Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia – The documentary “Weaving Dreams,” directed by the multi-awarded Dabawenyo filmmaker Breech Asher Harani, clinched the prestigious Golden Kinabalu Award for Documentary at the Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival (KKIFF) Awards Night on September 15, 2024.
“Weaving Dreams” is a poignant documentary produced, edited, and animated by Harani, a participant in the CNN Academy. The film delves into the significance of the abaca plant in the lives, livelihoods, and culture of the T’boli people. However, the documentary also highlights the threat posed by climate change to the abaca, which is crucial for creating the sacred T’nalak cloth woven by the T’boli in Lake Sebu, Mindanao.
The film captures the tribe’s dreams and aspirations to preserve their traditions for future generations. Harani’s dedication to this project is evident, as he shared in a heartfelt Facebook post:
“Good News! ‘Weaving Dreams’ won the Golden Kinabalu Award for Documentary @ the KKIFF Awards Night last September 15 in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. I did not attend because of some important reasons, but Jude Day was kind enough to inform me.
It’s funny because I just finished this film last June, and 3 months later we received our first award (and definitely not the last hehe). After several drafts and edits with CNN London’s Luke Henderson, and CNN Global’s Jon Jensen pushing me to my very limits, we made such a beautiful piece, and they were kind enough to allow me to make a theatrical version of it. And here we are!
Shout-out to my very good assistants Aimee Guinita and Kane Rosa. More projects with you two in the future.”
Congratulations to Direk Breech Harani for this remarkable achievement and for bringing such an important story to the forefront. The success of “Weaving Dreams” is a testament to the power of storytelling and the resilience of the T’boli people.
