Thea Loo

thecommentary.ca

The filmmaker Thea Loo discusses her new documentary Inay (Mama), having its premiere at the Vancouver International Film Festival, with Joseph Planta.

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Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

Inay (Mama) (Filipino for Mama), is a new documentary that is having its Canadian premiere at the Vancouver International Film Festival tomorrow night. It’s a moving film that looks at the impact of the Live-In Caregiver Program that from the 1990s on has brought thousands of women from The Philippines as migrant workers rearing the children or elderly family members of Canadians, enabling them to send their earnings back home, where many of their children were left behind. After a certain period of time, these women were able to gain permanent residency and then bring their children to Canada. It’s an often-harrowing journey, as there are issues of abandonment, as well as cultural and psychological shock once these children build a new life in a new country, and try and rebuild a relationship with a missing parent. Thea Loo is the film’s director and she joins me now to talk about the film. Early in the movie, she and her husband, cinematographer Jeremiah Reyes talk about the depression that Reyes contends with. And soon, he and her friend Shirley, are interviewed on camera about the intergenerational trauma and lack of belonging that they seemingly have each had to navigate through. In Jeremiah’s case, addressing a lot of this might just help he and Thea adjust better to their recent marriage. Both he and Shirley have to deal with secrets that they grew up with, and by the end of the film, each of them sit down with their respective mothers and talk, often frankly, always emotionally, and hopefully charting a new path. The repercussions of governmental policies, and its effect on generations of Filipino Canadians is something this documentary sheds light on and it’s enlightening and enlightened in its approach. Thea Loo is a graduate of Simon Fraser University. Other than filmmaking, she has worked in other disciplines like photography, music, and theatre. The film screens tomorrow (October 2^nd at 7.00pm) and Friday (October 4^th at 4.00pm) at International Village. Thea and Jeremiah will participate at Q&As at both screenings. We taped this interview a couple of weeks ago. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Thea Loo; Ms. Loo, good morning.

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