Issue:
March 2026 | Film Committee
Forging connections, finding kinship
Join the Film Committee at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 2 for the Rikuzentakata-set This Place, a deeply moving film about loss and rebirth, set against the backdrop of historical trauma. Providing a fresh perspective on the Filipino diaspora, it also gently probes the complexities of family ties, cultural identity and belonging across borders. Receiving word that her estranged Japanese father has died, Ella (Gabby Padilla) travels to Japan for the funeral, where she meets his second family, which includes her Japanese half-sister, Reina (Arisa Nakano), an art student. As Ella and Reina, neither speaking the other’s language fluently, confront their intertwined histories, they gradually begin to find connection and even solace. The directorial debut of visual artist Jaime Pacena II, This Place grew out of his ongoing work with communities across Tohoku, where he has witnessed firsthand the resilience of Rikuzentakata, a city profoundly altered by the tragic events of March 2011. Unfolding against the Tohoku region’s tranquil landscapes and the quiet rhythms of post-disaster recovery, Pacena’s beautifully lensed film traces the tentative formation of new bonds, shaped by shared humanity. The director will be on hand for the Q&A session, along with Philippines star Gabby Padilla. (This Place, Philippines, Japan, 2026, 85 minutes, Japanese, Tagalog, English with English subtitles).
Karen Severns is chair of the FCCJ Film Committee
