‘Black Rainbow’ director gears up for jury duty in Turkiye fest

“Black Rainbow” outdoor screening in Kaş

After winning big in last year’s Kaş International Film Festival in Turkiye with the short film “Black Rainbow,” filmmaker Zig Dulay will be participating in the festival again this year, but this time as a member of the jury.

“I felt happy with the invitation because, for me, it’s a validation that the festival not only appreciated my movie when it competed last year, but that it also believes in me as a filmmaker,” Dulay told Inquirer Entertainment. “It also means that my views on cinema matter to them, so they want me to share these as member of the jury.”

Dulay’s film won the Jury Award in 2022. He recalled his experience attending the festival in Kaş for the first time. “The festival is relatively new and so the people running it are overflowing with passion for cinema, as well as fresh ideas and views on how to better promote it. My experience there was unforgettable,” he said. “The place is so beautiful. We had outdoor screenings, as well as workshops for underwater cinema. It was so much fun. I will definitely return there to learn and experience not just world cinema, but also Turkish arts and culture.”

Inspiring the youth

Dulay said that during last year’s run, several junior and senior high school students came up to him to ask for tips and ideas on filmmaking. “I told them that I’m willing to share with them my experiences or be part of a formal talk. The festival director (Seren Topaloğlu) learned about this and was pleased. She said they created the festival not only for networking, but also to inspire the youth to make movies. I guess this is why they invited me again. I, on the other hand, am more than willing to share with them everything I know,” Dulay said.

The festival will run from June 1 to June 4 in Kaş. It will then transfer to Istanbul, where it will be held from June 8 to June 10.

Dulay, as a competitor in 2022, said that while he learned all about Turkish culture and its people, he expects things to be different now that he is a jury member. “I look forward to learning from the films in the different categories. This time, the scope is a lot broader,” he said.

Zig Dulay

“Black Rainbow,” which focuses on the preservation of Aeta communities in the country, continues its rounds in various festivals abroad. Dulay, however, is busy working on “Firefly,” his first mainstream movie. It stars Dingdong Dantes, Alessandra de Rossi, Cherry Pie Picache, Epy Quizon, Yayo Aguila with Miguel Tanfelix, Ysabel Ortega and new talent Euwenn Mikaell Aleta.

“I’m excited because not only is it produced by a network (under GMA Public Affairs and GMA Pictures), it is also the first film I’m directing that I didn’t write myself,” explained Dulay. “I’m currently in a phase where I prefer working outside my comfort zone.” INQ