Film on Filipino domestic workers comes home

August 28 ------ AWARD-winning documentary filmmaker Stefanos Tai and the cast, Miles Sible and Xyza Cada, were in Manila for the Philippine premiere of their documentary, We Don’t Dance for Nothing – one of the closing films of Cinemalaya 18.

We Don’t Dance for Nothing follows the life of H, a Filipina domestic worker in Hong Kong, while showcasing the contrast of entrapment and freedom felt by Filipina OFWs as they dance in the Central amidst the Hong Kong rallies and the struggles they face in their working conditions, touching issues such as LGBTQ+ themes, issues of Workers’ Rights, and Hong Kong’s changing political landscape. “There’s well documented human rights issues and abuses, but also there is grace. These women that I saw, as a foreigner with a totally outside perspective, became my heroes and inspired me very quickly and strongly. I wanted to make something for them, with them,” Tai said. Tai utilized the dynamics between stills and motion by combining photo-montage and dancing to produce his ‘love letter to OFWs in Hong Kong’. According to Tai, “I always love the idea of shooting and moving in stills like a photo montage, and thought this is a cool way to show an audience how it feels for H’s life. What would it be like to make the audience feel stuck, literally.”

With the film set during the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests, We Don’t Dance For Nothing has a Hong Kong cut in consideration with the new Hong Kong laws, and a full cut screened in venues outside Hong Kong like the Philippines. Among all the nationalities of domestic workers, Tai spotlighted Filipinos because they were underappreciated, yet “their energy is the most beautiful part of the very gray and corporate district’ in Hong Kong. Amidst the long list of films about Filipino domestic workers, We Don’t Dance For Nothing presented its narrative from a different angle of positivity and resilience compared to the usual emphasis on their struggles and abuse. According to Cada, “Even though we know that there’s already a lot of films that focused on domestic helpers, what we are showing here is the resilience. Just to show people that they are happy people, there is more to it. They are not just OFWs, there is a good story to tell.”

Tai ensured genuine representation of the community of Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong through casting Filipino performers due to the limitation brought about by Hong Kong laws on casting domestic workers for a film. Actresses Miles Sible and Xyza Cada were cast to represent their fellow Filipinos, bearing the pressure of authenticity. As a Hong Kong resident, Cada witnessed their stories first-hand, saying, “The pressure is from the community. I don’t know how they are going to accept it. Ang dami na nilang napanood na mga domestic workers. This is different. This is something that will open discussion.” Sible added, “Sa’kin may pressure din kasi syempre mga kaibigan ko rin sila and I don’t know what will they say kapag nakita nila yung film. Pero, for me naman, as long as good intention naman, I think magiging maganda naman yung result. We’re doing it from our hearts.”

On its Philippine premiere in Cinemalaya 18, they hoped for Filipinos to feel the entrapment of our domestic workers and to recognize them as human as possible beyond being called the modern heroes of our country, as well as to understand why these women don’t dance for nothing. The Philippine premiere of We Don’t Dance For Nothing happened in Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater) as one of the two films that closed this year’s Cinemalaya. A talkback followed it with Director Stefanos Tai and the cast.

Source: mb.com.ph