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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Award-winning Japanese film topbills Cinemalaya festival lineup

Award-winning Japanese film topbills Cinemalaya festival lineup

Published Aug 12, 2021 01:31 pm

A highly-acclaimed Japanese film that tackles the life and struggle of a Burmese boy and his family while living in Japan will be one of the few selected major foreign flicks to be screened in this year’s Cinemalaya 17: Philippine Independent Film Festival.

Passage of Life (Japan Foundation Manila)

"Passage of Life" (2017) will be featured from August 19 to 21, 2021 under the Allied Screenings category of the festival, the Japan Foundation Manila announced Wednesday.

Showcasing the Passage of Life in the Philippines is part of the long-standing partnership between Cinemalaya and the Japan Foundation Manila, a cultural arm of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

Passage of Life is a Japan-Myanmar co-production that has won several awards such as Best Asian Future Award at the 30th Tokyo International Film Festival, and the Spirit of Asia Award given to its director Akio Fujimoto by the Japan Foundation Asia Center.

Based on a real-life story, the main characters in the movie were portrayed mainly by first-time Burmese actors performing under their real names.

The movie also tackles the theme of “immigration” and the family struggle after the Japanese authorities rejected their petition for refugee visas.

In addition to the film screening, the Japan Foundation will hold a live online discussion about the Passage of Life with its director Akio Fujimoto and producer Kazutaka Watanabe on August 20, 2021 from 7 pm to 9 pm.

Japan Foundation Manila Director Ben Suzuki will moderate the forum while Filipino film director Janus Victoria will add a broader perspective on co-productions with Japanese film producers and film companies.

Related Tags

Passage of Life Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival 2021 Japan Foundation Manila immigration
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