Set to warm hearts and spark conversation this holiday season, Call Me Mother is an upcoming Philippine comedy-drama film directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jun Robles Lana, from a story and screenplay he co-wrote with Daisy G. Cayanan and Daniel S. Saniana, who also serves as co-producer. The film stars Vice Ganda and Nadine Lustre in a heartfelt and timely story about family, identity, and what it truly means to be a parent.
A co-production between ABS-CBN Studios, Star Cinema, The IdeaFirst Company, and Viva Films, Call Me Mother is scheduled for theatrical release on December 25, 2025, as one of the official entries of the 51st Metro Manila Film Festival. The film marks the long-awaited reunion of Vice Ganda and Nadine Lustre on the big screen, ten years after their last collaboration in Beauty and the Bestie (2015).
At the center of the story is Twinkle de Guzman (Vice Ganda), a queer single mother who begins the legal process of adopting her beloved son, Angel. To make the moment special, Twinkle plans a surprise trip to Disneyland Hong Kong, hoping that the adoption will be finalized if no one claims Angel within three months. However, her carefully laid plans are shaken when Mara de Jesus (Nadine Lustre), Angel’s biological mother, suddenly reappears.
Mara’s arrival complicates everything. As she begins to form a genuine bond with Angel, Twinkle is forced to confront her deepest fears and insecurities. Determined to protect the family she has built, Twinkle goes to great lengths to prove to Mara, and to the system, that she is more than capable of being a loving and responsible parent. The film delicately navigates themes of motherhood in all its forms, challenging traditional definitions of family while celebrating unconditional love.
Completing the emotional triangle is Lucas Andalio as Angelo “Angel” de Jesus, whose innocence and quiet strength anchor the story. The film is further enriched by a strong ensemble cast that brings warmth, humor, and realism to Twinkle’s world. They include Brent Manalo as Marco de Guzman, Angel’s adoptive uncle; Mika Salamanca as Bea Santos, a lively neighbor and Marco’s love interest; and Klarisse de Guzman, and Shuvee Etrata as members of the de Guzman family.
Also joining the cast are Esnyr as Twinkle’s foster daughter, MC Muah as her loyal friend Dorothy, Iyah Mina as Mara’s bodyguard and assistant, and John Lapus as Mama M de Guzman, Twinkle’s foster mother. Veteran actors Carmi Martin, Chanda Romero, Tanya Gomez, Divine Tetay, Jennifer Sevilla, Robert Ortega, and Ces Quesada round out the cast, adding depth to the film’s portrayal of community and social institutions.
With Nadine Lustre undergoing pageant training for her role as Mara, a beauty queen navigating her own complicated past, and Vice Ganda delivering a performance rooted in both comedy and vulnerability, Call Me Mother promises to be one of the most emotionally resonant entries of MMFF 2025.
Blending humor with moving social commentary, Call Me Mother is a celebration of chosen families, resilience, and love that refuses to be boxed in by convention. This Christmas Day, audiences are invited to laugh, cry, and reflect on the many ways we learn to call someone “mother.”
