CONTEMPORARY FILMS
THE JAPAN FOUNDATION, MANILA'S
MONTH-LONG EIGA SAI

(SCREENING SCHEDULE)

The Japan Foundation, Manila, in cooperation with the Shangri-La Plaza Mall, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and the UP Film Institute, proudly presents slices of Japanese life as seen through the eyes of contemporary Japanese directors of "Eiga Sai 2007": a showcase of modern film genre at the Shang Cineplex, UP Film Institute and CCP Dream Theater.

Among the films to be featured are Kamikaze Girls (Shimotsuma Monogatari, 2004, directed by Tetsuya Nakashima), Harmful Insect (Gaichu, 2002, directed by Akihiko Shiota), Hotel Hibiscus (Hotel Hibiscus, 2002, directed by Yuji Nakae), No One's Ark (Baka no Hakobune, 2002, directed by Nobuhiro Yamashita), Inochi (Inochi, 2002, directed by Tetsuo Shinohara), Out of this World (Kono Yo no Sotoe-Club Shinchu Gun, 2003, directed by Junji Sakamoto), The Stars Converge (Chirusoku no Natsu, 2003, directed by Kiyoshi Sasabe), Blue (Blue, 2001, directed by Hiroshi Ando), Blue Spring (Aoi Haru, 2001, directed by Toshiaki Toyoda) and Shangri-la (Togenkyo No Hitobito, 2002, directed by Takashi Miike).

The Eiga Sai (literally, 'film festival' in Japanese) opens at the Shangri-la Plaza Mall on June 20 with light comedy, "Kamikaze Girls" (2004, 103 minutes, Color), written by Novala Takemoto and directed by Nakashima Tetsuya. It tells the story of two very different teenagers who become best friends, even though neither will admit it. J-Pop star Kyoko Fukada stars as Momoko, a 17-year-old girl so obsessed with everything rococo that she wears old-fashioned frilly white clothing and carries a parasol. After Momoko's mother leaves her small time crook husband, her young daughter grows up on the farm, 60 miles from Tokyo, with her ex Yakuza father who sells fake Versace merchandize and grandmother, a woman with an extraordinary ability to catch flies in mid air. Desperate for money, Momoko starts selling the remainder of her father's counterfeit clothing, but her only customer is a tough-talking young biker chick, Ichigo (Anna Tsuchiya), who belongs to an all-girl gang. Their lives exemplify some of the fascinating intricacies of Japanese youth culture in a feel good film with art direction creatively designed to blow your socks off. The movie garnered critical acclaim and won numerous awards in Japan and abroad.

All films will be shown with English subtitles. Screening venues are at the Cinema 3, Shangri-La Plaza Mall (June 20-26), UP Film Institute (July 2-5), and CCP Dream Theater (July 4-8). Admission is free. For detailed screening schedules and inquiries, please check the Japan Foundation, Manila website: www.jfmo.org.ph or call the JFM telephone numbers 811-6155 to 58.

Schedule

Shangri-la Plaza

June 20 (Wed)	7:00 PM	Kamikaze Girls

June 21 (Thu)	2:00 PM	Shangri-la (Togenkyo No Hitobito)
	5:00 PM	Blue Spring
	8:00 PM	Out of this World

June 22 (Fri)	2:00 PM	Hotel Hibiscus
	5:00 PM	Inochi
	8:00 PM	No One's Ark

June 23 (Sat)	2:00 PM	Blue
	5:00 PM	Kamikaze Girls
	8:00 PM	The Stars Converge

June 24 (Sun)	2:00 PM	Kamikaze Girls
	5:00 PM	Hotel Hibiscus
	8:00 PM	Blue Spring

June 25 (Mon)	2:00 PM	Blue
	5:00 PM	Inochi
	8:00 PM	Out of this World

June 26 (Tue)	2:00 PM	Shangri-la
	5:00 PM	The Stars Converge
	8:00 PM	Harmful Insect

UP Film Institute

July 2 (Mon)	2:00 PM	Shangri-la
	5:00 PM	Out of this World
	7:00 PM	Blue Spring

July 3 (Tue)	2:00 PM	Blue
	5:00 PM	Inochi
	7:00 PM	Kamikaze Girls

July 4 (Wed)	7:00 PM	Hotel Hibiscus

July 5 (Thu)	2:00 PM	Harmful Insect
	5:00 PM	No One's Ark
	7:00 PM	The Stars Converge

Cultural Center of the Philippines

July 4 (Wed)	4:00 PM	Out of this World
	7:00 PM	Blue Spring

July 5 (Thu)	4:00 PM	Blue
	7:00 PM	Shangri-la

July 6 (Fri)	4:00 PM	Inochi
	7:00 PM	Kamikaze Girls

July 7 (Sat)	4:00 PM	Harmful Insect
	7:00 PM	The Stars Converge

July 8 (Sun)	4:00 PM	No One's Ark
	7:00 PM	Hotel Hibiscus