Turkish delight: Another big win for ‘Black Rainbow’

Outdoor screening of “Black Rainbow” in Turkey

Zig Dulay’s “Black Rainbow,” which focuses on the preservation of Aeta communities in the country, bagged another international recognition. This time, the Jury Award from the Kaş International Film Festival 2022, held recently in Turkey.

“The selection of films that participated in the festival was so diverse that it would be hard to predict what entry would win. I think the reason ‘Black Rainbow’ got noticed was its simplicity,” Dulay, who is still in Turkey as of press time, told Inquirer Entertainment via chat.

“Black Rainbow” was about a young Aeta boy named Itan who dreams of becoming a lawyer to protect his community from corporate giants trying to occupy their ancestral lands.

Curious audience

Dulay reported that the question-and-answer session lasted longer than he expected because the Turkish audience was extremely curious about the Aetas and their story. Among the questions asked were: “What was the process of creating the film?” “What was the reaction of the Aeta community to the film?” and “What were the challenges encountered during the shoot, especially since it was made during the pandemic,” the filmmaker recalled.

“There was also an interesting question on the kind of assistance that the Philippine government is giving to films such as this. I explained that the movie was part of 2021 Sine Halaga Film Festival and that the topic of education was a personal choice. I also chose to tackle the struggles of indigenous people and their culture,” Dulay further said.

Sine Halaga is produced by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). It is a platform for filmmakers to tell stories depicting Filipino values in contemporary films. Participating filmmakers each received a cash grant of P400,000.

Scene from “Black Rainbow”

Beautiful location

Asked to share his thoughts on the idea that film industries in most parts of the globe are becoming more lively once again, even while in a pandemic, Dulay said: “It’s true! The people in Turkey no longer wear masks! It’s like they are living normal lives once again. This festival is amazing. It’s the first edition, so organizers made sure it would be part of the country’s history.”

Dulay explained: “The festival’s location was beautiful. Screenings were outdoors, in a tourist spot, and were free to the public. This was why there were so many people watching. Everything was sponsored by the government. They also offered a number of workshops for aspiring artists. Plus, there’s a category called Underwater Cinema. I’m not sure if other festivals have this, but it was in Kas that I first heard about it. There was even a workshop on how to shoot films under the sea.”

This month, “Black Rainbow” will also participate at the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia that will be held in Japan. “Sadly, I will not be able to attend because I will start working on my new TV series soon. There’s also another film festival in Europe where the film got accepted, I’m just not allowed to announce it yet,” Dulay beamed.