Variety the focus of this year’s Eiga Sai f ilm festival

NOW ON its 22^nd year, the Eiga Sai Japanese Film Festival presents a selection of 17 full-length features from a variety of genres to “show not only one side of Japanese culture,” said an organizer.

The annual film festival is organized by the Japan Foundation Manila (JFM) and will run from July 3 to Aug. 25 at the Shangri-La Plaza mall cinemas in Mandaluyong City and in several cities across the country: Pangasinan, Naga, Cebu, Bacolod, Tacloban, and Davao.

The Manila run will be from July 3 to 14, 2019 at the Red Carpet, Shangri-La Plaza.

“Every year, the Eiga Sai aims to provide a glimpse into the different aspects of Japanese society through a diverse selection of films,” Kanami Namiki, program coordinator of JFM, said during the festival’s press launch on June 19.

This year, she said, there was no common theme between the films as the purpose was to be as varied as possible, though there was a focus on getting newer films.

The festival’s opening film is Bernard Rose’s Samurai Marathon (2019), based on Akihiro Dobashi’s novel Bakumatsu Marathon Samurai. It is about the Ansei Tooashi, Japan’s first marathon held in the 1800s by the Annaka feudal lord, Katsuakira Itakura, to train the minds and bodies of warriors.

Ms. Namiki said they chose a Japanese film directed by a Westerner as the opening film because it was interesting to see how other people look at Japanese period films or jidaigeki.

Samurai Marathon starts with the call of the feudal lord for his warriors, foot soldiers, or any able-bodied men to run a 50-km course with the winner being granted a wish by the lord. What was supposed to be a fun run is misconstrued as a rebellion by a spy from the central government who tips off the government which then sends assassins to stop so-called rebellion. Now, the race is also on for the spy to right the misunderstanding. The film stars Takeru Satoh, who is best known for his role as Kenshin Himura in the Ruruoni Kenshin live action film series.

Other films to be shown in the festival are The House Where the Mermaid Sleeps (2018) by Yukihiko Tsutsumi, which is also the festival’s closing film. Based on the novel of the same name by Keigo Higashino, the film follows a couple who is confronted by a tragedy involving their child which leads them to a difficult choice; After the Storm (2016) by Hirokazu Kore-eda, about a gambling-addicted father who reminisces about his days as a prize-winning author. While his family moves on without him, he tries to take back control of his life and find a place in his son’s life. The film was selected as an entry in the Un Certain Regard section of the 69^th Cannes Film Festival. Mr. Kore-eda previously won the Palme D’Or for Shoplifters in 2018.

Shoplifters is about a family of shoplifters who take in a new family member. The film made its Philippine premier in last year’s Quezon City International Film Festival and will have a special screening at the University of the Philippines’ Film Institute during the Eiga Sai festival.

The Third Murder (2017), also by Mr. Kore-eda, is a psychological thriller about a man, once convicted of murder, who is indicted again this time for killing and setting on fire the president of the company who laid him off and his lawyer who tries to help him get life in prison.

Yakiniku Dragon (2018), by Wishing Chong, is an adaptation of his play and portrays the joys and sorrows of a Korean family living in Japan.

Lying to Mom (2018), by Katsumi Nojiri, is a family comedy-drama about a father and a daughter telling their grief-stricken matriarch a once-in-a-lifetime lie. The director, Mr. Nojiri, will be at the Philippine premiere of Lying to Mom on Aug. 3 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines during the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.

The Tears of Malumpati (2019), by Keita Meguro, is based on the true story of the Pandan Water Pipeline Project in Panay Island where Japanese and Filipino volunteers try to solve the problem of insufficient drinking water by building a 10-km pipeline.

Mixed Doubles (2017), by Junichi Ishikawa, is a drama-comedy about a woman scorned who forms a mixed doubles table tennis team to defeat her ex and his new girlfriend.

One Cut of the Dead (2018), by Shinichiro Ueda, is a sleeper-hit horror-comedy about an indie movie crew trying to shoot a zombie film in an abandoned building in the mountains who are then attacked by real zombies. The director is thrilled and keeps the camera rolling.

Perfect World (2018), by Kenji Shibayama, is the live-action adaptation of Rie Aruga’s manga of the same name about a paraplegic architect and the girl who has loved him since high school and their life together.

The Eight-Year Engagement (2017), by Takahisa Zeze, is the second feature in this year’s Eiga Sai which stars Mr. Satoh. This time, he plays a dedicated fiancee to a woman who has been in a coma for eight years.

The Crimes that Bind (2018), by Katsuo Fukuzawa, is the series finale for the film The Wings of Kirin and television series Shinzanmono. The film, based on the novel of Keigo Higashino, follows the story of an investigator who tries to solve the killing of a young woman in an apartment whose registered resident also vanished.

Kakegurui (2019), by Tsutomu Hanabusa, is the live-action adaptation of Homura Kawamoto’s manga of the same name. The film follows the lives of the students at a prestigious academy whose social hierarchy is based on a long-standing tradition of gambling.

Laughing Under the Clouds (2018) is another live-action adaptation of a manga, this time by Karakara Kemuri. The film tells the story of a family who is in charge of a shrine who learn that they and their bloodline are tied to the awakening of the dreaded serpent, Orochi, which will wreak havoc on their town.

Lu Over the Wall (2017), by Masaaki Yuasa, is an animated film about the encounter between a young boy and a mermaid.

Finally, Mirai (2018), by Mamoru Hosoda, is another animated feature about a spoiled little boy who gets jealous over his newborn sister. His life is upended after a girl appears and tells him that she is his sister from the future. The film was screened during the 2018 Cannes’ Film Festival’s Director’s Fortnight.

Aside from the films, the festival will also hold a special performance by shamisen (Japanese traditional three-stringed instrument) player Keisho Ohno during its opening week.

Eiga Sai is open to the public and is free of charge except for the showings in Shangri-La Plaza which will cost P100 per screening. For the full screening schedule and dates for other cities, visit www.jfmo.org.ph or call 811-6155 to 58. — Zsarlene B. Chua