Metro Manila – Director Jaime Pacena II dedicates the film to his son, Sunday during the opening gala at the Ayala Mall by the Bay, August 6, 2024.
Pacena faced the expectant audience during the gala night as he thanked partners who have made the film, Kono Basho, a success.
Kono Basho is about Ella, a 28-year-old Filipina anthropologist played by Gabby Padilla travels to Rikuzentakata City in Japan for her estranged father Emman’s funeral, where she navigates the cultural and emotional complexities of his second family, including her Japanese half-sister, Reina, played by Arisa Nakano. As they confront their intertwined histories, Ella and Reina find solace and connection, each reevaluating their perceptions of their father. Their journey of self-discovery intersects with Rikuzentakata’s post- 2011 earthquake and tsunami recovery. Discovering their father’s photographs propels them on a path of rediscovery, exploring their relationships and individual identities.
Pacena said “Kono Basho” or This Place (Displace), is a deeply personal exploration of loss and rebirth, inspired by my decade-long experience as a visual artist and curator in Tohoku, Japan. Witnessing the profound impact of tragedy, this film draws inspiration from my research and immersion in Rikuzentakata, a city devastated by the March 2011 Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.”
Pacena II is engaged in curation, visual arts, filmmaking, and education with art works exhibited across Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, and internationally in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Italy, and Australia. Jaime founded Bliss Market Laboratory (BMLab), fostering cultural exchange among multimedia artists and students.
Pacena teaches full-time at Asia Pacific College and curates for CANVAS.PH and Marahuyo Art Projects.
Kono Basho speaks to enduring themes of loss and renewal, grief and acceptance, and the power of tragedy to inspire change and growth, centered around the story of two sisters. Maria Elena Catajan
