Understand mental illness through visual immersion in Sinag Maynila 2024 entry ‘As The Moth Flies’
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought mental health to the forefront of public discourse in the Philippines, as many Filipinos experienced increased stress, anxiety, and isolation during prolonged lockdowns. Conversations about mental illness, once considered taboo, have become more common, with greater awareness of the importance of mental well-being. The rise of online support groups, mental health webinars, and open discussions on social media has made it easier for people to seek help and share their experiences. This shift in perspective has paved the way for films like “As The Moth Flies,” which delve into the complexities of mental illness and aim to break the stigma surrounding it.
Creative Kartel, in association with Desi Matters and Happy Manila, is proud to announce that the short film “As The Moth Flies,” directed by the talented young filmmaker Gayle Oblea, has been selected as an official entry in the SINAG MAYNILA Independent Film Festival 2024. The festival, which runs from September 4 to 8, 2024, will showcase the film at various cinemas across Metro Manila, including Gateway and SM Manila.
L-R: Actor Boo Gabunada, Director Gayle Oblea, and Executive Producers Happy Manila and Rav Singh
After making waves at several renowned international film festivals, including the Brussels Short Film Festival in Belgium, Little Venice Film Festival in Italy, Greenwich Film Festival in London, and Urban Dreams Festival in New York, “As The Moth Flies” is set to make its highly anticipated Asian premiere in the Philippines. Director Gayle Oblea, whose work has already garnered significant attention overseas, is excited to bring her film home for its first screening on Philippine soil.
“As the director of ‘As The Moth Flies,’ I am deeply honored and thrilled to bring the film to its Asian premiere in the Philippines, where the story’s roots resonate most profoundly,” shared Direk Gayle. “After its journey through festivals across Europe and the United States, having this homecoming is not just a milestone but a full-circle moment. This screening is significant not only because it returns to where the narrative was born, but because it carries the mission of the film: to open a window into the mind of someone living with mental illness.”
Director Gayle Oblea
The 15-minute short film, starring veteran actor Jeffrey “Epy” Quizon as Dr. Oliver Sanchez, Mina Cruz as Tonette, Boo Gabunada as Jett, and Pam Arambulo, tells the story of a woman trying to assess her mentally ill partner and their turbulent relationship, only to uncover haunting truths about their unsettling past.
Director Gayle shared the origins of the film, saying, “When we originally did this, we wrote an eight-episode script because this particularly was really done for a limited series. And that was our intention to do a limited series because I’m currently working on a full-length film called Pag-Ani. And we all know naman na medyo mahirap kumuha talaga ng funding for it. Hindi naman siya biro at saka ang ROI dun. Hindi na naman joke time, diba? Medyo it’s longer than the usual.”
However, the pandemic brought a shift in focus. “Even those na do not have mental illness or probably are not really aware of it, dun talaga parang medyo mas na-emphasize because people were stuck at home, couldn’t do anything. It’s the same thing with us, especially we’ve been doing production since 2018. You know, you don’t really have a choice but to just stay inside your house. You know, everything is very restricted. That’s why parang nung time na yun, my sister and I were also dealing with our own demons. And we were suffering some, you know, of course, some questions in mind like how long is this gonna take, etc. And then, parang kumbaga, we diverted our attention to something else, which was to write this film.”
The film’s title evolved from its original concept. “So we wrote As The Moth Flies. Originally, dapat Paru-paro yung name niyan. Nung time na yun, sumikat yung paru-paru na name. So pinitch namin yung pangalan. Sabi, baka ma-associate daw sa Paru-Paro G. Sobrang sikat kasi nung time na yun. Tapos, ayun. So eight-episode script. And then when we sat down, spoke to Kuya Happy and then Rav about it, sabi ko, gawa tayo ng short film muna kasi may gamit naman tayo. Kumpleto gamit. And wala kami ginagawa.”
Director Gayle and her team decided to create a short film instead of the original series concept to test the material’s resonance with audiences. “As originally planned, the script is an 8-episode script for a limited series. But we figured, you know, in order for us to really get a test if the material is going to really resonate with people, let’s make a short film. You know, anyway, if we’re going to pitch this, you have a material that’s going to last for 15 minutes, people could watch it, you know, no matter the attention span of people. So it’s like the easiest route, like creating a pitching material, it’s easier and all.”
The film’s creation was deeply personal, with an emphasis on authenticity. “Pero, yun, nakakatawa na, ano naman, nairaos at we really poured all our hearts to it. We made sure na when we were writing the script, very accurate lahat ng references to people who suffer from mental illness, or probably even people who aren’t aware of it. Kasi when we designed it, we designed it na talagang when the audience watches it, it’s like going inside someone’s head na merong who suffers from mental illness.”
The journey to international recognition was challenging but rewarding. “During our research, we found out that you don’t get to qualify to world premiering festivals if we premiere it first in the Philippines,” Direk Gayle said.
Direk Gayle shared an unforgettable experience when the film was accepted into an Oscar-qualifying festival. “So, that’s why we initially went to the international scope first, and then really entered the short film to numerous film festivals that are A-list festivals. And then, of course, we got a ton of rejections. And then one day, we got the word from… Actually, no one announced it to me. Someone was calling me on my phone. So it was a foreign number, and I kept cancelling it. Because I said, why is he calling me a foreign number? So I kept cancelling it. And then Mina Cruz, the lead actress, sent me a message. She said, ‘Someone messaged me that we got into Brussels Film Festival. I said, ‘Oh? Because I didn’t know. And then when I saw the message, they really went ahead and looked for other people to contact me because I kept cancelling the call.”
“Of course, when we found out about it, we were jumping our hearts out,” Direk Gayle enthused. “We were crying because it’s such a big deal. It’s such a big deal to get into an Oscar-qualifying festival. Because in the world, there’s like 160 plus festivals that could do that. And then after that, when we got there, we had to sort through the papers and all. It was very last minute. But we’re very, very thankful to Tito Poc Estrella. So he’s one of the big agents from Netflix here in the Philippines. He helped us out, connected us to the ambassador of Brussels. So they were able to provide us a visa immediately. Because it’s hard to get there. So it was an overnight thing. So they were able to come up with a visa immediately. So when I went to the embassy, my team was the one who placed all my clothes in my suitcase. And then we drove kagad na to the airport because the ticket. And then, of course, Kuya Happy sponsored the tickets and everything. So that someone can represent the film. Because we were the only ones also, Asia-Pacific, we were representing Asia-Pacific. Because it was the only Asian film that got into that festival.”
The emotional impact of the film was felt by diverse audiences. “I guess one of the major key moments during the time when I was there, during our screening time, it was such a heartwarming experience. Because people of different races like Europeans, Americans, Filipinos, and all, right after the film, they went to me. And then they said, ‘Thank you for making this film.’ And they were crying. Like I was really caught off guard. May mga niiyak lumalapit. And people cried when they were watching that. Because Europe also, I mean, they provide proper assistance to people who suffer from mental illness. But meron pa rin stigma doon.”
“We made this film so that you can kind of like warp into someone’s head who’s suffering this particular mental illness. Because that’s how we really designed it. Even the editing. Even the sounds. That’s how we designed this short film. To really make you feel how it is to have that particular itch that you can’t find,” Direk Gayle ensured.
“As The Moth Flies” promises to be a powerful and thought-provoking entry at SINAG MAYNILA, highlighting the struggles faced by those living with mental illness and the impact it has on their loved ones. This screening marks an important moment for Filipino cinema, as it continues to explore and address pressing social issues through the art of storytelling.
