MY father has always told me from the start that I should be content with whatever it is that I have. And that at the end of the day, no matter how tough my situation was, the blessings will always far outweigh all the issues and concerns combined.
Those words have served me in good stead. Yes, there are times, even until today, when I look over my shoulder to see what other people have. It is part of what makes us human. But for the most part, I have always been very thankful of whatever it is that has been given to me.
While the other kids in the neighborhood where playing their Nintendo Family Computer, I was content with reading Funny Komiks. When they were having fun with their remote-controlled cars, I was happy playing with Matchbox cars in our living room. When they had their Voltes V toy, I was playing Millionaires Game with imaginary friends.
Then there was this whole thing in high school when everyone were strutting out the latest fashion trends, from bags, shoes, jackets, watches and those top 40 T-shirts. I remember how the in-crowd in school was like and how they would get to be invited to parties and all sort of activities outside school.
In college, the lure of the malls, food trips, out of town trip and being fashionably hip was more present. I love the malls back then and was happy to tag along. But it was just window-shopping for me. As for the food and the trips, I knew back then that there would be a time when I will get to taste and experience them a bit.
Here is the thing. My parents worked for the government their whole career. Their salaries were meager. It was hardly enough to make ends meet. It only afforded us simple pleasures. But you know what? At the end of the day, they made an honest living.
The way for me to repay them was to do good in my studies and follow their example—earn an honest pay for an honest work.
That was not necessarily the case with Rie Miyazawa’s character Rika Umezawa in the Daihachi Yoshida-directed 2014 Japanese movie Pale Moon.
The Japan Foundation Manila screened the movie recently as it announced the holding of the 20th installment of Eigasai—the annual Japanese film festival in the country held July every year during the celebration of the Japan-Philippine Friendship Month.
In the movie, Rie, a housewife who finds work as full time staff in Wakaba Bank, carries with her an urge to purchase expensive items for her, at first using her credit card.
Once she familiarized herself with ins and outs of their bank’s operations and after establishing close rapport with some of their clients, she eventually became more daring in how she embezzled bank deposits. It also did not help her cause that she started an affair with a younger man.
So, let me see. There was the use of credit card, shopping addiction, dishonesty and corruption at work and an illicit affair. Sounds like the perfect ingredients for living life on the edge and, eventually, falling off a cliff.
As a friend of mine would tell me before, a credit card is really a jail card in disguise, while living beyond your means would only lead to a long miserable life. And, for me, there is just no way for a sensible person to trade his integrity at work and at home for short time pleasures.
Kudos to Japan Foundation Manila for previewing the movie ahead of the film festival, which will open on July 7. It was so good, I could not help but feel a whole range of emotions while watching.
The movie has already earned multiple awards from film festivals in Japan, Italy, and Australia including the best actress award at the Tokyo International Film Festival.
As Japan Foundation Manila Director Hiroaki Uesugi told me Japanese movies are very much different from Hollywood movies, as they are quiet and moving calmly.
Uesugi then said Japanese movies are heartwarming and always emphasizes love of family. He said these are the same traits that movie fans will see in this year’s edition of Eigasai.
Uesugi believes Japanese movies are now an emerging force and ready to gain a wider audience.
On top of my head, I can think of a few Japanese movies which Hollywood has used as reference or recreated. There was Seven Samurai, which was remade into the western movie The Magnificent Seven. There was The Ring trilogy, which Hollywood remade. There was also a remake of the Japanese movie Shall We Dance.
Look, I have mentioned it before and I am going to say it again, there are a lot of quality movies out there outside of Hollywood. I just wish that local cinemas, which are now really primarily monopolized by a few families, would screen these movies.
I believe that Filipinos are ready for them. And if theater owners are concerned with their financial bottom line, I say it will not be affected. We are thirsting for movies that offer a different approach to what Hollywood offers.
As Uesugi explained himself—movies are the easiest and most accessible way for the public to understand different cultures. That could not be farther from the truth.
Over the past 20 years Eigasai has grown to become one of the largest and most popular film festivals in the country showcasing a wide range of Japanese movies, including the ever-popular animes.
Last year alone audiences trooping to watch the Japanese film festival reached over 20,000 during the 66 screenings of 11 films.
This year Japan Foundation Manila is upping the ante with Japan and the Philippines celebrating its 60th anniversary and the foundation its 20th year in the country.
There will be 12 films that will have 83 screening schedules not just in Shangri-La Plaza Mall, which has been the festival’s home for 17 of its 20 years. There will also be screenings at the Cultural Center of the Philippines; University of the Philippines in Quezon City and Manila; Film Development Council of the Philippines Cinematheque in Baguio City and Davao City; Abreeza Mall in Davao; Ayala Center in Cebu; and SM City in Baguio.
There will also be separate Director Talk sessions with Masato Harada, Hiroshi Shoji and Yuya Ishii.
If Pale Moon is any indication, I just cannot wait for Eigasai to start.