Cathy Garcia-Sampana

Director and writer, also producer · Born November 28, 1971 (54) · Quezon City, Philippines

Catherine Rosales Garcia-Molina is a Filipino film and television director best known for directing romantic comedy films produced and distributed by Star Cinema. She also directed a few TV series, which aired on ABS-CBN. Two of the highest-grossing Filipino films are directed by Garcia-Molina: "Hello, Love, Goodbye" and "The Hows of Us".

Biography from TMDB.

Born: November 28, 1971 (54)
From: Quezon City, Philippines
Works as: Director and writer, also producer
Titles: 35 on MovieCove · 62 credits in all
Links: IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 13% in 30 days

What are Cathy Garcia-Sampana's films like?

Across their 27 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy18 titles67^th

Drama8 titles75^th

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight

Bonds

62%

Self

23%

Morality

Ideas

Society

Survival

Romantic love21 Self-worth7 Family bonds6 Identity5 Forgiveness4 Friendship3 Marriage2 Hope4

What they feel like to watch

their average across 27 films

ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

Earnest

Tone · Sincerity

ironicearnest

Ironic 0 · Wry 0 · Earnest 27

Light

Tone · Weight

lightdark

Light 16 · Serious 10 · Dark 1

Grounded

Tone · Style

naturalisticheightened

Grounded 24 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

Charged

Feel · Intensity

gentleintense

Gentle 10 · Charged 17 · Intense 0

Steady

Feel · Swings

steadyswings

Steady 16 · Shifting 11 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs

Feel · Humor

noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 16 · Funny 6

Even-paced

Demand · Pace

slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 0

Casual

Demand · Attention

casualfull focus

Casual 20 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 0

Affecting

Demand · Emotional cost

easyheavy

Easy watch 8 · Affecting 13 · Heavy 6

Resolved

Demand · Resolution

resolvedambiguous

Resolved 24 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Romantic

Hopeful

Bittersweet

Joyful

Melancholic

Other

How their films linger

Hopeful20 Feel-good14 Bittersweet10 Fun6 Thought-provoking3 Wistful2

How their films end · 2 with a twist

Happy14
Bittersweet13

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Cathy Garcia-Sampana's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 8 of their 35 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Netflix (7).

Netflix7 titles, browse their movies on this service

Also on these channels

Pinoy Box Office1 title, show their title on Pinoy Box Office

Subscription and free streaming for Cathy Garcia-Sampana's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

62 credits, 35 with a MovieCove page.

Always Yours, Never Mine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)
Director
Us in the End(2026)
Director
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Meet, Greet & Bye(2025)
Director · Screenplay
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
My Love Will Make You Disappear(2025)
Line Producer
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
Hello, Love, Again(2024)
Director
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Toss Coin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)
Director
Can't Buy Me Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)
Show 70 episodes · Director · Creator
Partners in Crime(2022)
Director · Line Producer · Writer
Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films
My Papa Pi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
Show 13 episodes · Director
Love at First Stream(2021)
Director · Producer · Writer
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
Love Is Color Blind(2021)
Producer
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
Make It with You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)
Show 45 episodes · Director
Hello, Love, Goodbye(2019)
Director · Screenplay
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
Three Words to Forever(2018)
Director
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
The Hows of Us(2018)
Director · Screenplay · Story
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
My Perfect You(2018)
Director · Screenplay
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
Unexpectedly Yours(2017)
Director · Writer
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
Seven Sundays(2017)
Director · Additional Dialogue · Writer
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
La Luna Sangre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)
Show 185 episodes · Director
My Ex and Whys(2017)
Director · Screenplay
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
Barcelona: A Love Untold(2016)
as Pre-nup Director
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
Just the 3 of Us(2016)
Director · Writer
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
The Story of Us (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
Show 77 episodes · Director
A Second Chance(2015)
Director · Writer
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Forevermore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)
Director
Forevermore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)
Show 148 episodes · Director
She's Dating the Gangster(2014)
Director
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
Got to Believe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)
Show 140 episodes · Director
Four Sisters and a Wedding(2013)
Director
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
It Takes a Man and a Woman(2013)
Director
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
Pintada (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Show 79 episodes · Director
ÜnOfficially Yours(2012)
Director
Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
Forever and a Day(2011)
Director
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
My Amnesia Girl(2010)
Director
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
Alyna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
Show 100 episodes · Director
Cinco (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
Director
Midnight Phantom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
Show 24 episodes · Director
Miss You Like Crazy(2010)
Director
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
Somewhere in My Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Show 35 episodes · Director
In My Life(2009)
Second Assistant Director · as Ballroom Host
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
Bud Brothers Series (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Show 85 episodes · Director
You Changed My Life(2009)
Director
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
My Only Ü (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Director
A Very Special Love(2008)
Director
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Lobo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Show 118 episodes · Director
One More Chance(2007)
Director
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
You Got Me!(2007)
Director
Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
You Are the One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Director
Close To You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Director
Bcuz Of U (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Director
Milan(2004)
Assistant Director · as Pinoy 1
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
Minsan, minahal kita(2000)
Assistant Director
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Hanggang Kailan Kita Mamahalin? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Assistant Director
Madrasta(1996)
Assistant Director
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
Kill Barbara with Panic(1995)
Post Production Coordinator
Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
As Long as We're Together(1995)
Assistant Director · as Chambermaid
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Eskapo(1995)
Assistant Director
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
A Separated Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
Assistant Director
Maalaala Mo Kaya: The Movie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
Assistant Director
Maricris Sioson - Japayuki (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
Assistant Director
Maalaala Mo Kaya (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
Show 2 episodes · Assistant Director
No Goodbyes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Director

Career shape

A full career of 61 titles, 60 of them dated from 1991 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Hello, Love, Again (2024)

$23M worldwide

Highest rated

Seven Sundays (2017)

Midcredits 92^nd

By role

only this rolewith another role

Acting4 of 61Directing47 of 61 · 67^thWriting6 of 61 · 75^thProducing2 of 61Other crew14 of 61 · 76^th

61 titles, 12 with more than one role — directing and other crew overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

1990s9 · 1 acting · 9 crew2000s14 · 2 acting · 14 crew2010s26 · 1 acting · 25 crew2020s11 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Cathy Garcia-Sampana's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 70^th percentile, the median of all 35; across their 27 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 67^th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

67^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 27

Approval · how many liked their films

68^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 27

Reach · how many have seen their films

58^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 27

Midcredits score across 35 titles, by percentile

75^th and up13
50^th to 74^th16
25^th to 49^th5
Below 25^th1

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 35 titles are Divisive.

Loved with Detractors2
Divisive14
Cult Classic10
Mixed9

Most divisive · director, writer, producer

Love at First Stream (2021)

98^th percentile spread · 42% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, writer

Seven Sundays (2017)

Midcredits 92^nd · 78% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 65/100 and the pacing 53/100 in their films, across 17 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Cathy Garcia-Sampana work with?

People who share at least 2 of Cathy Garcia-Sampana's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Marya Ignacio shares the most, 26.

Cathy Garcia-Sampana

What are Cathy Garcia-Sampana's films like?

Genres

Themes

What they feel like to watch

Moods and endings

Where can I watch Cathy Garcia-Sampana's films?

Filmography

Career shape

By role

By decade

How do Cathy Garcia-Sampana's films land?

Shape of the crowd

Who does Cathy Garcia-Sampana work with?

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles