When Vilma Santos meets with Christopher de Leon in Tokyo

They make a movie that celebrates the timeless power of love.

Vilma Santos and Christopher De Leon, two of the most iconic stars in Philippine cinema, reunite in the movie When I Met You in Tokyo, an official entry to the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

The film, which Santos describes as a “simple but beautiful love story,” promises to appeal to audiences of all ages. It tells the tale of two people who find love in the most unexpected of places, and the lessons they learn along the way about love, forgiveness, and moving forward.

Santos is thrilled to be back in the MMFF after a long hiatus. She says that working on the film was a “teamwork effort” and that she is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with De Leon once again.

“Love knows no boundaries, and people of all ages can still fall in love,” Santos says of the film’s central message. “That’s something that I think everyone can relate to.”

Santos is also looking forward to reconnecting with fans at the Parade of Stars on Christmas Day. “It reminds me of all the times I participated in the MMFF in the past,” she says. “It’s such a fun and festive event.”

Meanwhile, during the media conference for the film, the cast and crew of JG Productions’ When I Met You in Tokyo were overjoyed after the movie was selected as an official entry to this year’s MMFF. The long-awaited big screen reunion of the King of Philippine Drama and his ‘70s love team partner was made even more special by the good news.

Producer Rajan Gidwani expressed his gratitude to everyone who helped make the project possible, including directors Rado Peru and Rommel Penesa, and writer Suzette Doctolero. He also shared that the movie was almost 95 percent shot in Japan.

The JG producers were also excited about the movie’s inclusion in the Manila International Film Festival happening from January 30 to February 2, 2024.

Actress Lynn Cruz, who is also part of the supporting cast, thanked the committee for giving their movie a chance. She shared that the movie tackles a story of love between two people, a story of love among friends and family, and a story of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

Sparkle artist and Eat Bulaga! mainstay Cassy Legaspi, who is introduced in the movie alongside Darren Espanto, also shared her joy. She expressed gratitude to the MMFF committee and invited viewers to support this year’s entries. Darren also expressed his appreciation in his message on social media to the MMFF Committee for selecting When I Met You in Tokyo to join the other nine titles on December 25.

Singer-actress Kakai Bautista expressed her appreciation to those who found merit in When I Met You in Tokyo to be an official entry. She jokingly warned moviegoers to bring a lot of tissues and stomach space because they would be laughing and crying a lot.