Spring in Prague: A Filipino-Czech love story

The upcoming Filipino film "Spring in Prague" explores a cross-cultural romance between a Filipino man and a Czech woman, drawing inspiration from real-life stories of relationships formed between Filipinos living in the Czech Republic and its local women.

- BY ANNALYN JUSAY

Produced by Borracho Film Production and directed by Lester Dimaranan, the film stars Paolo Gumabao and Sara Sandeva in lead roles. It was shot on location in Puerto Galera and in scenic Prague itself.

The story follows Alfie, a Filipino resort owner, who develops a relationship with Maria, a Czech model visiting the Philippines for the first time. When Maria is forced to return to Prague due to a family issue, Alfie travels to Europe in hopes of discovering whether their connection was more than a brief holiday romance.

According to producer Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, the idea for the film was born during a 2023 visit to Prague, where embassy officials shared stories about Czech women forming relationships with Filipino men living and working in the city.

“We were told by embassy staff that many Czech women had fallen for Filipino men in Prague,” Topacio said.

“That observation sparked conversations about why that was happening, and eventually, the idea for this film came out of those discussions.”

Atty. Topacio said the team began developing the story while learning more about Czech history and culture, particularly the country's communist past and its ongoing influence on family dynamics and social values. “It wasn't just about romance,” he said. “We wanted to understand the background, the history, and how culture affects personal relationships.”