Japanese Film Festival 2025 opens in Baguio September 26

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The Japanese Film Festival (JFF) 2025 will open in Baguio City on September 26, marking the start of its nationwide run across Philippine theaters.

Screenings at SM City Baguio will run until October 5, with admission free for all audiences.

The festival will then continue to other regions: Cebu (October 3-13 at SM City Cebu), Davao (October 10-19 at SM Lanang), and Angeles (October 17-26 at SM City Clark).

In Manila, screenings will take place at the UP Film Institute and SM City Manila (October 17-26).

Now on its 28th year, JFF has become one of the country’s most anticipated cultural events, drawing around 40,000 attendees annually.

Organized by The Japan Foundation, Manila, it is considered the largest Japanese film festival in the world.

This year’s theme, “Bridg(e)ing,” reflects stories that connect past and future, humans and technology, and personal journeys with shared community experiences.

The 2025 lineup includes 12 films spanning genres and generations.

The festival opens with the 4K remaster of Shunji Iwai’s Love Letter (1995), paired with 18×2 Beyond Youthful Days (2024).

Other highlights include Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai (1956), *Ghost in the Shell (1995)**, Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away (2001), and new releases such as A Samurai in Time (2024), Cells at Work! (2024 live-action adaptation), and Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom (2024).

Expanding beyond cinemas, JFF Special Screenings @ Universities will be held in November at select institutions across the Visayas and Mindanao.

JFF 2025 is presented with support from the Film Development Council of the Philippines, JTI Philippines, Theo & Philo Artisan Chocolates, and the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines.