Meet, Greet, & Bye’

The film’s director, Cathy Garcia-Sampana, is following up on her historic global film success as the first-ever Filipino director to surpass one billion pesos at the global box office—all thanks to her hit film, Hello, Love, Again. She is unwavering in her flawless ability to showcase the heart of being Filipino through film, something both viewers of her work and the cast of Meet, Greet, & Bye alike have felt.

“It really is such an honor to work with Cathy,” Mariano says. “I think every time that I work with her, I learn something new from her. Throughout the film, she really taught me how to trust the story and our director more. It's so hard to open up and it's so scary to be vulnerable, especially with people you've never worked with before. But there is beauty to that, and I think that's what makes director Cathy and our film so beautiful.”

Pascual adds, “She's very collaborative. What I appreciate about director Cathy is that she's an actor's director. She won't let you just wing it. She'll make sure that you give it your best on her watch, because at the end of the day, it is about us as much as it is about her. She's a team player and she makes sure that she comes up with a beautiful film with a beautiful cast and a beautiful story.”

Pascual has had a long-running career as one of the Philippines biggest leading actors in the industry since the 1990s, and similarly long-running is his relationship with Garcia-Sampana. “Working with Cathy was definitely a bit of a challenge because we've known each other for quite a while now,” he says. “We've known each other for more than 20 years. I'm a ninong (godfather in Tagalog) to her son, so the downside of it is that she knows me! She knows my technique, she knows my process. Coming into the set doing what I was going to do, it was tough. If I do something that she's seen, she would call my attention. So it became more of a challenge for me to tap into something that I've not done before and make sure that I understand it in the way that she understands the script or my character.”

Pascual plays Cristopher, the eldest in the family, who, unlike his siblings, resides in the United States and has grown distant from his siblings. Mariano plays Geri Ann, the youngest in the bunch, known for her toughness, independence, and ability to provide for her family. Both actors resonated with their characters, connecting the film to their own real-life relationships with their families. 

“I’m a family man, and just like my character, I feel like we both understand when push comes to shove, you can always turn to your family as a lifeline with no judgement,” Pascual says. “Also, my character was forced to be independent at a young age, which I had to be in the 90s. I was forced to grow up. But all that changes when you come home to your family.”

Mariano adds, “For me it’s how I, and my character Geri Ann, are able to connect with our siblings. I'm an ate (older sister in Tagalog) of four, and I always have that natural part in me to take care of them, and I would say my character is the same. We have that innate responsibility in our hearts to show and prove to them how much we love them, and it's such a beautiful thing. I think that comes from our culture, actually.”

Meet, Greet, & Bye is an intimate showcase of the ways Filipino people show love to one another and uses its heartbreaking premise to depict how deeply we value family in the culture. Members of the cast believe it’ll serve as an important reminder to theatergoers regarding the gratitude of family, and it’ll be a message especially sentimental for American viewers as its Wednesday release is so close to Thanksgiving.

“I think what's beautiful about this film is the fact that it shows that we took care of our mom, we didn’t bring her to a home,” Pascual says. “That should resonate with everyone around the world that they should give value to their parents. This film is going to show you how you should show love and how you should appreciate the family that you have while they're still around. It’ll remind you not to think of yourself just as one person, because you have a family, and family is what you really need. Family can be your lifeline, the one thing that can save you.”

With Pascual and Mariano sharing a special relationship in the film, they both grin ear to ear while reflecting on the chosen family bond they’ve created in the real world while working on this project. “He's such a sport and so game with everything,” Mariano says. “I make him do TikToks, which is so crazy. How am I able to do that? The Piolo Pascual! He's so game. And he really makes sure that everyone is okay, and that's what I appreciate about him.”

Pascual adds, “Being in the business for quite a while, of course, you develop friendships along the way. But what I've developed in this film was more than friendship, it’s family. They're a family I know I can rely on after the film is done and after it's showing. We have a group chat and we always check with each other. One thing for sure I know is that we're gonna be a family for a long time, and that kind of connection will never go away.”

Mariano adds, “Not a long time, forever.”