THE 2017 Eigasai|Japanese Film Festival goes to Bacolod this week with a four-day free showing at SM Bacolod Cinema.
Uesugi Hiroaki, director of Japan Foundation Manila, said during the opening event Wednesday night, August 23, they decided to bring the film festival to the city because they believe that the Bacolodnons love to watch movies and have a strong-film making community.
“Through the film festival, the Japanese can promote a cultural exchange with the Bacolodnons, as we visit the City of Smiles for the first time," Hiroaki added.
The opening event featured the screening of the award-winning film “Her Love Boils Bathwater” directed by Nakano Ryota.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia said the staging of the Japanese Film Festival in Bacolod is a “laudable project.”
“I hope this is not the last because there is so much to look forward to,” the mayor said.
Leonardia assured the organizers that the city government will assist them in their program through information dissemination.
“This will strengthen our bond of friendship (with the Japanese) and will enrich us with their culture,” he added.
Other officials who graced the opening reception were Bacolod City Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr., City Administrator John Orola, and Silay City Councilor Solomon Locsin III.
From August 24 to 27, Bacolodnons will be treated to various genres of specially curated, recently released, commercial Japanese films with English subtitles at SM Cinema 4.
A total of 12 films will be shown, including action, drama, comedy, horror, anime, and documentary, expected to draw lovers of Japanese art and culture, filmmakers and cinematographers.
The Japanese Film Festival, now better known as Eigasai, was first held 20 years ago in a small venue in Manila with a hope to strengthen the cultural ties with the Philippines through one of the most accessible gateway to Japanese culture, way of living, and language – Japanese films.
According to Japanese Foundation, Manila, Eigasai’s 20th edition is part of the Japan Foundation Asia Center’s unified Japanese Film Festival held around Southeast Asia and the Pacific region.
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, it added.