Or, for that matter, any other city in the US, Canada, Middle East, Asia.
There’s a common thread holding together all Filipinos working abroad – love for the family. The sales clerk in Barcelona or the maid in Milan or the seaman in Amsterdam or the engineer in Berlin or the nurse in London toils night and day to send money back home. OFWs are sending children or siblings to school, building a house, spending for the hospitalization of a parent or starting a small business.
The plot of Barcelona is focused on a mysterious woman (Alessandra de Rossi) looking for a lost love in Barcelona, with a side trip to the Marian Sanctuary and Benedictine Abbey Montserrat. Alex herself is not an OFW but in her search for a missing husband (Kris Martinez) she touches the lives of Pinoys working in Barcelona.
There’s an old man (Robert Arevalo) who wants to die in Barcelona where his wife is buried. A Pinoy works as an entertainer (live mannequin) and painter (Alan Paule) in the famous La Rambla strip to bail out a son from prison. A popular singer (Tina Paner) back home wants to forget her past and move on with her life by quitting as an entertainer in a Pinoy bar and shifting to a 9-to-5 job.
Then there’s the hotel worker (Luis Alandy) who falls in love with Alex and eventually unravels the mystery behind her existence.
And, yes, according to Funfare DPAs on the set, an offcam romance blossomed between Luis and Alex in Barcelona, a most beautiful and romantic city, but then the love story turned out to be fleeting. After the shoot, Alex reconciled with boyfriend Jeremy Marquez, leaving Luis broken-hearted. But that’s neither here nor there.
The climax of Barcelona is set in a Pinoy bar, Philippine Independence Day celebration, where the OFWs gather. The main characters, played by Robert, Alan, Tina and Luis resolve their problems and dilemmas.
Robert shouts "Viva España!," more than ever determined to live and die in his adopted country. Alan’s son is released from jail. Tina sings her last song.
The other Pinoys relate their stories with their Spanish employers who are generally kind.
And Alex’s character? She disappeared mysteriously, staying in Barcelona for only nine days.
Christopher Concepcion of Loyola Plans, who produced Barcelona, hopes to show the movie in cities where there are many OFWs, starting in Barcelona which is home to some 25,000 Pinoys, neighboring cities included.
"After all, Barcelona is their story," says Concepcion. Associate producer Israel Penson, director Gil Portes, and scriptwriter Senedy Que nod in agreement.