Migrant Women Rise: highlights from the past year
aka a long overdue update!
Hi everyone!
It's hard to believe it’s been over a year since we released Migrant Women Rise! A lot has happened in that time, so I wanted to take a moment to share some highlights and reflect on the incredible journey so far. Above all, I want to express a big thank you for following the journey and providing encouragement and support along the way!
Screenings and Press Coverage
In May 2022, we had our initial screenings in Los Angeles and Phoenix. Since then, we have have had 35 screenings across the US, Canada, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The film has also been featured in several news publications in the Philippines and Hong Kong - included Rappler and ABS-CBN’s TFC News as well the Hong Kong Free Press, Ming Pao, and Hong Kong Christian Times.
Through our screenings, we have been able to raise over $8,000 USD through fundraisers and donations. These funds have have gone directly to migrant organizations in Hong Kong and their work supporting human rights campaigns and political prisoners in the Philippines. I am grateful for the ways the film has been able to translate into tangible support for migrant organizations and the important work they are doing. I never imagined the film would have had this kind of reach when it started off as a class project during my seminary studies.
Film and Theology
Speaking of seminary, I had the opportunity to share a talk as part of a mini-symposium hosted by the Filipino American Ministry Initiative of Fuller Theological Seminary (FAMI) during Filipino American History Month this past October. My talk was called: "Resisting Empire and Homeland: Filipino American Faith and Theology of Exile.” The talk covers some of the main theological themes that informed my film - mainly how exilic lament and the penitential prayers in Scripture can help shape Filipino Americans and diasporic communities’ faith journeys in relation to our migration experiences. You can watch the video of the talk below.
Next Steps
Thank you again for your support along the journey! It has been inspiring to see the positive response to the film and to witness the growing solidarity for Filipino migrants in Hong Kong and human rights defenders in the Philippines. The work is an ongoing one! We will continue hosting screenings in the new year and working to raise awareness about the issues migrants face as well as the human rights violations and red-tagging continuing to happen in the Philippines. If you would like to host a screening in the new year, please reach out!
On a final note, I want to share that I’m in the process of filming a new documentary! The film will continue to look at issues of migration and connect the ways migrants experience the struggles of migration both at home and abroad. Check out some of the initial behind the scenes images below. I’ll share more soon but just wanted to give you a heads up that I’ll be giving updates both about Migrant Women Rise and this new project in the weeks and months to come!
Francis Catedral is a Filipino American documentary filmmaker and Masters of Divinity graduate. His current documentary project is about the transnational activism of migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong.