Vilma and Boyet are shooting their reunion movie in Tokyo


At a glance

  • Vilma, Christopher, the rest of the cast and the production crew leave for Tokyo this weekend where they will stay there for at least three weeks to shoot the movie which is planned for release in September. Industry newcomer JG Productions Inc. is the producer, while Rado Peru and Rommel Penesa are the directors. The screenwriter is Suzette Doctolero, whose last work was the highly-acclaimed teleserye "Maria Clara at Ibarra."


After almost 20 years of not being seen onscreen, the loveteam of award-winning showbiz icons Vilma Santos and Christopher De Leon promise to thrill their fans once again as two overseas Filipino workers (OFWs)  navigating through the drama of family and romance in their comeback movie entitled  "When I Met You In Tokyo"

Vilma, Christopher, the rest of the cast and the production crew leave for Tokyo this weekend where they will stay there for at least three weeks to shoot the movie which is planned for release in September. Industry newcomer JG Productions Inc. is the producer, while Rado Peru and Rommel Penesa are the directors. The screenwriter is Suzette Doctolero, whose last work was the highly-acclaimed teleserye "Maria Clara at Ibarra."

The other members of the cast include real-life sweethearts Cassy Legaspi and Darren Espanto, Gina Alajar, Tirso Cruz III and Lotlot De Leon.

Vilma, who is known as the  "Star for All Seasons" revealed that she immediately said yes to the project when she learned that she will be paired with  Christopher, with whom she has done more than 20 movies together. Some of their memorable big screen collaborations include  "Ikaw Ay Akin" with Nora Aunor (1978), "Relasyon" (1982), "Broken Marriage" (1983). "Imortal" (1989), and "Dekada '70" (2002). Their last film together was "Mano Po III: My Love" (2004) where they also won acting awards at the Metro Manila Film Festival that year.

Vilma got sentimental, recalling that it has been almost five decades since she has known Christopher who she also calls Boyet or Yet-Bo.

"Imagine, dalaga't binata pa lang kami ni Yet-Bo magkasama na kami, hanggang gumawa na kami ng mga relevant films, hanggang  nag-asawa na kami pareho, nagkaroon na kami ng pamilya sa bawat isa and then heto pa rin kami and we're still doing a movie together. The chemistry that we have plus the fact na ang audience namin tinanggap kami for so many years, kaya eto may ma-ooffer uli kami sa inyo. May audience na kami ni Yet-Bo, meron na kaming mga fans, kaya excited kami na gawin ito for them at sana madagdagan pa,"

(Imagine, Yet-Bo and I were still young when we first teamed up together. Then we made relevant films, got married, built our respective families, and are still here doing a movie together. Because of the chemistry that we have plus the fact that our audience has accepted us for so many years, here we are offering something new. Yet-Bo and I already have an audience, we already have fans, so we are excited to do it this is for them and I hope there will be more.)

Christopher revealed that he will be the movie's associate director, upon the request of Vilma. This is necessary as they already know each other, especially their working styles. What they will do is go over or discuss the scenes first before the actual take.

He said the movie is going to be "light, romantic and a visual feast. We have a very good storyline. We have music, that's why the title is 'When I Met You.' If you listen really hard to the lyrics of the song, it will tell you the story of what we're going to do," he noted.

Vilma pointed out that the plot provides a fresh take on matured relationships, the kind that older people go through. " We'll be doing a love story na hindi kami dapat magpa-cute pero dapat yung manonood ma-iinlove,yung ganon ba..Hindi madali yun. Kasi hindi naman kami 21 years old. Ang gusto naming targetin ay ang love story na nababagay sa amin. And when you watch it, you will fall in love  at sasabihin mo sa sarili mo na may pagasa pa!"

( We'll be doing a love story where we shouldn't play cute but the audience should fall in love, It's not easy. Because we are not 21 years old. What we want to target is a love story that suits us. And when you watch it, you will fall in love, and you will tell yourself that there is still hope!)

"We would like to show the titos and titas that you can still fall in love, be in love, and be loved. Walang age-age dito. Once you feel it, you fall in love, you show it and give it your all," she added.

The former lady politician and box office queen commented that she needs light and easy movie material like "When I Met You In Tokyo" just to help her be in her bearings to start in the movies again.

"I know that I need a little push and motivation so that I can go back to where I was before. My enthusiasm is still there, but it turned a bit rusty with the seven years I was absent.  Being with Boyet and getting some guidance from the team will be a big help. " I didn't shoot movies for so long!" Vilma lamented.