RAd music blog

Friday, January 26, 2024

Pasinaya Feature: Art as Food for the Soul

Pasinaya 2023 Technical Crew

For veteran stage managers Renz Sevilla, Ching Danseco, Roldan Espino, and Richard Eusebio, working on the stage management of Pasinaya: The CCP Open House Festival does not only bring joy to their lives, but it satisfies their soul and sustains it as well.

“Through time, magiging panata ‘yan. You have to be here because you have to pay back for all the good things na binigay [sa amin] ng Sentro,” said seasoned stage manager and designer Sevilla, who works as a carpenter and farmer when he’s not doing production work.

Eusebio, who was also a former folk dancer, currently works in a cruise ship but always makes sure to volunteer in Pasinaya every time he comes home.

Espino, meanwhile, finds joy in working in Pasinaya. A full-time fireman, he started his Pasinaya journey in 2017 and never stopped since then. He also does stage work in various CCP events through the years. “Basta bukal sa puso mo at masaya ka sa ginagawa mo, ipagpatuloy mo lang.”

Pasinaya 2023 Opening Ceremony

Danseco reminisced of how they volunteered to do Pasinaya, with just shirts as payment. “Walang bayad noon – t-shirt lang. Ngayon, kahit kaunti meron na kaming natatanggap. Pero hindi pera ‘yung naging driving force para sumali kami sa Pasinaya. Kasi it’s food for the soul of the stage manager,” enthused Danseco who is a former folk dancer.

As Sevilla and his fellow veteran stage managers saw this as a stepping stone for their credentials to flourish, they did not mind the lack of monetary compensation.

“Sa simula, pumasok kami ng Pasinaya for the experience, for the feel kung ano bang nangyayari sa Pasinaya. As years go by, gaya ng pag dumating ka na sa ganitong edad, having served years working in Pasinaya, magkakaroon ka na ng sense of devotion,” said Sevilla.

As stage managers, they handle more or less everything. May it be in the creative or technical department, they oversee sets, props, lights, and sound; while calling all technical cues during performances. With the many hats they wear, the challenges they face as stage managers only serve to keep their passion for their work burning.

Video Editor Ian Wong, Deputy Festival Director Ariel Yonzon, and the production crew

“Hindi mo mararamdaman ‘yung pagod, talagang mag-eenjoy ka kahit na kulang ka sa tulog at pagod,” said Espino.

Danseco sees this as an eye-opener for the young volunteers. “It’s an experience, yes, but it is also a huge challenge and a huge responsibility, lalo na dahil marami kang hawak na performing groups,” he said.

In 2023, there was a grand total of 150 shows which featured more than 3,000 artists from different art fields. As an open house festival, Pasinaya welcomes people from all walks of life to foster art appreciation not only through countless performances, screenings, and other art activities, but also through 30-minute workshops in various art disciplines conducted by leading artists, resource persons, and teachers.

“Para ka na ring nag-aral in two days,” said Sevilla, who encourages future Pasinaya attendees to watch all the shows and join all the workshops they can. “Ang dami mong matututunan, ang dami mong mae-experience, ang dami mong inspiration na makukuha out of the things you see in Pasinaya.”

Stage Manager Ching Danseco

Since 2005, the Pasinaya has become a safe space for artists and cultural groups to showcase their talents while being a nurturing platform for art education and appreciation for the audiences through interactions and performances.

Pasinaya boasts of over a hundred free shows, workshops, and other activities in music, theater, dance, visual arts, film, and literature to choose from. It is also widely known to pool hundreds of volunteer artists, stagehands, technical crew, and other cultural workers to make the entire festival possible.

This year, for the first time ever, the country’s biggest multi-arts festival will go beyond the capital city and spread its wings to Visayas and Mindanao on February 3 and 4, 2024.

“It’s a great opportunity for a family to gather together kasi hindi lang siya nagka-cater sa bata, sa matanda, o sa magulang – lahat kina-cater niya,” said Danseco.

Stage Manager Renz Sevilla

Eusebio hopes for more young volunteers to try stage management since the vocation also champions the Philippines and its cultures. “Kailangang marami pa tayong maproduce na stage managers – hindi para mag-abroad, kundi para mabigyan natin ng daan ang local artists natin para umunlad.”

Following the theme “Sulong,” the country’s largest multi-arts festival returns on a grander scale with more artistic and cultural offerings in its 20th year. Pasinaya will simultaneously happen at the CCP Complex and its partner museums, the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Arts in Iloilo City, and Tagum City, Davao del Norte on February 3 and 4, 2024, moving forward to promote art as food for everyone’s soul.

18th Spring Film Festival opens at the Shang

18th Spring Film Festival organizers

With the lion and dragon dancers moved to the vigorous beating of the drums and cymbals, the 18th Spring Film Festival formally opened at the Shangri-La Plaza Mall marking the start of the foreign language film festival this year.

Presented by the Ateneo de Manila University Ricardo Leong Center for Chinese Studies, the Ateneo Celadon, the Film Development Council of the Philippines, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, and the Shangri-La Plaza, the Spring Film Festival is usually held to coincide with the Chinese Lunar New Year. No one seemed to mind that it was held earlier than usual this year.

Joshe Calvin Tiu

Prior to the screening of the opening film, a program was held at the Shang's Grand Atrium that featured performances by saxophonist Joshe Calvin Tiu, dancer Qiu Ting Cai, and the Philippine Tong Sun Dragon and Lion Dance Group.

There were some late changes to the program with The Captain replacing Full River Red, which was announced at the press preview to have a one time, exclusive screening to open the festival. The film Looking Up was also dropped from the lineup as well.

Qiu Ting Cai

Overall, there are still four films left, The Bravest, Legend of the Demon Cat, White Snake, and the aforementioned The Captain. This somehow makes it easier for a dedicated viewer to see the entire selection this year.

RAd Views: The Captain

Directed by Andrew Lau, The Captain is loosely based on the Sichuan Airlines Flight 8633 incident back in May 2018. While flying over the Tibetan plateau, the aircraft's windshield shatters and Captain Liu Chuanjian (Zhang Hanyu), his co-pilots, and the rest of the flight's crew pull out all the stops to achieve what has been dubbed as probably the greatest miracle in aviation history.

With the support of the Civil Aviation Association of China, the film gives a glance on the inner workings of a flight, from the meticulous checks done prior to take-off to the protocols to be followed after an emergency landing. All the technical stuff shown in the film can easily entice one to pursue a career in the aviation industry despite the main plot.

While the action is tense once the disaster strikes, the paper thin characters leave a lot to be desired. Zhang Hanyu's Captain Liu Chuanjian is always cool asa cucumber. And his extreme stoicism is further amplified by the childish antics of his co-pilots played by Oho Ou and Du Jiang. The female flight attendants are barely distinguishable from each other aside from Chief Purser portrayed by Yuan Quan who displayed steely resolve amidst the panicking passengers.

The Captain is one popcorn flick that may take viewers for a bumpy ride. But it will not leave one at the edge of his seat fearful for the characters considering that the miracle in all of this is that the plane landed without any casualties.

The 18th Spring Film Festival screenings is ongoing at the Red Carpet Cinema at the Shangri-La Plaza until January 30, 2024.

Thursday, January 25, 2024

A trip down anime memory lane at the Japanese Film Festival 2024

Movies based on manga/anime series Slam Dunk and Detective Conan lead a nostalgic trip down memory lane at the Japanese Film Festival 2024 that is set to have its opening run on February 1-11, 2024 at the Red Carpet Cinema, Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

Adding to the sense of nostalgia are two Voltes V theatrical releases in the JFF lineup namely Voltes V: Legacy, screened in cinemas last year prior to the television broadcast of the live action series and Voltes V: Liberation, a theatrical cut of the last four episodes that were unaired during the animated series' original run in the Philippines back in the late 1970s.

