Special Screening of "Kono Basho (This Place)"
Participation in the special screening of the film "Kono Basho (This Place)", directed by Jaime Pacena II.
Date & Time: June 20 (Fri) 6:30 PM / June 21 (Sat) 1:30 PM
Venue: Rikuzentakata Community Hall | Singapore Hall
Written and Directed by: Jaime Pacena II
Organized by: Rikuzentakata AIR Executive Committee
Special Support: The Japan Foundation
Supported by: Rikuzentakata City, Rikuzentakata City Board of Education, Rikuzentakata International Exchange Association
Screening Support: Project 8 Projects, Spanic Films
Cooperation: Hasegawa Construction, Hakoneyama Terrace, Rikuzentakata Shimin Energy, Rikuzentakata Driving School, Yagisawa Shoten | CAMOCY, Kyassen Ofunato, General Incorporated Association SUMICA, Yamanekodo
Special Programs:
Friday, June 20, 2025 (after the screening):
Mini Live Performance by Matto (Singer-Songwriter)
Saturday, June 21, 2025 (after the screening):
After Talk with guest Naoya Hatakeyama (Photographer, born in Rikuzentakata)
Filipino Snack Tasting Session
A multimedia artist and curator from the Philippines, Jaime Pacena II is the founder and creative director of Bliss Market Laboratory (BMLab), an independent support group for technical artists. He has worked as a video director in both the advertising and music industries, and serves as a curator for CANVAS.PH, a nonprofit organization that promotes Philippine art, literature, culture, and its surrounding environment.
Pacena has participated in Rikuzentakata AIR twice (in 2013 and 2016), and since 2018 has led the collaborative project "DISPLACED: Manila–Rikuzentakata Collaborative Art Project" between BMLab in Manila and Rikuzentakata AIR.
The screening of "Kono Basho" at Joshibi (Suginami Campus) has also been scheduled for Friday, October 31, 2025, from 18:10.
Site Visits to Nearby Facilities
Visited and inspected facilities in Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture.
Sites Visited:
Hakoneyama Terrace
Hakoneyama Observatory
Iwate Tsunami Memorial Museum
Machi no Engawa (Community Space)
Ruins of the Yonezawa Shokai Building (Preserved Earthquake Site)
Exchange with AIR Colleagues in the Surrounding Area
Engaged in exchange with program organizers of AIR (Artist-in-Residence) facilities in Iwate and Fukushima Prefectures.
Rikuzentakata Artist in Residence
Location: Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture
Website: http://rikuzentakataair.com/
This initiative began in the early winter of 2013 with the aim of emotional recovery for the people of Rikuzentakata City through the AIR program. By inviting artists from both Japan and abroad to Rikuzentakata, the program seeks to create new values through the use of local resources via art. Through networking with art-related professionals based in the Tohoku region, the initiative aims to facilitate exchange between people within and outside the region, ultimately empowering local residents with renewed vitality.
(From the "Rikuzentakata AIR Program 2013 Catalog")
Jaime Pacena II, whose film was screened this time, has been a continuous participant in the Rikuzentakata AIR program since its first year in 2013.
Mogu AIR
Location: Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture
Website: Yamanekodo Instagram
The program is based at “Yamanekodo,” a 150-year-old traditional Japanese house that has been renovated into a guesthouse and secondhand bookstore.
Resident artists engage in creative production and research while participating in local livelihoods, particularly those related to Rikuzentakata’s primary industries. The program is planned and operated through mutual collaboration between the artists and the local community.
Katsurao AIR
Location: Katsurao Village, Futaba District, Fukushima Prefecture
Website: https://katsurao-collective.com/katsurao-air
The program welcomes artists and creators as short-term residents, supporting their activities during their stay. Through this initiative, it aims to discover and share local resources while fostering new connections with the community. By bringing together returning residents, newcomers, and visitors, the program encourages the development of diverse perspectives and facilitates organic connections among people. It is designed to build a human network that continually explores new forms of community and coexistence. (From the Katsurao AIR website)
This initiative, which started in 2022, plans to introduce family and student programs beginning in 2025.
Hamacul Art Project
Location: Primarily in the 12 municipalities of the Hamadori region, Fukushima Prefecture
Website: https://hamacul-project.com/
The project aims to rediscover traditional local cultures through art activities, create new value, attract the interest of people who previously had no connection to the region, and promote new exchanges among people.
(From the Hamacul Art Project website)
The initiative began in 2022 when the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry launched the predecessor program, the "Fukushima Hamadori Cinema Project." Since 2024, it has been operating as the "Hamakaru Art Project," supporting creative activities conducted by artists, businesses, and students in two divisions: a residency program for artists and a student production program. These participants conduct research on the region’s culture and memories as part of their creative work.