Earlier this year, it was announced that actress Vilma Santos was supposed to star in director Chito Rono’s film project with Judy Ann Santos that was hoping to make it to this year’s lineup of entries for the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival happening next month. Although the veteran actress had been vocal about being eager to participate and finally get the chance to work with Judy Ann, she recently revealed why the project has not yet pushed through and how she ended up starring in Mentorque Productions’ MMFF entry with Aga Muhlach and Nadine Lustre. 

“Nagkaroon ng problema sa character na gagampanan ko. ‘Yun lang ‘yun and then inayos naman,” she said. “But I will honest: while meeting for the movie, I was meeting also with sila direk Dan (Villegas) regarding this movie Uninvited.”

It was just a matter of timing, and there is no issue about it. 

“Of course excited din ako to be with Judy Ann (Santos). I love Judy Ann. It’s just that habang inaayos yun, nalaman ko na lamang na sinubmit ‘yung script for the first five sa MMFF. But unfortunately parang hindi napasok sa first five so it was also (film producer) Atty Jojit Alonso who told me to go ahead and do the one of direk Dan Villegas. She said, ‘Because he is also my son. Do it and I promise I will watch it.” So dun nanggaling lahat yun,” she explained.

The Uninvited star also said this was a very special project to her because it was an opportunity she had been waiting for after more than six decades in the industry. 

“Kasi yung Uninvited, ito yung dream story ko talaga. Kung titingnan niyo ‘yung mga interviews ko noong araw, may mga interviews na sinabi, ‘Vi, kung mag-di-direct ka, ano yung gusto mo gawin?’ Matagal ko nang sinasabi na gusto ko gumawa ng isang pelikula na nangyari lamang in 24 hours. Na mag-uumpisa siyang maganda, at matatapos siya na mukhang dilapidated na siya. ‘Yun ang gusto ko,” she shared. “Hindi ko alam yung gitna, paano mangyayari ‘yun? Basta sila direk ang naglagay ng storya sa gitna hanggang nabuo ‘yung Uninvited. Binuo nila yung story para ‘dun sa dream na nag-umpisa siya ng maganda. Me and my big mouth. ‘Yun lang ‘yun.”

The 71-year-old actress, who had previously been vocal about not accepting any more roles unless it had substance, revealed during the grand launch event that she did not expect her latest project to be entered in the country’s most anticipated film festival. 

“Nagkataon lang na naisali itong Uninvited sa Metro Manila Film Festival. When we were planning and conceptualizing the story of this movie, ‘yung mga meetings namin, wala sa plano namin isali ito sa MMFF. Ang usapan nga lang namin talaga is to really make a good film. A good movie that we really can be proud of,” she shared. “Pero biglang sinuwerte naman at naipasok sa MMFF at natanggap. So not necessarily na may plano na ako yearly. Nagkataon lang na magkasunod yung When I Met You in Tokyo and then this year, ‘yung movie naman na napasali is ‘yung Uninvited. Siguro it was meant to be. Ganun lang yun.”

Catch Vilma Santos, Aga Muhlach, and Nadine Lustre in Uninvited, an official entry to the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival. Directed by Dan Villegas and written by Dodo Dayao under Mentorque Productions. Opens in cinemas nationwide starting December 25.