The Japan Foundation, Manila on Friday unveiled the film lineup and schedules for this year’s Japanese Film Festival – EIGASAI in the Philippines.
Seventeen (17) films of various genres are scheduled to screen in seven major cities nationwide starting July 3 to August 25, in celebration of the Philippine-Japan Friendship month and Eiga Sai’s 22th anniversary this year.
This year’s opening film features Samurai Marathon directed by Bernard Rose. The film was based on Akihiro Dobashi’s novel Bakumatsu Marathon Samurai and retells the story about the Ansei Tooashi, known as Japan’s first marathon.
A special performance from Keisho Ohno, a master of Japan’s traditional three-stringed musical instrument called shamisen, will also bring additional excitement to the event’s opening week. Ohno became the first “authorized successor of authentic Chikuzan-bushi” shamisen player at the age of 14 and has toured worldwide in US, Europe, Africa, and Brazil, including a performance at the Japan Expo 2018 in Paris, France.
Other films which will be shown throughout the festival are as follows: The 8-Year Engagement by Takahisa Zeze; KAKEGURUI by Tsutomu Hanabusa; The Crime that Bind by Katsuo Fukuzawa; Laughing Under the Clouds by Katsuyuki Motohiro; Mixed Doubles by Junichi Ishikawa; One Cut of the Dead by Shinichiro Ueda; Perfect World by Kenji Shibayama; Yakiniku Dragon by Chong Wishing; The Tears of Malumpati by Keita Meguro; Lu Over the Wall, an animated film by Masaaki Yuasa; Mirai, an animated film by Mamoru Hosoda; The House Where the Mermaid Sleeps by Yukihiko Tsutsumi; and special screenings of award-winning Japanese film director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s feature films, including After the Storm, The Third Murder and the winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and nominee for the 91st Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Shoplifters.
The Japan Foundation also partnered with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), to bring the award winning Japanese film: Lying to Mom. It follows the dramatic and humourous story of a family attempting to recover from sorrow. The film won the Best Film Award at the 31st Tokyo International Film Festival’s Independent Japanese Cinema category. Director Katsumi Nojiri will be present at the Philippine premiere of his film on August 3 at CCP during the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.
Screening venues are scheduled in Metro Manila, Tacloban, Naga, Bacolod, Davao, Pangasinan and Cebu: Red Carpet Cinema, Shangri-La Plaza (July 3-14), Robinsons Place Tacloban (July 18-21), SM City Naga (July 18-21), SM City Bacolod (July 25-28), Abreeza Mall Davao (August 1-4), Cultural Center of the Philippines (August 2-11), SM City Rosales, Pangasinan (August 8-11), Cine Adarna, UPFI (August 14-17), Ayala Center Cebu (August 15-18), and Gateway Cineplex, Cubao (August 22-25).
Admission is free on a first-come, first-serve basis, except the screenings at Shangri-La Plaza Cinema which will be Php100 per film screening.
For screening schedules and more information, visit the Japan Foundation, Manila website here or follow the official Japan Film Festival – Eiga Sai Facebook page: @eigasaiPH.
