Japanese cinema is set to take over cinemas across the Philippines as the Japanese Film Festival (JFF) 2026 returns from October 1 to November 29, bringing 16 films to eight venues in six cities.
This year’s festival carries the theme “Shared Treasure. Shared Stories,” highlighting stories, traditions and experiences that connect Japanese and Filipino audiences across generations. The 2026 edition also marks the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Japan, as well as the 30th anniversary of the Japan Foundation, Manila.
The festival opens at SM Megamall from October 1 to 4 before moving to SM Baguio from October 9 to 18. From October 16 to 25, screenings will take place simultaneously at SM Manila and SM Cebu, followed by SM Iloilo from November 6 to 15 and SM Lanang in Davao from November 13 to 22. The festival concludes at SM North EDSA and SM CDO Downtown from November 20 to 29.
Opening the 2026 program is KOKUHO, directed by Lee Sang-il. Set within the demanding world of Kabuki, the film follows a young man whose life becomes intertwined with the traditional Japanese performing arts as he navigates ambition, friendship, rivalry, family and sacrifice. The film received several honors at the 49th Japan Academy Film Prize, including Picture of the Year.
The lineup spans contemporary Japanese films, restored classics, animation and cinematic presentations of traditional theatre. Among the highlights are Yamada Yoji’s TOKYO TAXI, Kurosawa Akira’s 4K-restored THRONE OF BLOOD, Studio Ghibli’s NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND and UNDER NINJA starring Yamazaki Kento.
The festival also brings Cinema Kabuki to Filipino audiences through RENJISHI (THE FATHER AND SON SHISHI LIONS), directed by Yamada Yoji. Special Kabuki activities during the opening weekend include a costume-dressing demonstration on October 2 and a Kumadori body-painting experience on October 3.
Other films explore a wide range of subjects and genres. BLUE BOY TRIAL revisits a little-known legal case involving transgender women in 1960s Japan, while RENOIR follows an 11-year-old girl experiencing childhood against the backdrop of her family’s struggles. KONO BASHO follows a Filipina anthropologist who travels to Japan after her estranged father’s death and meets her Japanese half-sister.
For younger audiences and fans of animation, the festival includes THE GIRL WHO SEES, YOU, FIREWORKS, AND OUR PROMISE and NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND. Food lovers can also look forward to SCHOOL MEALS TIME: SCHOOL EXCURSION INFERNO, which turns a school excursion into a culinary adventure across northern Japan.
One of the festival’s special highlights will come on November 28 with Nausicaä Day. The program will pair the original Studio Ghibli film with the two-part Kabuki adaptation based on Miyazaki Hayao’s manga, offering audiences a chance to experience the story through both animation and traditional Japanese theatre.
The 2026 festival will also feature selected talkback sessions with filmmakers and producers, workshops, cultural activities and promotional campaigns offering audiences opportunities to receive JFF merchandise. A special program on November 21 and 22 will further explore Japan on screen through international co-productions and films aimed at younger audiences.
With screenings stretching from Metro Manila to Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao, JFF 2026 is bringing Japanese cinema beyond the capital while celebrating a milestone year in Philippines-Japan cultural relations. The festival offers Filipino audiences a broad look at Japanese storytelling—from Kabuki and classic cinema to animation, contemporary drama and stories shaped by shared human experiences.