Voltes V: Legacy Director Mark Reyes & JFF Festival Director Tanaka Yojiro

Apart from the films based on properties from the 1970s (Voltes V) and 1990s (Slam Dunk, Detective Conan), the JFF also features contemporary films from various genres ranging from romance, comedy, drama, and more.

Another highlight of the JFF to watch out for is director Iizuka Kasho and actor Horike Kazuki gracing the screening of their film Angry Son on February 3, 2024 with a Q&A session happening afterwards.

Limited edition Beep cards, a huge hit last year, will also make their return via a rewards system similar to those offered by coffee chains during the holiday season.

Here is a detailed look on the films of the Japanese Film Festival 2024.

And Yet You are So Sweet | なのに、千輝くんが甘すぎる (2023)

Director: Shinjyo Takehiko

Cast: Takahashi Kyohei, Hata Mei

One-sided love has never felt so good!

KISARAGI Maaya is in her second year of high school, and has just been completely rejected by her crush. Heartbroken and mortified, she vows out loud to “never confess to someone ever again”… only to realise later that her high school’s heartthrob CHIGIRA Sui is within earshot! Upon hearing Maaya’s weeping, CHIGIRA proposes a strange solution to heal her heartbreak – that she pretends to have a crush on him instead. When CHIGIRA starts treating Maaya sweetly, it isn’t hard for her to keep up pretences in this strictly one-sided love game… but as the pair grow closer, Maaya’s feelings for CHIGIRA become undeniable. What will become of their “pretend crush”now?

Angry Son | 世界は僕らに気づかない (2022)

©LesPros entertaiment

Director: Iizuka Kasho

Cast: Horike Kazuki, Gow, Shinohara Masafumi, Murayama Tomoka, Iwaya Kenji

Jungo (18), a high school student living in Ota City, Gunma Prefecture, has a Filipino mother who works at a Filipina hostess bar. His mother has never told him about his father, and the only connection he has to his father is the monthly child support payments. Jungo is homosexual and has a boyfriend, Yusuke (18). Even though Yusuke wanted to form a partnership with him, he was reluctant to do so because of his background. One day, her mother, Reina (41), brings her boyfriend home, saying she wants to remarry with him. Jungo doesn‘t want to live with a stranger, so he decides to find his real father.

Detective Conan The Movie: The Private Eyes' Requiem | 名探偵コナン　探偵たちの鎮魂歌 (2006)

Based on the original graphic novel " Meitantei Conan"
by Gosho Aoyama, published by Shogakukan Inc.
©2006 GOSHO AOYAMA/SHOGAKUKAN
YTV • NTV • ShoPro • TOHO • TMS All Rights Reserved

Director: Yamamoto Yasuichiro

Cast: Takayama Minami, Kamiya Akira, Horikawa Ryo

Detective Conan faces his worst crisis yet in this 10th anniversary feature film! Someone has figured out Conan’s real identity as Shinichi Kudo. Worse, he’s taken Conan’s friends hostage; in 12 hours, a bomb will kill them all. Can Conan solve the case, save his friends and keep his secret identity?

Detective Conan The Movie: The Time-Bombed Skyscraper | 名探偵コナン時計じかけの摩天楼 (1997)

Based on the original graphic novel "Meitantei Conan"
by Gosho Aoyama, published by Shogakukan Inc.
©1997 GOSHO AOYAMA/SHOGAKUKAN
YTV • UNIVERSAL MUSIC • ShoPro
TMS All Rights Reserved

Director: Kodama Kenji

Cast: Takayama Minami, Yamaguchi Kappei, Yamazaki Wakana

Shinichi used to be a high school detective until a dark organization turned him into a little boy. Now called Conan, he can’t reveal himself… not even when a bomber kidnaps his girlfriend! Time is ticking, there’s a wall between them, and Conan only has his phone. The heart-stopping first movie!

