A contemplation on the meanings of movement in the migration experience: the grace and skill of a Filipina domestic worker are juxtaposed with devotional dances to the Santo Niño/Child Jesus statue that Magellan brought to the islands in 1521. The ensuing galleon trade of silk and porcelain for New World silver initiated the global economy, and the cycle where female care labor is now the commodity in demand: each day, twelve 747 planes full of overseas workers leave the Philippines to work abroad for several years at a time, absent in their families' lives. The film’s script was distilled from interviews with Filipina domestic workers around the world, identifying common situations and sensations while protecting the identities of those who have been trafficked and are in geographic limbo. The performers all bring their lived experience in this realm to the film. The sound design of the film splits the two worlds between right and left speakers, allowing viewers to shift between two worlds and languages, or feel positioned between both. This project was made possible by the invaluable perspectives and performances of several individuals in the Oakland-based organization Filipino Advocates for Justice with the support of The Creative Work Fund, The Princess Grace Foundation USA, The New York State Council on the Arts, UnionDocs, The Asian Women's Giving Circle, and The Ms. Foundation.
A contemplation on the meanings of movement in the migration experience: the grace and skill of a Filipina domestic worker are juxtaposed with devotional dances to the Santo Niño/Child Jesus statue that Magellan brought to the islands in 1521. The ensuing galleon trade of silk and porcelain for New World silver initiated the global economy, and the cycle where female care labor is now the commodity in demand: each day, twelve 747 planes full of overseas workers leave the Philippines to work abroad for several years at a time, absent in their families' lives. The film’s script was distilled from interviews with Filipina domestic workers around the world, identifying common situations and sensations while protecting the identities of those who have been trafficked and are in geographic limbo. The performers all bring their lived experience in this realm to the film. The sound design of the film splits the two worlds between right and left speakers, allowing viewers to shift between two worlds and languages, or feel positioned between both. This project was made possible by the invaluable perspectives and performances of several individuals in the Oakland-based organization Filipino Advocates for Justice with the support of The Creative Work Fund, The Princess Grace Foundation USA, The New York State Council on the Arts, UnionDocs, The Asian Women's Giving Circle, and The Ms. Foundation.