Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos-Recto admitted she got emotional when she won Best Actress for the movie "When I Met You In Tokyo" during the 49th Metro Manila Film Festival Gabi ng Parangal held at the New Frontier in Araneta City last Dec. 27.

"Every award-giving body nakaka-excite. I'm still thankful na nakakakuha pa rin ako ng awards. Itong huli lang medyo naiyak ako. I got emotional kasi I didn't expect it. Walang kahina-hinala," said Vilma during an exclusive interview on Dec. 29.

(Every award-giving body is exciting. I'm still thankful that I'm still getting awards. I cried a little bit about this last one. I got emotional because I didn't expect it. There's no doubt.)

She added: "Sa totoo lang, yung adbokasiya kung bakit natin ginawa ito. It's not about the awards but people going back to the theater. I hope 'When I Met You In Tokyo' ay isa sa mga makaka-contribute na maibalik lang yung sigla ng industriya natin, yung mga dating walang kalaman laman yung sinehan. In fact nagsara na rin yung iba. Bumabalik na rin yung sigla. And for that, yun talaga ang advocacy namin ni Boyet. Sana yung 'When I Met You In Tokyo' kasama noong siyam na pelikula, maibalik natin yung sigla ng pelikulang Pilipino and I think it's happening. This is going to be good for the industry."

(Let me share with you our advocacy in making this movie. It's not about the awards but people going back to the theater. I hope 'When I Met You In Tokyo' can contribute to bringing back the vitality of our industry, the cinema that used to be empty. The others have also closed. The energy is coming back. That's Boyet and I's advocacy. I hope that 'When I Met You In Tokyo,' together with the nine films, can bring back the vitality of Filipino films, and I think it's happening. This is going to be good for the industry.)

Ate Vi, as she is fondly called, also prays for strong box office for "When I Met You In Tokyo" and the other official entries.

"We are expecting also on the box office para yung mga nag produce na bagong producers magkaroon sila ng chance paano kumita, para naman hindi sila madala. So that they can produce more. Para kung makapagproduce pa sila, mas maraming mabibigyan ng trabaho.

(We are also expecting at the box office so that the new producers will have a chance to earn money and they can produce more. If they can produce more, they will provide more jobs.)

"So yun talaga ang adbokasiya ng pelikula namin. I am very humbled and I truly appreciate yung contribution ng character ko sa 'When I Met You In Tokyo' with the big help from the team led by Christopher De Leon.

(That is the advocacy of our film. I am very humble and truly appreciate my character's contribution to 'When I Met You In Tokyo' with the big help of the team led by Christopher De Leon.)

"Sana magtuloy tuloy na manood ang mga tao dahil hanggang Jan. 7 pa ang When I Met You In Tokyo because it's a very simple love story. If you will watch it, mararamdaman ninyo kung gaano kalalim ang love at kung paano mag appreciate ng pagmamahal sa ibang tao. Yun ang theme namin. Very simple and you will appreciate love," she said.

(I hope people will continue to watch 'When I Met You In Tokyo' until Jan. 7 because it's a simple love story. If you watch it, you will feel how deep love is and how to appreciate love for others. That's our theme. Very simple, and you will appreciate love.)

Vilma, 70, said that she has received so many awards that she has lost count of them all, but they are all important to her.

"Lahat ng awards na nakuha ko importante sa akin kasi yun ang resulta na I did a good job as an artist. Yun ang sagot kaya I truly appreciate the prestige na nakukuha ko sa mga awards. Malaki ang naitulong nila sa career ko," she said.

(All the awards I got are important to me because that's the result of my doing a good job as an artist. That's the answer, so I truly appreciate the prestige that I get from the awards. They helped a lot in my career.)

"For almost 60 years now, palagay ko isa yan sa nagpatibay ng career ko. Meron ako  sa office ko and meron din ako sa bahay na naka-display ng mga awards na natanggap ko from Urian, MMFF, PMPC, FAP, Famas, lahat ito naka-display. I thank God na may isa na naman akong trophy na idadagdag from MMFF." 

For almost 60 years now, that is one of the things that strengthened my career. I have it in my office, and I also have at home on display the awards I received from Urian, MMFF, PMPC, FAP, and Famas, all of it's on display. I thank God that I have another trophy to add from MMFF.)