The Father of the Milky Railroad | 銀河鉄道の父 (2022)

Director: Narushima Izuru

Cast: Yakusho Koji, Suda Masaki, Mori Nana, Toyoda Yudai, Sakai Maki, Tanaka Min

The story of one of Japan’s most beloved authors and the father who always believed in him Directed by NARUSHIMA Izuru, this powerful biopic details the life of legendary poet and novelist MIYAZAWA Kenji, one of Japan’s most beloved children’s authors. As the eldest son of Masajiro, a wealthy pawnbroker, Kenji was raised with the expectation that he would one day inherit the family business. However, the free-spirited Kenji is determined to walk his own path in life, and takes it upon himself to pursue agricultural studies, synthetic gemstones and other eccentric ventures, despite his father’s bewilderment. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, this incredible story depicts the power of family and unconditional love that endures through times of hardship.

The First Slam Dunk (2022)

©I.T. PLANNING, INC. ©The FIRST SLAM DUNK Film Partners

Director: Inoue Takehiko

Cast: Nakamura Shugo, Kasama Jun, Kamio Shinichiro, Kimura Subaru, Miyake Kenta

Shohoku’s “speedster” and point guard, Ryota Miyagi, always plays with brains and lightning speed, running circles around his opponents while feigning composure.

Born and raised in Okinawa, Ryota had a brother who was three years older. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, who was a famous local player from a young age, Ryota also became addicted to basketball.

In his second year of high school, Ryota plays with the Shohoku High School basketball team along with Sakuragi, Rukawa, Akagi, and Mitsui as they take the stage at the Inter-High School National Championship.

And now, they are on the brink of challenging the reigning champions, Sannoh Kogyo High School.

Gold Kingdom and Water Kingdom | 金の国水の国 (2023)

Director: Watanabe Kotono

Cast: Kaku Kento, Hamabe Minami, Kamiya Hiroshi, Ginga Banjyo

Cats and dogs, deserts and trees: will these kingdoms ever get along?

Glistening with gold and water beneath the same sun, Alhamit and Baikari are two warring kingdoms that have come to a diplomatic agreement: Alhamit will gift their most beautiful woman and Baikari their cleverest man, to wed the nations into peace. But apparently they are too stubborn to even honour such a simple deal, and trouble sparks when a dog and cat arrive in place of the promised bride and groom! In a strange twist of fate however, Princess Sarah of Alhamit and Naranbayar of Baikari meet in the forest by chance, without realising who the other is…

A Man | ある男 (2022)

Director: Ishikawa Kei

Cast: Tsumabuki Satoshi, Ando Sakura, Kubota Masataka

Does the truth really set you free?

Over four blissful years, Rie and her son shared a loving new life with her second husband, Daisuke. His sudden accidental death brings not only grief, but an unnerving discovery for the widow: the man she thought she knew was posing under someone else’s identity. In a startling dual narrative, the mystery around Mr. X unfolds beneath the hands of KIDO, the attorney handling the case. Prefaced by René Magritte’s surrealist painting Not to be Reproduced, this thought-provoking film is a vital addition to a growing genre of Japanese cinema that interrogates fragile morals permeating contemporary society.

Mondays: See You "This" Week! | このタイムループ、上司に気づかせないと終わらない (2022)

©CHOCOLATE Inc.

Director: Takebayashi Ryo

Cast: Marui Wan, Makita Sports, Osamura Koki, Mikawa Yugo, Takano Haruki

Manic Monday takes on a whole new meaning!

Working over night with colleagues, a head injury from a traffic accident, constant sleepiness on the job and a bird slamming itself into the office window… on top of a pressing deadline at her advertising job, YOSHIKAWA is having the worst week ever. As if her headache wasn’t bad enough, her coworkers ENDO and MURATA are going mad and claim the entire office is stuck in a time loop… but after a few rounds of reliving the same mundane Monday, YOSHIKAWA soon realises they’re telling the truth. Now the teammates must work together, enlighten their oblivious colleagues and find a way to end this endless Monday!

