With the superstar’s being the festival’s opening salvo.
On Thursday, February 26, Unkabogable Phenomenal Box-Office Superstar Vice Ganda left the country enroute to Tokyo, Japan for a special event.
This, as she is set to grace the inaugural Philippines–Japan Film Festival 2026, where two of her recent blockbuster movies, the 2024 film And The Breadwinner Is… and the 2025 picture Call Me Mother, have both been selected for screening—with the latter serving as the festival’s opening film.
Both films were directed by Jun Robles Lana and were official entries to the Metro Manila Film Festival.
In And The Breadwinner Is…, the story follows OFW breadwinner Bambi (Vice), who stages her own death in exchange for money to help her family through a financial crisis.
Meanwhile, in Call Me Mother, she portrayed a queer mother whose bond with her adoptive son is tested when the child’s biological mother seeks custody.
“I was surprised. I thought I only had one entry. It’s heartwarming to learn that I actually have two films in the festival,” said Vice in an interview with ABS-CBN News. “It’s a good opportunity for Filipino movies to be seen and appreciated by other nationalities. We hope to reach a wider global audience.”
The It’s Showtime host continued, “They can learn a lot from our films. Through our culture, they may discover and understand more about the lives and experiences of Filipinos.”
The Philippines–Japan Film Festival 2026 is being launched in line with the 2026 Philippines–Japan Friendship Year, highlighting cultural exchange between the two countries.