Japan-set Filipino drama tackles the realities of healing from grief
THIS YEAR, Jaime Pacena III’s Kono Basho, an entry to the 20th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, is aiming to present the possibilities of connection born from loss — be it that of a family member or of a whole community.
The film, set in the tsunami-stricken city of Rikuzentakata in Japan, is centered on two estranged half-sisters, Filipino anthropologist Ella and Japanese painter Reina, who reunite at their father’s funeral. The two end up forging a bond to heal their personal wounds.
Having an artist residency in Rikuzentakata for months at a time allowed for immersion with an admirable community — one that rose from the 2011 disaster in Japan through heroic rebuilding efforts, said Mr. Pacena, a visual artist whose work spans a wide range of media.
The history and daily life of the people ultimately inspired him to make his feature film debut, he told BusinessWorld in a Zoom interview on July 31. “As an artist I explore different materials and techniques, always documenting the things around me. What I captured [there] inspired me,” he said.
Fellow Filipinos and famed directors Dan Villegas and Antoinette Jadaone showed interest in Mr. Pacena’s idea for Kono Basho back in 2019. Their production company, Project 8 Projects, produced the film along with Mentorque Productions in 2023.
Mr. Pacena added that, with their guidance, he got to harness 13 years’ worth of archival photographs and videos into important themes in the film.
“I also saw that Japan and the Philippines are sisters as well, like the two characters Ella and Reina who have an estrangement. Seeing it that way helped me,” he said.
Actresses Gabby Padilla (known for her recent outstanding role in Gitling) and Arisa Nakano (coming from the acclaimed Perfect Days) took on the challenge of showing a complex, subdued sibling relationship.
For Ms. Padilla, being a sister and having lost their father years ago helped her relate to her character, though she pointed out that Kono Basho explores grief, distance, and an unlikely connection with such restraint.
“I think I find this story about siblings interesting and fascinating, especially in terms of the roles they play and the people they become,” she said in the Zoom interview.
“A lot of the inspiration I drew from are my own experiences. That’s why Ella is memorable and relatable in that she felt displaced, like she doesn’t belong. I feel like the best characters are the ones I see myself in.”
Mr. Pacena revealed that, with the work the two actresses have put in to convey the soul of Kono Basho, he hopes the audiences will not see it as just another beautiful, Japan-situated film.
“All parts and locations are carefully thought of. They all have significance to the 2011 tsunami, and to the characters who find solace and connection,” he explained. “I’m used to things that are not moving, like paintings, so the scenes are made in a way that you can contemplate about it.”
Despite having Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s humanist dramas Monster and Our Little Sister as major influences, the film’s narrative is ultimately a very Filipino one, the director said.
“I like to make sure that what I do communicates authenticity. It just so happens that the story is set in Japan, but it is still a story about Filipinos.”
Kono Basho opens on Aug. 3 at Ayala Malls Manila Bay as an official Cinemalaya feature-length entry.
The Cinemalaya 2024 film festival will have 10 full-length and 10 short films in competition. The festival will run from Aug. 2 to 11 at Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque City. Counting the other exhibition films, retrospectives, and premieres, the festival’s lineup this year totals 200 films. For more details including the screening schedules, visit the CCP and Cinemalaya websites and social media pages. — Brontë H. Lacsamana