Not Quite Dead Yet | 一度死んでみた (2020)

Director: Hamasako Shinji

Cast: Hirose Suzu, Yoshizawa Ryo, Tsutsumi Shinichi

Angst-ridden college student, Nanase Nobata, lives with her father, Hakaru, president of the Nobata Pharmaceutical Company, resentful of his constant nagging about her life, and for being so absorbed in his work that he failed to be at her mother’s deathbed. Exhorting him daily to “Drop dead (once)!”, Hakaru finally does drop dead one day while developing a revolutionary “reverse aging” drug. Hakaru’s team had accidentally discovered a drug that causes temporary death, followed by full recovery in 2 days. Hakaru had been persuaded to take the drug in an attempt to expose a corporate spy planted in his company by a rival firm looking to merge with Nobata and capitalize on the anti-aging formula. When Hakaru drops dead, it sets the company in an uproar as his will names Nanase as the new president. A bewildered and distraught Nanase had no inkling of her father’s death, but can see his ghost hanging around watching. She soon learns the truth about her father’s condition and the spy from Matsuoka, a young employee so unremarkably invisible to others that he’s nicknamed “Ghost.” Together with “Ghost Matsuoka” and the actual ghost of Hakaru, Nanase endeavors to prevent her father’s enemies from prematurely cremating his body before the drug can wear off and allow him to revive.

Tokyo Story | 東京物語 (1953)

Director: Ozu Yasujiro

Cast: Ryu Chishu, Higashiyama Chieko, Yamamura So

Shukichi and Tomi set off on a trip to Tokyo, where two of their grown-up children live. The elderly couple have spent most of their lives in the small coastal town of Onomichi in Hiroshima, and hope their visit will be a memorable experience to cherish for the rest of their lives. However, once they arrive in the bustling metropolis, their eldest son and daughter prioritize maintaining their own lifestyles over spending quality time with their parents. Despite an initially amiable reception, Shukichi and Tomi sense an absence of sincere warmth, which makes them feel unwelcome and disappointed. They cut their stay short and return home. Before long, the son and daughter in Tokyo receive a telegram from their young sister Kyoko (Kyoko Kagawa) in Onomichi, informing them that their mother is critically ill.

Voltes V: Legacy - The Cinematic Experience (2023)

Director: Marciano Reyes V

Cast: Miguel Tanfelix, Ysabel Ortega, Radson Flores, Raphael Landicho, Matt Lozano, Martin Del Rosario

Based on the popular 70’s Japanese anime, Voltes V: Legacy follows the story of three brothers, Steve, Big Bert, and Little Jon Armstrong. Together with their friends, Jamie Robinson and Mark Gordon, they pilot five vehicles that form the Ultra Electromagnetic Voltes V Super Robot and defend the Earth from the invading forces of the Boazanian Empire and their Beast Fighters.

Voltes V: The Liberation (1977-1978)

Director: Nagahama Tadao

In the climactic conclusion of “Voltes V,” the Voltes Team faces Prince Zardoz and his devastating weapon in a desperate gambit to overcome the overwhelming threat, putting their skills and the Volt Machines to the ultimate test. The showdown unfolds as they embark on a perilous mission. Emotions running high, the team combines the Volt Machines to form the Ultra Magnetic Voltes V robot to deliver a decisive blow against the Boazanian forces and Emperor Zambojil’s ambition of inter-galactic conquest.

We Made a Beautiful Bouquet | 花束みたいな恋をした (2021)

Director: Doi Nobuhiro

Cast: Suda Masaki, Arimura Kasumi

Petals of young love on an upstream current

The last train at midnight leaves a group of stragglers stranded at the station, who opt for a bar rather than paying for a taxi home. Among them are twenty-two-year-olds Mugi and Kinu, whose curiosity for one another is fated to have a lasting and more intricate outcome than initially expected. Caught in the period of youth when many enter the gruelling Japanese workforce, the pair live under the pressure of maintaining an income without compromising their creative passions. Patient and bittersweet, this romance chronicles the fleeting lifespan of love, as Mugi and Kinu reckon with the hard realities of societal life imposing on their relationship and senses of self.

