Director Kiyoshi Takeuchi, JICC Research / Adviser Mr. Shinichiro Kato,
together with Prof. Roehl Jamon, Director of the UPFI, and the 8 student film makers
“Hope in Despair”
By Anna Francesca Coronel, Celina Dimaculangan, Beatrice Valenzuela
“Case to Case”
By Jacob Aaron Echague, Christopher David Mercado, Diego Roberto Torres
“Footbridge”
By James Francis Conda, Kyle Robert Paul Vergara
8 student film makers are off to Japan on November 20, 2012 to represent the Philippines in the Asian International Children's Film Festival 2012 to be held in Iwaji Island, Japan on November 24, 2012. Through the joint screening of the Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC) of the Embassy of Japan and the University of the Philippines Film Institute (UPFI), the three films to contend in the international competition are as follows:
“Hope in Despair”
Anna Francesca Coronel, Celina Dimaculangan, Beatrice Valenzuela
(St. Paul Pasig)
“Case to Case”
Jacob Aaron Echague, Christopher David Mercado, Diego Roberto Torres
(La Salle Greenhills)
“Footbridge”
James Francis Conda, Kyle Robert Paul Vergara
(San Beda College Alabang)
A pre-departure orientation was organized by the Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC) last November 16, 2012 to prepare the Philippine delegates for their 5-day stay in Japan. Through the orientation, the delegates acquired basic Japanese social customs and manner, and were instructed with the Kizuna program's terms of reference.
For the past six years, the Asian International Children Film Festival has brought together students with passion for film making. Students from Asian countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, and Myanmar are invited to take part in the competition and visit Japan, which strengthens international relations among the youth in these countries. This is the first time the Philippines took part in the film festival.
The eight finalists will be staying in Japan from November 20 to 25, 2012 , and will be competing in the international contest on November 24, 2012. They are also scheduled to visit key sites in Japan, including disaster-affected areas to witness the reconstruction efforts in the wake of the March 11 disaster last year. All expenses will be borne by the Government of Japan through the recently launched “ Youth-Exchange Project with Asia-Oceania and North America” , or the KIZUNA Project .
The “Kizuna” Project, which means “bonds”, will invite more than 10,000 youths from Asian/Oceanian regions, including 285 Filipinos, to have an opportunity to participate in specially designed programs. The project was promoted by the Japanese Diet, and will continue by the end of March 2013.
