MANILA — Collaborating on a movie for the first time, box-office stalwarts Cathy Garcia-Molina and Vice Ganda thought it best to form a friendship that would hopefully translate in their output for moviegoers on Christmas Day.

Garcia-Molina and Vice Ganda’s film project, with the working title “Partners In Crime” and announced in July to co-star social media darling Ivana Alawi, is an entry to the 48th edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) in December.

• Vice Ganda, Coco Martin return to Metro Manila Film Festival

Early this month, the two were photographed together at a dinner meeting, which, according to Garcia-Molina, was initiated by the comedy superstar.

“Request ni Vice to meet me and my staff para mag-discuss ng intentions,” the in-demand director told “Cinema News.” “I brought my staff — my family na makakasama niya na lagi ko mga kasama. Ganoon din si Vice, magiging parte ng family. Kumbaga, getting to know each other. I like the idea, kasi pangit na sa first day lang [ng shooting] magki-kita-kita, ‘di ba?”

• Box office powerhouse: Vice Ganda, Cathy Garcia-Molina meet for MMFF entry

“It was fun. Movie-filled talks about love and friendship. Sinimulan namin na dapat kaming magkakaibigan para mag-translate sa film,” she explained. “Excited ako [dahil] first time lahat. Nandoon ang excitement, at the same time — ‘di naman takot — alinlangan siguro, kasi ‘di ko alam kung paano mag-wo-work. Vice has been open to me na, ‘Direk, we are one team. Magtulungan tayo to give the audience the best movie.’”

Details of the story remain under wraps, but Garcia-Molina teased that it will likely be a mix of her brand of big-screen romance and Vice Ganda’s signature laugh-out-loud comedy.

“Exciting [kasi] mas kilala ako sa love story; si Vice, comedy. So paano kami gagawa ng may love story and at the same time makakapagpatawa at makakapag-entertain? Kasi, at the end of the day, sa MMFF, dream natin makapagpasaya, especially Christmas time,” she said.

Christmas season or not, Garcia-Molina and Vice Ganda’s respective films have been tried-and-tested box-office draws in the past decade.

Prior to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Vice Ganda had been starring in at least one film in a lead role every year since 2010, mostly entries to the annual MMFF.

• ‘Fantastica’ ends run as Vice Ganda’s highest-grossing MMFF movie

All have been massive box-office hits, many of which made the list of the highest grossing Philippine films of all time. “Fantastica,” released in 2018, remains Vice Ganda’s top-grossing film, with a P596-million haul worldwide.

• 'Hello, Love, Goodbye' makes history as highest grossing PH film of all time

Garcia-Molina, meanwhile, is the director behind the country’s biggest romantic-comedy movies, including “Hello, Love, Goodbye,” which is still the Philippines’ highest grossing movie with P880 million in worldwide earnings.

“Ipokritang sabihin na ‘di namin gusto mag-number one,” Garcia-Molina said of replicating the success of her past films. “Alam natin magagaling ang ibang entries. [It’s] good competition kasi makikinabang ang audience, lahat ng viewers [dahil] nagpapagandahan ang mga pelikula. Makikinabang ang mga nanonood kasi worth the money [ang pagpunta sa sinehan]. Gusto namin mag number one, pero mas importante na nakapagpasaya kami ng mga manonood.”

Related videos:

Watch more News on iWantTFC

Watch more News on iWantTFC

Watch more News on iWantTFC