Alone Together 2018

Christine “Tin” Lazaro, an Art Studies major and volunteer tour guide at the National Museum of the Philippines, crosses paths with Rafael “Raf” Toledo, a medical student and an ardent fan of the Eraserheads. Their first conversations spark a lively exchange about art and life as they wander through galleries and discuss the museum’s crown jewel, Juan Luna’s Spoliarium, a painting Raf admires deeply enough to have inspired his favorite song. What starts as a spark between two young dreamers—his wish to become a doctor, her ambition to someday lead a museum—gradually shifts into a steady relationship filled with shared aspirations and personal ambitions.

As their romance grows, Tin and Raf imagine a future where they can support each other’s biggest dreams. Tin envisions guiding the heart of Philippine culture as a museum director, while Raf pursues medicine with the quiet determination that marks his days. They compliment one another, balancing Tin’s reverence for art with Raf’s relentless pursuit of healing. Yet the path isn’t without friction. Tin’s professional life becomes tangled in a money scandal at her workplace, a crisis that threatens her reputation and sense of self. She finds a surprising lifeline in Gregory “Greg” Fausto, a coworker who shows her care and admiration. The strain of the scandal, coupled with Raf’s inability to secure graduation and steady status, fractures the couple. Raf’s heartfelt proposal—a bid to salvage what they shared—lands on Tin’s shoulders as an option to hold onto the future, but Tin, wary of breaking Raf’s heart and perhaps the life they could still unbuild, declines.

Five years drift by, reshaping both lives in unexpected, revealing ways. Tin, now connected with Greg, attends an awarding ceremony where she unexpectedly crosses paths with Raf again. He is now a doctor and has recently earned recognition, a quiet testament to his unyielding dedication. Raf waits for Tin in a hallway after a bathroom break, hopeful to rekindle a dialogue that could bridge their past with a new, more mature present. When they reconnect later at a familiar gathering spot, Tin opens up about the five years that changed them both. Raf’s life has changed in turn; he introduces Aly, a fellow doctor who is his girlfriend, a mild surprise to Tin who still carries memories of what they once were.

Tin has carved out a significant role in Greg’s company, excelling at her work but feeling unacknowledged and undervalued. The chance to revisit the museum together becomes a turning point: Tin confesses that this would be her first museum visit since the scandal, a personal step toward reclaiming her sense of self. Raf’s influence nudges her toward pursuing a new opportunity—perhaps a chance to represent their company in exciting projects abroad. Greg, initially doubtful, eventually grants Tin the opportunity to lead. The door to New York opens, and Tin steps through it with a mixture of resolve and anticipation, determined to prove her capabilities while staying true to her passions.

In New York City, Tin fulfills her business objectives and finds time to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Unbeknownst to her, Raf has bought a ticket to join her, turning a professional trip into a chance to share museums, ideas, and memories that once bound them. During their time at the Met, Tin encounters Alex, a Filipino American car dealer and former artist, and she expresses interest in viewing Alex’s artworks. The encounter is brief but meaningful, a reminder of the many threads that art and life weave together. After the museum visit, Tin asks for copies of application forms as mementos, a small gesture that suggests she is building something tangible from her experiences. Later, in a park, Raf reveals that he has ended things with Aly and wants to resume their relationship, even to the point of marriage. Tin faces a painful choice: embrace the possibility of a life with Raf or protect the life she has built with Greg. She chooses to step back from the leap, believing that such a union could hurt Greg and, more importantly, Greg’s daughter Aisha. The conversation intensifies, and they part ways with heavy hearts.

Back in the Philippines, Tin confronts her own discontent more openly. She realizes she is not happy with the life she has allowed herself to inhabit and decides to leave Greg. She seeks Raf to share her decision, but the news is complicated by Raf’s own revelation: Aly is pregnant with his child. Torn between personal happiness and the consequences for others, Tin’s path becomes blurrier. She returns to her roots—her alma mater—where she sits in on a class led by her favorite professor, Sir Alwyn. The professor’s guidance helps her see a possible future she hadn’t considered: honesty and perseverance could open doors, even in a city that often feels indifferent to progress. With renewed resolve, Tin works through a string of unsuccessful job interviews, ultimately landing a museum position precisely because of her candidness about her past mistakes. The new chapter begins with a sense of authenticity fueling her ambition.

Her emotional world remains unsettled, yet she finds solace in the reinvigorated purpose of her work. She visits Raf at the hospital, where they have a candid conversation about their past and present. Both apologize for their rash decisions—their sparring and the hurt they caused one another. Raf reveals he is estranged from Aly, and Tin, though moved, cautions him about the fragile balance of repairing lives, even when love remains. Just as they begin to reconnect, Raf receives another call to duty, a reminder of how their lives continue to pull them in different directions. Before he leaves, Tin confesses that she still loves him, a confession that lingers in the air as a fragile, hopeful thread.

Tin’s life begins to align with her deepest passions once more. She returns to the National Museum for an event celebrating emerging local artists, including Alex. In a moment of heartfelt acknowledgment, Alex thanks Tin for helping her see that there is a vibrant life for Filipino artists within the country, even as art serves a broader purpose of public service and connection. Alex’s invitation for Tin to join her onstage becomes a symbolic bridge between Tin’s past and present, a recognition of her influence and her willingness to champion others’ voices. After the ceremony, Tin steps outside to find Raf waiting, a quiet, emotional reunion that culminates in a tight, shared embrace.

The film closes on a scene imbued with quiet hope as Tin and Raf come together to gaze at the Spoliarium, the painting that threaded their story from the museum to the heart of their lives. They meet again in person, and their reunion carries the weight of all they experienced—the dreams pursued, the missteps taken, and the possibility that art, memory, and love can converge to shape a future that honors both their past and the person they have become. The last image lingers on their joined figure and the painting behind them, a symbol of resilience, shared history, and the enduring pull of a world where culture and humanity intersect.