EIGASAI 2017: The 20th Japanese Film Festival

The Japanese Film Festival | EIGASAI 2017 Celebrates its 20th Anniversary with 20 Films with Special Guests from Japan

Officially opens on July 6 with the screening of heartwarming drama HER LOVE BOILS BATHWATER graced by its esteemed director Ryota Nakano.
Presents a retrospective showcase of films: THE STING OF DEATH and MEMORIES OF YOU screened twenty years ago at CCP on July 1 as a prelude to the grand opening; DEPARTURES, one of the most well received films in the history of EIGASAI.
Expands the festival period, venues and screenings to Bacolod and Iloilo as well as lineup.

MANILA and TOKYO (June 13, 2017) – The Japan Foundation, Manila, celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Japanese Film Festival (JFF), widely known as EIGASAI, announced the full lineup of films and special guests for JFF | EIGASAI 2017. Starting from Saturday, July 1, in honor of the Philippines-Japan Friendship Month, to August 29, 2017 with 20 films of various genres selected for more than 100 screenings across six major cities nationwide, JFF | EIGASAI’s 20th anniversary edition is set to be the biggest and best yet.

JFF | EIGASAI 2017 officially kicks off its 20th anniversary in grand style opening night on July 6, 2017 with the screening of HER LOVE BOILS BATHWATER (湯を沸かすほどの熱い愛 Yu o wakasu hodo no atsui ai) at the Shang Cineplex to be graced by this year’s special guest director Ryota Nakano, who is also scheduled to hold talks for filmmakers and the general public during his stay in the Philippines to talk about both his career and the making of his successful first commercial film HER LOVE BOILS BATHWATER.
© “Her Love Boils Bathwater” Film Partners Director Ryota Nakano

To commemorate the anniversary, JFF | EIGASAI 2017 presents a retrospective showcase of films. There will be a special encore screening of DEPARTURES (おくりびと Okuribito), the 81st Academy Award for Best Foreign Language winner and one of the most well-received films in the history of EIGASAI. Two rare 16mm films screened at the first Japanese Film Festival in 1997: THE STING OF DEATH (死の棘 Shi no toge) directed by Kohei Oguri, the Grand Prix du Jury winner at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival, and MEMORIES OF YOU (ラブ・ストーリーを君に Love story wo kimi ni) directed by Shinichiro Sawai, will revive on July 1 at the birthplace of the Japanese Film Festival, CCP, serving as a prelude to the grand opening night on July 6 at the Shangri-La Plaza.

A long-lasting partnership with CCP and the Japan Foundation’s support towards independent filmmakers brings forth again the screening of the Japanese independent film: POOLSIDEMAN (プールサイドマン Poolsideman), winner of the Best Picture Award in the Japanese Cinema Splash at the Tokyo International Film Festival 2016. Hirobumi Watanabe, director of the film will also be present at his Philippine premier during the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival in August, an allied festival of JFF | EIGASAI since last year.

For the 20th edition, EIGASAI is part of the Japan Foundation Asia Center’s unified Japanese Film Festival held around Southeast Asia and the Pacific region, and together with the Japan Foundation, Manila, different genres of films from animation, drama, comedy, documentary, to horror, were curated with a total of 20 titles – 17 of which are with English subtitles and three are dubbed in Tagalog, offering Japanese film lovers the chance to experience their favorite genre while discovering something new.

In addition to the cinema partners from last year, JFF | EIGASAI 2017 is expanding its reach and impact in the wider region by adding cinemas in Bacolod and Iloilo, and extending the festival period till the end of August. As with the previous years, JFF | EIGASAI 2017 will also have its provincial run in Baguio, Cebu and Davao. Screening venues are: CCP Dream Theater, CCP Complex, Pasay City (July 1 and August 5, 10 and 11), Shang Cineplex Cinema, Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City (July 6-16), UP Film Institute, UP-Diliman, Quezon City (August 16-19), Abreeza Mall Cinema, Ayala, Davao City (July 21-23), FDCP Cinematheque-Davao, Davao City (July 26-30), Ayala Center Cebu Cinema, Cebu City (August 2-6), SM City Baguio Cinema, Baguio City (August 10-13), SM City Bacolod Cinema, Bacolod City (August 24-27), and FDCP Cinematheque-Iloilo, Iloilo City (August 25-29).

Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis, except the screenings at Shang Cineplex Cinema which will be PHP 100 per one film screening.

JFF | EIGASAI 2017 is generously supported by Shangri-La Plaza, Shang Cineplex, UP Film Institute, Cultural Center of the Philippines, SM Supermalls, SM City Baguio, SM City Bacolod, Film Development Council of the Philippines, Japanese Association of Northern Luzon, Sa Lubong-Baguio, Cordillera Green Network, JT International (Philippines) Inc., Viva Communications Inc., Tagalized Movie Channel (TMC), Mitsubishi Corporation, Japan Airlines Co., Ltd., Akira, SumoSam and Richmonde Hotel Ortigas.