Blanka
by Kohki Hasei
Italy/Japan/The Philippines 2015, 75 min.
Searching for a mother, finding a friend
11-year old Blanka survives alone in Manila begging and stealing from tourists. She dreams of buying a mom. But she has to make countless efforts in order to collect enough money. An opportunity arises when she meets Peter, a 55-year old blind street musician, who teaches Blanka how to sing. Concerned with Blanka‘s well-being however, Peter decides to take her to an orphanage, something which, when she finds out, makes her run away, and face the dangers of the streets once again.
Awards
Laterna Magica (CGS) Award, “Sorriso diverso Venezia 2015“ for Best Film in a Foreign Language - Venice IFF 2015
NETPAC Award - Kolkata IFF 2015
Human Values Award - Olympia IFF for Children and Young People 2015
Audience Award - Fribourg IFF 2016
Grand Prix, Special Mention for the Professional Award - Ciné-Jeune IFF 2016
First Prize of the International Competition - Tel Aviv International Children‘s FF 2016
Best Film - Santander IFF 2016
Best Children‘s Feature Film - Rimouski International Youth Cinema Festival 2016
Best Children‘s Film - Cinekid Festival 2016
Best Junior Film - KINOdiseea International Children‘s FF 2016
Special Jury Prize for Best Film - Providence Children's FF 2017
Children's Jury, Expert Jury and the Film Critics Jury awards - KIKIFE International Children's FF 2017
Best Narrative Feature - 60th CINE Golden Eagle Award for Independent & Emerging Media 2017
Journalists Fern Flower Award - The Kids FF 2017
Festivals
World Premiere: Venice Biennale College Cinema 2015
Asian Premiere: Busan IFF 2015
Taiwan Premiere: Golden Horse FF 2015
Indian Premiere: Kolkata IFF 2015
Nordic Premiere: Black Nights FF 2015
Greek Premiere: Olympia IFF for Children and Young People 2015
Serbian Premiere: Kustendorf FF 2016
Bengaluru IFF 2016
Scandinavian Premiere: Göteborg IFF 2016
A Film in Your Backpack FF 2016
Swiss Premiere: Fribourg IFF 2016
Soundscreen FF 2016
Norwegian Premiere: Kristiansand International Children‘s FF 2016
North American Premiere: Wave FF 2016
Romanian Premiere: Transilvania IFF 2016
estAsia FF 2016
Belgian Premiere: Brussels FF 2016
German Premiere: Munich IFF 2016
Israeli Premiere: Tel Aviv International Children‘s FF 2016
Busan International Kids and Youth FF 2016
Latin American Premiere: Santander IFF 2016
Dutch Premiere: World Cinema Amsterdam 2016
Canadian Premiere: Rimouski IFF 2016
Schlingel IFF 2016
Scottsdale IFF 2016
Films from the South FF 2016
Philippine Premiere: QCinema IFF 2016
Cinekid Festival 2016
Heartland FF 2016
Brazil Premiere: Sao Paulo IFF 2016
Filem‘On International Children‘s FF 2016
Oregon State IFF 2016
KINOdiseea International Children‘s FF 2016
CINEPÄNZ Cologne Children‘s FF 2016
Vienna International Children‘s FF 2016
Cairo IFF 2016
Women‘s Worlds FF 2016
Stuttgart's Children FF 2016
Havana IFF 2016
Providence Children's FF 2017
CAAMFest 2017
KIKIFE International Children's FF 2017
Dortmund | Cologne International Women's FF 2017
Festival of Tolerance – Zagreb Jewish FF 2017
Kinodiseea Altfel 2017
Hong Kong Kids IFF 2017
Silk Screen Asian American FF 2017
Reel Women’s FF 2017
Reel Women’s Movie Marathon 2017
Active Vista Human Rights FF 2017
ASEAN-Korea Kids & Youth FF 2018
HK Kids IFF 2020
Japan Society, Festival on Japanese Cinema 2021
Reel Women's FF 2021
Cast & Crew
Cydel Gabutero, Peter Millari, Jomar Bisuyo, Raymond Camacho, Ruby Ruiz
Production: Dorje Film
Kohki Hasei
In 1994 after finishing high school in Okayama, Hasei moved to Tokyo where he started working in the art world. In 2001 he realized his first documentary: "W/O". The film was screened at the Rotterdam Film Festival, Austrian Viennale and New York "Moma" Festival and at The Seoul Net Festival in Corea where it was awarded with the Digital Express Prize.
In 2007, he directed his second film, “Godog”, in a dump site in Manila where he spent several weeks. The short movie has been awarded with the First Prize -°©‐ Kustendorf Film Festival (2009) in Serbia.
