'Let’s fall in love': Vilma Santos on cloud nine after 'When I Met You In Tokyo' makes MMFF 2023 list

MANILA, Philippines — "Star for All Season" Vilma Santos is on cloud nine after her reunion movie with Christopher de Leon "When I Met You In Tokyo" was  included in this year's Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). 

In a statement sent to several media outlets, Vilma thanked the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for including the film in this year's edition. 

"Congratulations Team WIMYIT (When I Met You In Tokyo). Thank God," Vilma said. "Thank you MMFF for the trust."

Vilma said that "When I Met You In Tokyo" is a simple love story but there are still lessons to learn from it. 

"Teamwork ang movie na ito. Very simple love story but beautiful. May mga lessons din kasi [ang] movie. Love has no boundaries. Forgiveness, moving forward in love and life," she said.  "Simple but beautiful. Let’s fall in love."

Instead of the usual eight, the 49th MMFF will have 10 films in this year's competition, after the MMDA revealed six more entries for MMFF 2023 to join the four previously announced last July.

The second batch of entries with "When I Met You In Tokyo" include "Becky and Badette," "Broken Hearts Trip," "Firefly," "GOMBURZA," and "Mallari."

The six films join Nuel Naval's "A Mother and Son's Story" starring Sharon Cuneta and Alden Richards, Dodo Dayao's horror movie "K(ampon)" starring Beauty Gonzalez and Derek Ramsay, Jason Paul Laxamana's fantasy-action flick "Penduko" starring Matteo Guidicelli and Cristine Reyes, and celebrity couple Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes' reunion movie "Rewind."

The first batch of entries were chosen based on script submissions, while the second batch were all completed films. — with reports by Kristofer Purnell

RELATED: 'GOMBURZA,' 'Mallari': MMFF 2023 announces remaining entries, expands list to 10