Vilma Santos excited to do more films after award-winning comeback

MANILA, Philippines — Vilma Santos was surprised by her own reaction while accepting the Best Actress trophy for her film with Christopher de Leon, When I Met You in Tokyo, at the recent 49th Metro Manila Film Festival’s Gabi ng Parangal. The Star for All Seasons turned very emotional, as if it were her first time winning an award. For her, it did feel like it was the first time.

“Hindi naman ako first time kumuha ng award. Bakit parang first time ko nakakuha? I was very emotional and I cried because, you know, what happened was actually hindi kami nag-expect, wala sa ulo namin yun,” Vilma told The STAR in an exclusive chat.

“That night when I won, I was backstage. Hindi ko nadinig yung pangalan ko. It was Christopher de Leon who said, ‘Uy, ikaw! Ikaw, Vi!’ May kausap kasi ako, tapos tinutulak niya ako sa stage. Sabi ko, bakit? ‘Ikaw ang nanalo!’ So if you noticed (during the airing), I was looking at him.”

Apart from Best Actress, the film also won among others, the fourth Best Picture and the FPJ Excellence Award. “I got emotional maybe because I’m so in touch with this movie.”

While Vilma wished for her leading man as well as associate director to have scored the Best Actor award as well, she made sure to give credit to Christopher for the performance she delivered in the film.

“I felt nung nanalo ako, utang na loob ko rin yun kay Yetbo and my directors, Rommel Penesa and Radu Peru, but kasi si Yetbo ang nagbantay sa akin sa emotions eh. Kung nanalo, meaning to say, I did something good. Yung mga eksena ko dun na magaganda na simple, it was Yetbo who directed me and gave me all the motivation kaya ganun ako emotional.”

Besides the unexpected victory, Vilma’s happiness stemmed from the overall box-office reception during the 2023 MMFF amid the post-pandemic challenges facing both local film production and theatrical exhibition.

“We’ve been saying, even during presscons, that hindi namin priority na yung Best Actor and Best Actress. Ang gusto naming i-prioritize talaga na sana magtagumpay pa itong MMFF because our advocacy is to bring audiences back to the cinemas. Na makakita tayo uli nung pila dati na parang ahas na pag blockbuster…

“Kaya ako na-touch kasi nangyayari (now). Nakita mo sa 10 entries na palabas ngayon, and When I Met You in Tokyo is just one of them, you could see yung lines nung mga tao ngayon sa sine, kasama mga bata. I’ve been in the business for so long. Yung dati kong nakita pa, noong araw, (I’m seeing it now).

“So, yung adbokasiya nanalo — ang daming tao sa sinehan. So nag-combine (yung pakiramdam ko). Para akong nanalo ng first time ng award. When I watched myself, maski ako na natawa sa sarili ko. Sabi ko, bakit ako ganito ka emotional? But that’s how I felt that night and so nakita ng tao.”

During her acceptance speech, Vilma dismissed any ideas of rivalry as she dedicated her award to her fellow nominees.

“Ever since naman… They are all my friends, tinanong na rin sakin yan sa presscon, what do you think na yung magiging kalaban mo sila Sharon Cuneta, Marian Rivera?” she said, reiterating, “These are all my friends. Sharon is a long-time friend who’s already like a sister to me. In fact, isa ako sa nagsabi sa kanya ‘wag kang mag-retire ‘pag nag-uusap kami.

“She’s really a friend and she approached me dun sa awards night, nag-akapan kaming dalawa, and then binulong niya sa akin, I want you to be my Best Actress. Kaya ako tumawa ng malakas. Wala naman kasi akong idea that night talaga.”

Vilma further pointed out that Marian, along with Dingdong Dantes, are her wedding godchildren.

Vilma with When I Met You in Tokyo leading man Christopher de Leon at the 49th Metro Manila Film Festival’s Gabi ng Parangal.

