The Aeta Agta, or Dumagat, are collective terms for several Filipino indigenous peoples who live in various parts of the island of Luzon in the Philippines. They are thought to be among the earliest inhabitants of the Philippines, preceding the Austronesian migrations. Aeta communities were historically nomadic hunter-gatherers, practices that they seem to retain even nowadays. Zig Dulay's latest work, which is screening at Sine Halaga Film Festival, focuses on an Aeta boy who finds reality clashing with his dreams.
“Black Rainbow” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative
Itan, a 12-year-old boy wants to study and become a lawyer, also in order to read through all the documents the Aeta community had been receiving, and particularly one that forces them to give up ancestral lands up in the mountain to give way for mining. However, his father cannot spare him, since he needs him to help him in planting mountain crops and the family is also saving money for the delivery of his pregnant mother. His sister, Haya, who wants to be a goddess when she grows up, has it a bit better, since she is living with their grandmother on another, lower area, and has more time on her hands. The boy, and eventually his mother, plead with his father, but he is adamant in his decision. Thus, two problems arise: finding funds to attend school and changing the father's decision. Luckily for Itan, his school teacher, Madam Tess, informs him of a scholarship that is to be given after a computer-writing competition, and an enthused boy, even takes up a left over keyboard to learn to write on it. Furthermore, Haya, a former “enemy”, decides to help him by coaching him, both on his computer skills and also on the way to make their father change his opinion. At the last minute, however, another obstacle that threatens to ruin everything, raises its ugly head.
Zig Dulay has managed to create a very sensitive movie, that, despite focusing on little children, actually includes quite a rich context, as it highlights the inequalities Aeta people face, along with their way of life that seems to be forcibly eradicated. Both the dream and the effort of Itan to go to school highlight this aspect in the best fashion, while his interactions with his sister, eventually showcase the value of family, and how kids can actually be much more smart than grown ups on occasion. This last aspect is also the source of the most hilarious moment in the short, along with the “teaching” sessions, with the “micromanaging” of the father being a delight to watch. Lastly, Dulay also seems to exemplify the role of local governments and teachers, which also extends to a comment about retaining hope even when things seem hopeless.
The second impressive aspect of the movie is the cinematography, with DP Mark Joseph Cosico capturing the rural area and particularly the rich vegetation in outstanding fashion, with the green dominating the scenery creating a rather appealing set of images, with the sense intensifying by the plethora of long shots he implemented throughout the movie. Dulay's own editing induces the film with a very fitting, fast pace, that allows it to include a number of comments and scenes in just 20 minutes, thus adding to the overall richness of the narrative.
The acting is also on a very high level, with Dulay drawing excellent performance from the two Lilliput protagonists, Ron King as Itan and Shella Mae Romualdo as Haya who even exhibit a wonderful chemistry between them, despite the fact that they are non-actors, but actual Aeta who live in the mountains near Mt. Pinatubo. The same applies to Norman King (the first Aeta to graduate from one of the most prestigious universities – University of the Philippines) in the role of the father, who manages to exhibit the undercurrent feelings of his character in the most measured and eloquent way.
“Black Rainbow” is an impressive short, both contextually and cinematically, and one of those films that will definitely put a smile on the face of any viewer.
