Local Expert
Knox Balbastro
Having grown up outside the Philippines, Knox was raised on a diet of Macaulay Culkin movies, Barbie dreams, and the sounds of MTV. When she returned to the Philippines during her teens, she began to…
Having grown up outside the Philippines, Knox was raised on a diet of Macaulay Culkin movies, Barbie dreams, and the sounds of MTV. When she returned to the Philippines during her teens, she began to seek out a distinctly Pinoy culture. So far, she loves what she’s seeing. Manila for her is a fertile ground for art, music, fashion, and fun. Living in a little known, third world country definitely has its perks. Adventures are affordable and discovery doesn’t come in the usual package.
Her best advice for travellers new to the Philippines is to go out on the streets where faces, traffic, and landscape can create a collage of experiences that’s gritty and real.
Knox is a 24 year-old dreamer who also happens to be an advertising copywriter. She loves to travel and dreams of bag packing throughout the entire Philippine Archipelago. She hopes that through this blog, people all over the world will find a reason to drop by.
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This Week in Manila: Eiga Sai
Japanese culture is the furthest thing from Filipino culture. Whereas Japan as a country stands for innovation, the Philippines is all about keeping in with tradition, intentionally or not. The Japanese are ambitious, disciplined, and sometimes severe, while Filipinos are laidback, warm, and at times too accommodating. A life in Japan is fast-paced as the culture is focused on experimentation and advancing ideas. Filipino culture is slow as it centered on living the happy moments to the fullest.
Cultures at such opposing ends of the spectrum will tend to clash and true to form, the two have had their share of bad blood- namely, the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during World War II. However, we should try to get past that and learn form each other. There are plenty of the two countries can share and celebrate now. Why don’t we start with the Philippines-Japan Friendship Month this July.
I’m all for friendship especially, when that friendship entails free movies. Let’s welcome the Eiga Sai or the annual Japanese Film Festival! According to the Japan Foundation director, Ben Suzuki, they have an exciting line-up of films this year. The headliner being, “We Shall Overcome Someday”, a story about the cultural and ethnic differences between Korean and Japanese high-school students in the 60s. According to Mr. Suzuki, “ " If you can endure watching the violence, it’s like a Korean-Japanese West Side Story”. Sounds promising.
I’m definitely going to try to catch that, especially since it was rated the best Japanese film of 2005. But what I’m really looking forward to are the J-Pop Anime Matsuri, made up of three animated favorites: “Chibi Maruko Chan”, “Doraemon”, and “The Girl Who Leapt through Time”. The first is based on a Japanese comic that portrays the pedestrian, everyday life of a third-grader. “Doraemon” is the time-travelling feline robot from the future. “The Girl Who Leapt through Time”, is a film I’ve seen already and it’s one of the most emotionally layered two-dimensional cartoons ever. It deals with first love in the midst of time travel. It has a storyline that touches, any age, and more importantly any race. So here’s to discovering more films like that this year. Kampai to Eiga Sai!
For detailed screening schedules and inquiries, please check the Japan Foundation, Manila website: www.jfmo.org.ph or call the JFM telephone numbers 811-6155 to 58.
(Did I mention? All screenings are FREE at the Shangri-la Cinemas!)