“Uge (Eugene Domingo) and Pokie (Pokwang) were nominated also and they’re my friends, (nasabi nila na) ako peg nila sa mga pelikula na ginagawa nila,” the actress said of the comedic duo’s movies, D’ Lucky Ones, and their 2023 MMFF entry, Becky and Badette, wherein their characters are Vilmanians.

She continued, referring to her co-nominees, “There were fearless forecasts na sila mananalo and yet I got the award… so, you know, what I was feeling (and saying) that night, it was spontaneous. What I felt, I said it. That’s why I dedicated it to them.

“Ang nakalimutan ko lang is Beauty Gonzalez of Kampon,” said Vilma of the lead star of the MMFF 2023 horror entry, who also happened to miss the Gabi ng Parangal.

She sincerely expressed regret for the oversight. “I’m very grateful to her because in her interviews, she always mentioned ‘Vilma Santos,’” including the one with TV host Boy Abunda where she said that it was Vilma’s body she’d like to swap with because of how her career successfully transitioned from showbiz to politics.

“Napanood ko rin yung interview niya with Boy Abunda… and yet I didn’t acknowledge her that night, maybe because I don’t know her personally yet. But that was my purpose (of dedicating it to my fellow nominees). It was spontaneous. That’s what I felt with this award. I wanted so much to share it with them because they all did well based sa mga reviews na nabasa ko.”

It’s been an eye-opening MMFF experience and comeback for Vilma, who didn’t make films for six years. Many of the promotional activities were a first for her, and she noted how all stars of the 10 official entries went the extra mile to not just drum up interest for their respective films but to reach out to their fans.

“This one’s interesting (because) iba na pala ang promo ngayon. Ang layo na noon na presscon lang. Meron pang mga theater tours and pre-ticket selling. Ngayon ko lang naranasan and hindi lang kami gumawa. Sila Sharon, Marian, umikot din, si Matteo Guidicelli, my (Dekada ‘70) son Piolo Pascual. Lahat umikot. Pero na sa-shock ako na ito na pala ngayon ang klase ng promotion,” she shared.

Vilma also went on regional tours, a first for her. “With When I Met You in Tokyo, talagang siniguro rin namin na pati Cebu, nakarating kami. But it’s not just us, all the stars of the 10 movies did it (going out their way to promote the film).”

Asked about her memorable moments from the entire MMFF experience, she said, “Everything. It’s all new to me since for six years, I did not do a movie. Kaya ako feeling bagong artista kasi parang lahat new experiences, and it’s tiring, it’s no joke, nagkasakit pa ako.

“Ini-enjoy ko naman. But the most memorable, for me, is people coming back or going back to the theaters dahil yan ang nawala for so long. Ang sarap ng pakiramdam. Happy na ko doon. Then unexpectedly, I got the Best Actress award pa, sobra sobra na.

“Hopefully, yung movie namin pumick up pa. I wish more people could watch it. This is for our new producers, to inspire them to keep making movies and providing more job opportunities in the industry.

“Iba na kasi yung outlook ko ngayon maybe because I’m mature na and after being so long in the industry. Now, what I want to focus on is how I can contribute in my own small way to the industry… Maybe because I’ve been around for quite a while now.

“Kahit papano I’ve been blessed with awards, the box-office (hits). If there’s a little contribution I can give to lift up the industry again, panalo na ako dun. It’s payback time for me, in my own little way. I don’t know baka maliit lang sa iba pero sakin napakalaking bagay na nakita ko uli yung mga tao sa sine.”

Meanwhile, following her official return to the film industry after a six-year hiatus dedicated to public service, Vilma hints at more films in the pipeline for this 2024.

She said, “I’m excited definitely and that’s going to be for 2024, I might entertain (more projects). I mean modesty aside, marami (akong script natanggap in 2023). Siguro anytime (in 2024). Pahinga lang ako kasi medyo masyado talaga akong nagtrabaho dito sa When I Met You in Tokyo. Gusto ko family naman. I’ll spend time muna with my family until January.”

The MMFF, which opened last Christmas Day, Dec. 25, runs in cinemas nationwide until Jan. 7.