KUCHING: At a time when Gawai Dayak brings families and communities together in celebration of heritage and tradition, short film Gawai Enggau Aki shines a light on those who quietly struggle to reconnect with their roots.
Presented by Ensera Creatives, the film tells the story of a young girl who challenges the views of the villagers to ensure their culture is not forgotten in an effort to revive the spirit of Gawai at her longhouse.
The film director, Sydney Atin said the story is drawn from his own life experience of wanting to learn more about Gawai Dayak only to face many obstacles along the way.
“Kelly, the main character, represents people who feel like they are not Iban enough because they think they do not know enough about the culture, traditions or practices to consider themselves Dayak,” he said at the special premiere of Gawai Enggau Aki at Tegas Digital Village, on Saturday (May 23).
The 13-minute film also pays close attention to intricate details that are often overlooked, emphasising authenticity throughout the storytelling process through the responsible representation of Iban cultural elements.
“During the writing process, I constantly consulted cultural experts, especially regarding the meanings behind certain traditions and how the antu pala was portrayed, not just to use it as a visual element but to present its presence as something that overlooks everything within the story,” he said.
Gawai Enggau Aki took two and a half days entirely in the director’s hometown of Saratok, particularly in Sungai Berangan, with the production itself facing several challenges behind the scenes.
“One of the biggest challenges happened two days before shooting when we suddenly had to find a new soundman around Kuching because our original soundman could not attend.
“Julai also had to go back early, so many things needed to be rescheduled as one issue led to another,”he said.
Other than that, Sydney added that convincing broadcasters to support their Dayak story was a major challenge, as gaining their trust took time and consistent effort.
“This was not the first time we pitched the idea to TV Sarawak, but after proving ourselves capable of producing Dayak content through our Gawai Dayak documentary, we were finally able to convince both TVS and the Ministry about the new perspective we wanted to share,” he said.
He expressed gratitude for the collaboration, as the film was made possible with support from Qavalore Production, TV Sarawak, and also the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak.
“I hope viewers will be able to see Gawai Dayak from a different perspective through a story that reflects real experiences and emotions, while reminding those who feel disconnected from their roots that they are still part of the culture as long as they are willing to learn and embrace it,” he added.
Gawai Enggau Aki will premiere on Monday, May 25, at 6.45pm on TVS 122 (MYTV, Unifi TV, and Astro), and will also be streamed live in HD via tvsarawak.my and the TVS Inspire app.
