What makes a father? Is it blood, presence, choice — or circumstance?
This June, “Fathers of Circumstances” brings together five films from Japan and the Philippines that challenge ideas of fatherhood. The screenings will take place on June 14–15 at Red Carpet Cinemas, Shangri-La Plaza, curated by Eunice Helera, a film programmer and festival coordinator.
The program, part of the Professional Development and Networking Initiative for ASEAN-Japan Film Programmers and Curators, was organized by the Japan Foundation in partnership with the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF).
The lineup features “Like Father, Like Son” (2013) by Hirokazu Kore-eda, “Dear Etranger” (2017) by Yukiko Mishima, “Close-Knit” (2017) by Naoko Ogigami, “Kinakausap ni Celso ang Diyos” (2024) by Gilb Baldoza, and “Ang Tatay Kong Nanay” (1978) by Lino Brocka.
Spanning across class, gender, and kinship, the films are said to offer a spectrum of what it means to care, provide, and stay. Kore-eda’s exploration of fatherhood from both affluent and working-class perspectives finds resonance in Baldoza’s Filipino fathers, who may lack money but never intention. In Mishima’s “Dear Etranger”, the longing to be accepted as a stepfather is quiet and piercing. In “Close-Knit” and “Ang Tatay Kong Nanay”, it is a transgender woman and a gay man who step into the role of parent—not through biology, but through pure will and love.
“This program is deeply personal,” Helera shares. “I never got to fully experience the love of my biological father, who passed three years ago. What I’ve carried since is grief, longing, and the imagination of what could have been. But I was raised by other father figures—my stepdad, who silently cheered me on since grade school. My grandfather, who filled in whenever no one else could. Two uncles, one of whom became a mentor who shaped the path I’m now walking. And a queer aunt who showed up with fierce loyalty and care.”
Screenings will be followed by talkbacks, including guest appearances and a Q&A with some of the film directors.
Tickets are priced between ₱100–₱150, with festival passes available for ₱500, granting access to all four screenings.
Organized by Japan Foundation and Elevated Frames PH, in partnership with Red Carpet Cinemas, Shangri-La Plaza, and the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
Media partners: AGIMAT.Net, SINEGANG.PH, TEAM PCHENG, MAGANDA BA MOVIE, and Butingthings.
For full program and updates, follow @japanfoundationmanila, @elevatedframesph, and @fdcpofficial on Facebook.
