NOW ON its 28th year, the Japanese Film Festival (JFF) presents a selection of 12 full-length films from a variety of genres to “spark something new in the audience,” said its festival director Yojiro Tanaka.
The annual film festival is presented by the Japan Foundation Manila and will run from Jan. 30 to March 2 at the Shangri-La Plaza cinemas in Mandaluyong City, SM North EDSA in Quezon City, and in several cities across the country: Baguio, Cebu, Iloilo, and Davao.
The JFF will kick off at the Shangri-La Plaza from Jan. 30 to Feb. 9.
“In Zen Buddhism there is a word satori, which means a sudden awakening or enlightenment. Satori is the perfect word to describe this year’s lineup of films, whether it’s the profound awakening of the characters in the movie or the feeling that the audience will get after watching,” Mr. Tanaka said in a message to BusinessWorld.
He added that the Filipino audience will see qualities that are shared by both cultures: “the resilient spirit, the perseverance, and the compassion reflected and celebrated in both Japan and the Philippines.
“The audience may discover through the films that our values are more alike than we think,” he said.
Last year, the JFF exceeded its target of 30,000 cinemagoers, attracting over 40,000 people. With popular blockbusters like the Academy Award-winning monster epic Godzilla Minus One (2023) and the animated cult classic Akira (1988), they hope to continue fostering Filipinos’ love for Japanese culture this year.
“We also included the films Haikyuu! The Dumpster Battle (2024) and DitO (2024) in our lineup because we know that Filipinos are big sports fans,” Mr. Tanaka added. “Both films are fantastic films that show the excitement of volleyball and boxing, respectively.”
Another notable inclusion in this year’s lineup is Sand Land (2023), the pinnacle of beloved mangaka Akira Toriyama’s fictional universe. Creator of the Dragon Ball series, Mr. Toriyama passed away in 2024, leaving a monumental legacy in the world of animé and manga.
The fourth animated film in this year’s lineup is Studio Ponoc’s The Imaginary (2023), which delves into the limitless imaginations of children. It is based on the award-winning novel of the same name by A.F. Harrold.
Meanwhile, the audience can look forward to the drama Under the Open Sky (2021), starring Koji Yakusho as a middle-aged ex-Yakuza struggling to get back on his feet after over a decade in prison.
For cinephiles, another Koji Yakusho-starrer, Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days (2023), will grace the big screen following its nomination last year for Best International Feature, and a Best Actor win at Cannes for Mr. Yakusho. The acclaimed film Monster (2023) by Hirokazu Kore-eda will also be in the lineup.
Hopeless romantics can look forward to a bittersweet love story in Our Secret Diary (2023), starring Fumiya Takahashi and Hiyori Sakurada as high school students who strike up a romance based on a lie. Meanwhile, those seeking a laugh can go for the comedy Let’s Go Karaoke! (2024), where a high school choir club leader gives a Yakuza member singing lessons and finds an unlikely friendship.
Rounding off the lineup is suspense thriller Matched (2024), which starts off with a woman entering a promising dating app scenario until she discovers sinister things about her date.
While admission is free, Mr. Tanaka explained that JFF will be employing an online ticketing system “to make procuring tickets convenient and to avoid long waiting lines.”
A convenience fee will apply for tickets bought online, done through the Ticket2Me website. Walk-in guests are welcome if seats are still unoccupied, though availability is not guaranteed.
“We would like to remind our audience that the free screenings of these films are presented in the spirit of sharing and friendship,” Mr. Tanaka said.
The JFF will run at the Shangri-La Plaza mall cinemas from Jan. 30 to Feb. 9, at SM City Baguio from Feb. 7 to 16, at SM City Iloilo and SM Seaside City Cebu from Feb. 14 to 23, and at SM City Davao and SM North EDSA from Feb. 21 to March 2.
For the full screening schedule and ticketing guidelines, visit the Japan Foundation, Manila and JFF’s social media pages. — Brontë H. Lacsamana
