Jaehwa Bernardo

Comedy superstar Vice Ganda ahead of her flight to Japan for the Philippines-Japan Film Festival 2026, February 25, 2026. Photo from Star Cinema on Instagram

Article (news)

Vice Ganda heads to Japan for PH-Japan film festival 2026

Anna Cerezo

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1772087933599Vice Ganda.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Comedy superstar Vice Ganda ahead of her flight to Japan for the Philippines-Japan Film Festival 2026, February 25, 2026. Photo from Star Cinema on Instagram</div>Vice Ganda headed to Japan for the Philippines-Japan Film Festival 2026 where two of her films, “And the Breadwinner is…” and “Call Me Mother,” will be screened.“Na-surprise ako; hindi ko alam na dalawa. Akala ko ‘Call Me Mother’ lang. Kasama din pala ‘And the Breadwinner,’  saka ang isa pa ni direk [Jun Robles Lana] na ‘About Us But Not About Us.’ Jun Robles Lana festival pala,” she said Wednesday in an interview.Vice Ganda believes the festival is a valuable platform to showcase not only Filipino talent, but also the country’s culture and stories.“Unang una, magandang opportunity ito sa Filipinos para makita ng ibang lahi at ma-appreciate nila di ba para maka-penetrate tayo, maging global,” she said.“Marami sila pwede makuha sa kultura natin, madiskubre, malaman, lalo na OFWs (overseas Filipino workers). Ma-appreciate nila paghihirap at sakripisyo ginagawa nila,” she added.Philippines-Japan Film Festival 2026 is the inaugural edition and a commemorative project for the 2026 Philippines-Japan Friendship Year. The event&#x27;s goal is to foster a &quot;true platform for mutual understanding&quot; in key Japanese cities — Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Sendai — to create a significant impact within Japanese society.“Yung dalawang pelikula ko, two years na appreciate ng Pinoy— masarap na ma-appreciate din na ibang lahi makanuod,” Vice Ganda said.Apart from representing the country in the festival, Vice Ganda shared she and partner Ion Perez plan to visit Ichikawa City Zoo to see Punch, the Japanese macaque who went viral for clutching a small orangutan plushie.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/2/24/ikea-sells-out-viral-orangutan-plushie-favored-by-punch-the-abandoned-monkey-1531">READ: IKEA sells out viral orangutan plushie favored by Punch, the abandoned monkey </a></div>“Kasama ko kasi si Ion. Maaga kami pupunta, two days before the festival. Bukod sa kumain, plano namin puntahan si Punch. Naiyak kasi ako nang nakita ko &#x27;yung video. Malapit lang sa pag-stayan namin. So, pupuntahan namin si Punch,” she said.

Vice Ganda headed to Japan for the Philippines-Japan Film Festival 2026 where two of her films, 'And the Breadwinner is…' and 'Call Me Mother' will be screened.

Vice Ganda headed to Japan for the Philippines-Japan Film Festival 2026 where two of her films, 'And the Breadwinner is…' and 'Call Me Mother' will be screened.