The first quarter of 2020 has been controversial to filmmaker Joselito “Jay” Altarejos already. His film ‘Walang Kasarian Ang Digmaang Bayan (The Revolution Knows No Gender)’ was pulled out from the Sinag Maynila Film Festival and now, he has an opportunity to pour out his passion, his frustrations, his love for his craft through a digital series titled ‘Balangaw.’
Balangaw which means rainbow in English, is about eight colorful and diverse people who bonded together, each individually locked down during the pandemic, will go through individual challenges while still trying to help resolve one another’s predicament.
Life as they know it will never be the same. But as each goes along traversing their own rainbows, they will gather that the only way to move along is staying and surviving together no matter how tough are the odds.
During the media conference via Zoom, an emotional Jay Altarejos explains that with ABS-CBN’s closure, how the COVID-19 is being handled and June being the Pride Month, being an advocate of the LGBTQIA+ and a passionate filmmaker he is, Altarejos finds a medium to let out all his emotions thru this digital series Balangaw.
Joining Altarejos as the creator and actor are Jal Galang, Karen Toyoshima, Tads Obach, Rap Robes, CJ Barinaga, Mac Mendoza, and Mela Habijan. A combination of versatile actors from TV, film and theater, the actors are actually playing characters which are after their real names.
It seems odd for the actors to have their real names as their characters but everyone were in it because of the causes the series want to push. I’m still not sure how they’ll tackle the politics today but with regards to the LGBTQIA+ issues, they have their personal reasons to join the cause. Like Mela Habijan, you may remember her from the afternoon drama Asawa Ko, Karibal Ko. She’s a proud transgender and wants to portray a role that can empower fellow transgenders.
Balangaw (Rainbow.Hope.Love) premieres June 27, 2020, Saturday at 8PM at the 2076 Balangaw Online Channel on Facebook and on YouTube. Produced by 2076Koletib, Edith Fider (Artcore Productions), and Pete Mariano (CreativeTech Productions).