Documentary screening - Rasa dan Asa

Presented by ANU College of Asia & the Pacific

Documentary screening - Rasa dan Asa

Synopsis

Indonesian domestic workers Ningrum and Binti who live in Malaysia could not return home to their families when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Together with other domestic workers from PERTIMIG, they learned to document their lives on their handphones. Along the way, they share emotional experiences leaving home, and taking care of others' families away from their own families. Their intimate sharing brings us to consider our relationship with domestic workers and reveals how little we know about these domestic workers who work and live alongside us in our households and in our community.

Rasa dan Asa is shot by a group of Indonesian domestic workers living in Malaysia, assisted by a team of video makers, at the height of the 2021 Covid 19 pandemic. In the Indonesian language, 'Rasa dan Asa' means 'taste, feeling and hope'.

*PERTIMIG (Indonesian Migrant Domestic Workers Association in Malaysia), is an independent organization fighting for the rights of migrant domestic workers. PERTIMIG's vision is to advocate for decent work and welfare for the domestic workers in Malaysia.

About the directors

There will be a post-screening online discussion with the directors

Nasrikah is an Indonesian migrant worker who has been living in Malaysia since 1997. She is an advisor for PERTIMIG and a field facilitator for IDWF (International Domestic Workers Federation). Her advocacy focused on campaigning for migrant domestic workers to be treated with the same respect, status and access to justice as workers. Nasrikah is also a poet and coordinator for arts and cultural events.

Okui Lala is an artist and cultural worker. Her practice spans from video and performance to community engagement. Her work explores themes of identities, diaspora and belonging through the performances of vocational labor. Okui also facilitates photos and video workshops with nonprofit organizations, unions and different communities in Malaysia and Japan.

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