The Japan Foundation, Manila, in partnership with SM Cinema, brought back the on-site screenings of the Japanese Film Festival to SM City Baguio, SM Seaside City Cebu, and SM City Davao.

During the opening ceremony at SM City Davao, The Japan Foundation, Manila Director Ben Suzuki welcomed guests with a video message, while Ishikawa Yoshihisa, Consul General of Japan in Davao and Engineer Jonathan Nick D. Santos, assistant vice president for Mindanao of SM Supermalls, officially opened the film festival at SM City Davao with a toast.

Guests at the SM City Davao opening ceremony witnessed the drama/thriller film In The Wake directed by Zeze Takahis. The film follows a series of baffling serial killings. Tone (Satoh Takeru), just released from prison after serving his sentence, becomes a suspect, but detective Tomashiro (Abe Hiroshi) has to obtain conclusive proof.

Cinemagoers in Baguio, Cebu, and Davao also had the opportunity to watch the other Japanese Film Festival offerings such as animated films Belle by Hosoda Mamoru and Inu-Oh by Yuasa Masaaki; the drama/youth/animation film Blue Thermal by Tachibana Masaki; and live-action feature films Blue by Keisuke Yoshida, And So The Baton Is Passed by Maeda Tetsu, In Anime Supremacy! by Yoshino Kohei, Every Day A Good Day by Omori Tatsushi, Intolerance by director Keisuke Yoshida; and Lesson in Murder by Shiraishi Kazuya.

Launched in 1997, the Japanese Film Festival, formerly known and appreciated in the Philippines as EIGASAI, is presented and run by the Japan Foundation, Manila. Since then, it has grown to become one of the largest film festivals in the country, featuring a wide variety of cinematic delights from drama, anime, and mystery to recently released films. JFF also brings guests from Japan for special talks and discussions.