Mystery drama “Return to Bloom” features province’s natural beauty
Vancouver, B.C.
By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez
This year’s Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF) will feature a film that was shot in the Philippine province of Bohol.
It’s one of the works of Rikiya Mimuro, a Japanese film director and video director, who has been doing independent films since 2021.
He has directed films, commercials, and music videos.
Return to Bloom, which he directed, wrote, and edited, is a mystery drama tracking a search that leads toward an eternal truth connected with the island’s nature.
It stars Takuya Mizoguchi, Ayase, Tsuyoshi Miura, Yuta Uchida , Nachi , Norida Nakamura, Japanese-Filipino actress Stefanie Akashi and Filipino actor Poppo Lontoc.
“Kazuki visits Bohol Island with his girlfriend, Sara. After spending happy days together, Sara suddenly disappears one morning. As Kazuki searches across the island, he senses a mysterious connection between Sara and the island’s nature, eventually leading him toward an eternal truth,” the film’s summary reads.
VAFF, which is now on its 30th year, runs from November 5-8, 2026 at Cineplex Odeon International Village Cinemas
Since its founding in 1995 and debut in 1997, it has stood as Canada’s longest-running Asian film festival and the largest racialized film event in Western Canada.
Every November, VAFF “transforms the cinematic landscape into a vibrant, hybrid cultural hub—bringing thousands together in-person and online to experience the true depth, diversity, and complexity of the Asian diaspora.”
“VAFF is more than an annual festival; it is a movement. We empower Asian Canadian creators, actors, and filmmakers to take the mic, own their narratives, and redefine representation both on screen and behind the camera,” its website reads.