Filipino audiences in the United Arab Emirates will soon get to watch one of the most anticipated local films of the year, as Viva Films’ “A Special Memory” — topbilled by Bela Padilla and Carlo Aquino — is set to open in UAE cinemas on March 19, 2026.
The romance-drama marks the reunion of Padilla and Aquino eight years after their first on-screen pairing in the 2018 hit “Meet Me in St. Gallen.” Directed by Jerry Lopez Sineneng and penned by National Artist Ricky Lee, the film is a Philippine adaptation of the acclaimed Japanese series “Pure Soul.”
The story centers on Sandra, a fashion designer played by Padilla, who falls in love with Dindo, a construction foreman portrayed by Aquino. Their relationship is tested when Sandra is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Rather than let Dindo bear witness to her gradual decline, she checks herself into a nursing home — a heartbreaking act of love that sets the film’s emotional core in motion. Undeterred, Dindo visits her regularly and patiently reintroduces himself each time, steadily rebuilding their bond one gentle encounter at a time.
The film features a strong supporting cast that includes Lotlot de Leon, Joel Torre, Yayo Aguila, Jaime Fabregas, Phoebe Walker, and Paolo Gumabao.
Already drawing praise from Filipino viewers since its March 11 opening in the Philippines, “A Special Memory” has been described as one of the more emotionally resonant local romantic dramas in recent years. The screenplay by Ricky Lee — recognized in the Philippines as a National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts — and Sineneng’s careful direction have been singled out for bringing both lyrical storytelling and emotional depth to the screen.