Here is the schedule of the public screenings at the Shang's Red Carpet Cinema.*

February 2, 2024

1:00 PM Gold Kingdom and Water Kingdom

4:00 PM We Made a Beautiful Bouquet

7:00 PM Tokyo Story

February 3, 2024

12:00 PM Detective Conan The Movie: The Time-Bombed Skyscraper

2:10 PM And Yet You are So Sweet

4:20 PM Not Quite Dead Yet

6:00 PM Angry Son

February 4, 2024

12:30 PM Gold Kingdom and Water Kingdom

3:00 PM The First Slam Dunk

5:35 PM Detective Conan The Movie: The Private Eyes' Requiem

8:00 PM Not Quite Dead Yet

February 5, 2024

4:00 PM And Yet You are so Sweet

7:00 PM Mondays: See You "This" Week!

February 6, 2024

4:00 PM We Made a Beautiful Bouquet

7:00 PM The Father of the Milky Way Railroad

February 7, 2024

1:00 PM Not Quite Dead Yet

4:00 PM Mondays: See You "This" Week!

7:00 PM Angry Son

February 8, 2024

1:00 PM And Yet You are so Sweet

4:00 PM We Made a Beautiful Bouquet

7:00 PM Tokyo Story

February 9, 2024

1:00 PM The Father of the Milky Way Railroad

4:00 PM Angry Son

7:00 PM A Man

February 10, 2024

12:30 PM Detective Conan The Movie: The Time-Bombed Skyscraper

2:40 PM Gold Kingdom and Water Kingdom

5:10 PM The First Slam Dunk

7:45 PM Voltes V: Legacy

February 11, 2024

12:30 PM Detective Conan The Movie: The Private Eyes' Requiem

2:55 PM The First Slam Dunk

5:30 PM A Man

8:10 PM Voltes V: The Liberation

*Film lineup and schedule are subject to change

After the Shang's Red Carpet Cinema run, the festival will screen at the following venues.

SM Seaside City Cebu February 16-25, 2024

SM City Baguio February 23-March 3, 2024

SM City Iloilo February 23-March 3, 2024

SM City Davao February 23-March 3, 2024

UPFI Film Center February 22-March 2, 2024

The Japanese Film Festival 2024 is presented by the Japan Foundation, Manila and is also supported by the Film Development Council of the Philippines, JT International (Philippines) Inc., and the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines.

Alice Reyes' Rama, Hari set to return this February

Take a journey back to Mithila as Alice Reyes' Rama, Hari returns, due to popular demand, this February 16-18, 23-25, 2024 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit, Makati.

Photo ©Geo Yu

Presented by the Cultural Center of the Philippines and Alice Reyes Dance Philippines, this quintessential Filipino Rock Opera Ballet boasts the collaborative works of five National Artists namely Alice Reyes for direction and choreography, Ryan Cayabyab for music, Bienvenido Lumbera for lyrics/libretto, Salvador Bernal for costume and set design, and Rolando Tinio for the English translation of the lyrics.

Also returning are some of Philippine theater's most promising artists reprising their singing roles led by Arman Ferrer and Vien King alternating as Rama, and the trio of Karylle Tatlonghari, Shiela Valderrama-Martinez, and Nica Tupas alternating as Sita. Poppert Bernadas, Jonel Mojica, Miah Canton, Raflesia Bravo, Katrine Sunga, Paw Castillo, Jon Abella, and Audie Gemora also return while Marynor Madamesila joins the cast for this run.

Also reprising their dancing roles are ARDP's Richardson Yadao and Ejay Arisola alternating as Rama and Monica Gana and Katrene San Miguel alternating as Sita.

ARDP company members with featured roles include Ricmar Bayoneta, Erl Sorilla, Renzen Arboleda, Sarah Alejandro, Krislynne Buri, Lester Reguindin, John Ababon, Karla Santos, Michaella Carreon, and Dan Dayo.

For this 2024 run, all performances will have live music by the Orchestra of the Filipino Youth with Toma Cayabyab conducting.

Apart from Rama, Hari, the 2024 Dance Season of Alice Reyes Dance Philippines also includes productions of Mga Kuwento ni Juan Tamad, Gomburza, Tales of the Manuvu in June; Carmina Burana in September; and Puso ng Pasko in November-December.