‘Bwakaw’ triumphs in Tokyo

Filipino filmmaker Jun Lana’s “Bwakaw” won special mention in the Winds of Asia-Middle East section of the recent 25th Tokyo International Film Festival. The Filipino film shared the honor with Asoka Handagama’s “Him, Here After” of Sri Lanka and Zhang Yang’s “Full Circle” of China.

A Cinemalaya winner, “Bwakaw” is the country’s entry to this year’s Oscars best foreign language film category. Lana, who attended the Tokyo fest, said he was “humbled and truly grateful. Just to be chosen as the country’s lone entry out of hundreds of submissions … is already a huge honor.” Bayani San Diego Jr.