‘Black Sky’: A Body in Constant Transition

 

When women experience bodily changes – from their first menstruation to menopause, hormonal changes resulting in emotional instances take place. For some, it is a nerve-racking experience, some would manage it with confidence, while others may still try to adjust to these changes.

Jen J. Balberona's Black Sky is a reminder that the female body is in constant transition. The surge of emotions is normal and needs to be embraced. However, these changes are not easy to accept. Balberona expresses it through this film.

Black Sky is shot in the quiet home of the filmmaker and allows herself to be the subject of it. Balberona walks around in her home, searching for things as she was also rifling for herself. She sits on a chair, and lies on her bed, in a pensive state, which allows Balberona to probe the chambers of her emotions. She seems anxious and tries to gather her thoughts. She undresses and shows her bare body – from her head, breast down to her feet. Balberona’s exposure of her body also exposes her vulnerabilities as a woman. The camera observes and records the delicate changes happening on her body.

One of the notable aspects of the film is its cinematography. It feels like you are dreaming, reminding how beautiful and nightmarish your dream could be. The camera just observes, giving room to ponder, allowing her emotions and feelings to merge with the viewers. In some scenes, the camera follows her movements; while most of the time it is just static. The film allows the viewers to feel her pain, her anxiety and inquisition. The editing reinforces it through its smooth cut, elusive montage and jump cuts, and gentle shifts. It looks like a recurring memory that helps the viewers reflect on a woman’s bodily images.

Both men and women undergo the natural process of aging. It shows changes that affect our well-being. The female body is a continuous discussion in modern society. Many women still feel ashamed of their bodies and sometimes have difficulty expressing their feelings. The woman’s body is always subject to patriarchal gaze and control. Black Sky wants to shatter this control and wishes to contribute to this on-going conversation.

Black Sky is a meditative and surreal visual experience, combining both still and moving images of a female’s body, with ambient sound and contemplative musical score. Balberona uses her narrative to show how this bodily transition affects the psyche of a woman. "It is a frightening thing to feel so totally out of control of your body and your emotions. It causes no end of despair for many women,” she said.

As Balberona is still coming to terms with her body as it changes, she wants to take the viewers to an immersive experience and allow them to take time to grasp these changes. It is a personal film with universal tonality. A viewer does not need to put much effort into deciphering its inferred meaning. It just needs to be felt and experienced to understand it.

***

Black Sky won the Jury's Choice (Pluma Especial del Jurado) in the 2019 Festival de Cine Paz Mindanao at Zamboanga City. It is also nominated for Best Short Film in the 43rd Gawad Urian.

[Originally published by SunStar Davao]