3 Filipino films to compete, 6 more to be screened at Osaka Film Fest

"Heneral Luna" director Jerrold Tarog is making waves again, this time in Japan at the Osaka Asian Film Festival 2017. Tarog's "Bliss" will be competing alongside fellow Philippine entries "Kita Kita," directed by Sigrid Andrea Bernardo, and "Tisay", directed by Borgy Torre.

It will be the world premiere for "Bliss" and "Kita Kita" and the international premiere for "Tisay."

"Bliss" follows the misfortune that befalls Jane Ciego (Iza Calzado), an aging actress who decides to produce her own movie. An accident during production leaves her crippled and the world suddenly shrinks.

In "Kita Kita", Alessandra De Rossi and Empoy Marquez star as a pair of Filipino workers in Sapporo, Japan. De Rossi's character Lea suffers an injury that leaves her blind and Marquez's character Tonyo comes to her aid. A bond forms between the two, which could be put to the test once Lea regains her sight.

"Tisay" focuses on a fair-skinned woman who works as a collector for a gambling lord.

The films will be competing against "10,000" (Japan), "29+1" (Hong Kong), "77 Heartbreaks" (Hong Kong), "By the Time it Gets Dark" (Thailand), "Come Together" (Korea), "Interchange" (Malaysia, Indonesia), "Mad World" (Hong Kong), "One Day" (Thailand), "Revelations" (India), "Sisterhood" (Macau, Hong Kong), "Something Blue" (China), "Soul Mate" (Hong Kong, China), and "Yamato (California)" (Japan).

Also in the lineup are "Apocalypse Child" by Mario Cornejo, "Baka Bukas" by Samantha Lee, "Birdshot" by Mikhail Red, "Patintero: Ang Alamat ni Meng Patalo" by Mihk Vergara, "Singing in Graveyards" by Bradley Liew, and "Saving Sally" by Avid Liongoren.

"Apocalypse Child", "Patintero: Ang Alamat ni Meng Patalo", and "Saving Sally" have each received critical acclaim locally. "Singing in Graveyards" premiered at the Venice International Critics' Week. — Aya Tantiangco/BM, GMA News