Filipino filmmaker Maria Diane Ventura's 'Your Color' streams worldwide
The multi-awarded European debut film of Filipino filmmaker Maria Diane Ventura billed Deine Farbe (Your Color) is now available on Amazon and Amazon Prime.
The movie, written and directed by music producer and artist manager Ventura, is a tale of friendship between two young men who leave their German hometown for a freer life in majestic Barcelona, where fate and choices threaten their once unbreakable bond.
It is a multi-cultural production from Europe, Asia, and America.
The story revolves around reluctantly studious Karl and free spirit Albert who document their youthful adventures and provocative ideas whilst breaking free from their small town and their predetermined futures.
Although they dream of becoming voices of their generation, their new lives in the big city are not as easy as they had once envisioned. As the adolescents ponder their purpose on camera, diverging ambitions take a dark turn.
This film serves as a timely commentary on mental health, self-limitations, and connection in the digital age.
Ventura wrote the film as a reflection of her own internal state and feelings of displacement after leaving her comfort zone.
“As an immigrant myself, who moved to New York to find a better future for my family and at the same time immerse and acclimate to a new culture and environment,
"I started writing this film while I was still living in Manila dreaming of a better life thinking that, if I move away, all my problems and suffering would magically disappear.
"I wrote this film about two boys wanting to escape their small town only to find themselves with a different set of problems in the real world," she said.
Deine Farbe stars established German actors Jannik Schümann (The Aftermath and Monster Hunter) as Karl and Nyamandi Adrian (Tribes of Europa) as Albert.
The film also stars Juan Carlos Lo Sasso (Another Cloudy Day) as Julio and Romina Küper (Baby Bitchka) as Kristina.
This is how Schümann, also the film's co-producer, sums up the experience of working with his director.
"The whole project is built on immense courage and a dash of craziness: A woman comes to Europe with her best friend as producer, and is just carrying a script in her luggage.
"She doesn't know the German market at all--but she entrusts herself to a casting director who is supposed to find her the right actors for her heart's project in this foreign country.
"The greatest gift of this tumultuous shoot for me is my relationship with Diane. She is insanely inspiring--and an incredibly loyal woman who would do anything for those around her.”
Ventura's European debut film Deine Farbe continues to reap accolades all over the world, including her home country the Philippines.
Maria Diane Ventura was cited by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) recently as one of the 62 honorees in the Directors' category for this year's 5th Film Ambassadors' Night (FAN), an annual event recognizing Filipino film industry creatives, artists, filmmakers, and films of various formats that gained recognitions from established international film festivals and award-giving bodies in the past year.
Deine Farbe's international recognition includes the following: Best Woman Filmmaker and Best Feature, Vegas Film Awards, USA ; Best Director and Best Actor, Calella Film Festival, Spain; International Feature Debut , Diorama, New Delhi, India; Best Cinematography and Best Feature, Canadian Cinematography Awards; Best Ensemble Cast, Couch Film Festival, Toronto, Canada; Citation, Cyrus Film Festival, Canada; Nominations for Best Feature Film, SOHO International Film Festival, New York City and at Lonely Wolf: London International Film Festival; and Best Feature, Best Actor and Best Director, Queen Palm International Film Festival 2020, Palm Springs.
Maria Diane Ventura's 2012 short film project The Rapist was cited as among the Best Short Films at the International Film Festival Manhattan and was shortlisted as among the Best Short Films in Asia, while her first feature-length student project Awaken led to Best Director wins at the 2015 Manhattan Festival and Best Narrative Feature at the 2016 World Cinema Festival in Brazil. She considers Deine Farbe (Your Color) to be her international debut feature.
Her next film project, Luz Oscura (Dark Light) will be shot in Mexico and Los Angeles, USA.