Nominated for Best Short 2024, International Documentary Association
In Competition Best Short IDFA
Winner, Best Short, Mimesis Documentary Festival
In this contemplation on the meanings of movement in the experience of migration, the grace and skill of a Filipina domestic worker are juxtaposed with devotional dances to the Santo Niño 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 in which female care labor is now the commodity in demand.
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.
Streaming on The Criterion Channel
Kanopy (through your local library / educational institution)
Contact for streaming licenses + DVDs