REMITTANCE
Narrative | 87 min | Singapore, USA, Philippines | 2015 | Directed and written by Joel Fendelman & Patrick Daly
Synopsis
REMITTANCE follows Marie, a foreign domestic worker from the Philippines as she struggles to cope with demanding employers, long hours of work, and separation from her family. Breaking from the conventional image of maids as labor, the story explores the transformations Marie goes through as a woman dealing with conflicting obligations and aspirations. At its heart, Remittance is a coming of age story about a woman trying to balance living for her family versus living for herself.
Based upon an original script by Patrick Daly and Joel Fendelman, REMITTANCE is a realistic portrayal of low-wage migrant workers in Singapore shot at real locations with a cast including actual domestic workers.
This is not just a Singapore story but a global story of the commodification of labor, the exportation of mothers from poor third world countries to first world nations. Singapore is a microcosm of what is happening across the globe.
“...one of the most moving films I’ve ever seen.”