Filipino independent film K’na, the Dreamweaver was screened as the Gala Film in the opening of the 2019 Native Spirit Film Festival on October 12 in London.
The award-winning film of the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival in 2014 represented the Philippines in this year’s Native Spirit Film Festival held at the Brunei Gallery Theatre of the SOAS University of London near Russell Square Bloomsbury.
The Filipino film was written and directed by Ida del Mundo and won the Special Jury Prize and Best Production Design at the Cinemalaya.
The film also made it to the official selection of several film festivals across the globe in 2015 such as the Southeast Asian Film Festival, Honolulu Filipino Film Festival, Female Eye Film Festival, and Aichi International Women’s Film Festival.
K’na the Dreamweaver tells the story of a young T’boli woman named K’na of South Cotabato who was chosen by the abaca spirit Fu Dalu to be a dreamweaver. T’boli weavers create their Tnalak intricate pattern designs which were said to be handed down by the spirit through dreams, hence they are called dreamweavers.
In the movie, K’na is the daughter of the village leader and is betrothed to the son of the opposing tribe’s chieftain to stop the generations-old conflict between their tribes. However, K’na more conflict ensues as she has already fallen in love with an abaca farmer.
The movie starring Mara Lopez and RK Bagatsing was filmed in Lake Sebu in South Cotabato and captured the beauty of the T’boli indigenous culture. It also made history for being the first Filipino-produced film to be completed in the T’boli language.
“The Philippines’ participation in the Native Spirit Film Festival is a truly meaningful way for our country to join the international community in celebrating the International Year of Indigenous Languages,” said Ambassador Antonio M. Lagdameo.
Various groups and individuals have been showcasing T’boli and other indigenous Filipino culture in different parts of the world.
Recently, the Marilag Folkdance Troupe of Cavite Institute was hailed champion in the junior category of the IDO World Folkloric Competition in South Korea for performing the dances of T’boli.
The Bayanihan National Dance Company also included T’boli dances in their
repertoire to win the 1st Federation of International Dance Festivals (FIDAF) Brazil World Championship at the 15th edition of the Festival Internacional de Folclore de Nova Prata.
Filipino beauty queen Catriona Gray has also been championing T’boli textiles in her outfits from the pageant in Thailand to her reign as Miss Universe 2018.
T’boli weaves were also showcased at the Philippine Textile Council‘s 9th edition of Likhang Habi Market Fair in Makati City.
WATCH the trailer of K’na The Dreamweaver here and SEND cheers in the comments below to Filipino filmmakers for promoting native Filipino culture through films!
Like, Follow, Subscribe to GoodNewsPilipinas.com Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Good News Pilipinas! TV on YouTube, new story notifications and e-mail newsletters for updates on more Filipino Pride stories.
