"Kasama: Solidarity Through Space & Time" is a humanitarian piece concerning the political climate under the newly elected Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte. This freshly elected administration has wasted no time firmly installing themselves in the seats of power. The history of Martial Law has been scrubbed from government websites. Opposition journalists are being murdered and political dissidents kidnapped. Mass arrests of farmers over land disputes plague communities. Indiscriminate extra-judicial killings and terror-tagging are rampant. In a time where the truth is so vehemently suppressed by those in power, exposing it can be deadly. This film documents activist groups in Seattle and their counterparts in the motherland as they fight to expose the truth and demand a better life for Filipinos everywhere.
This documentary uses exclusive content of election day in the Philippines and the accompanying demonstrations, with archival footage and after-effects woven in. Of the legion of voices in this film, some include Martial Law survivors, family members of victims, youth organizers, labor activists, teachers, members of the clergy, autonomous militant forces, and government officials. It is a concept-driven journalistic piece and was shot primarily handheld in the guerilla filmmaking style.
Our desired release date is June 30, 2023: the one-year anniversary of Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte’s Inauguration to show the formidable and continuous resistance against anti-authoritarian governments spanning generations in the Philippines and Seattle. Our current budget fundraising goal stands at $85,000. These funds will cover the cost of post-production roles, distribution and entries into film festivals.
This documentary uses exclusive content of election day in the Philippines and the accompanying demonstrations, with archival footage and after-effects woven in. Of the legion of voices in this film, some include Martial Law survivors, family members of victims, youth organizers, labor activists, teachers, members of the clergy, autonomous militant forces, and government officials. It is a concept-driven journalistic piece and was shot primarily handheld in the guerilla filmmaking style.
Our desired release date is June 30, 2023: the one-year anniversary of Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte’s Inauguration to show the formidable and continuous resistance against anti-authoritarian governments spanning generations in the Philippines and Seattle. Our current budget fundraising goal stands at $85,000. These funds will cover the cost of post-production roles, distribution and entries into film festivals.
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Director / Marena Domingo"Kasama" is Marena's second documentary, and her first feature length film. Her works examine social issues and challenge the status quo imposed on disenfranchised and marginalized people.
When given the opportunity to film this momentous event in Philippine history, Marena was jettisoned into an overseas adventure where she was a one-woman film crew. As a Filipino-American, it is out of love and duty that she undertakes telling this story. She is a firm believer that active participation of Filipino-Americans in the movement for their people abroad helps bridge the gap between them. "Kasama" is a way for Marena to connect with her roots in a way that strives to keep its true history alive. A lifelong creative, Marena has always harbored a passion for telling stories. Her journey has included a background in Theatre Arts and she is an award winning screenwriter. For her, film is a vehicle for radical change. Through her films that amplify the realities of various groups of people, she hopes to call more awareness and support for people power movements. With the fusion of her passion for filmmaking and desire for social justice, Marena has joined the ranks of creatives whose art is in service of the people. |
Executive Producer / Crystallee Crain, Ph.D.
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e[email protected]
I came to this work in 2018 when I was approached by the Malaya Movement in Portland, OR to host presentations about the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines. Hosting them in my college courses I learned more about the issues happening abroad and in the U.S. to cover up the human rights violations. I immediately became interested in the cross-cultural solidarity component of this work in the U.S. and now for nearly 5 years I’ve worked closely with the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP). My organizing efforts with the coalition have included: writing op-eds regarding the human rights situation in the Philippines and the U.S. role in those actions; served as a sub-commissioner for the Investigate PH project; participated in the IOM during the May 2022 National election in the Philippines alongside Director, Marena Domingo; and traveled to Washington D.C. to advocate for the Philippines Human Rights Act. As an activist and scholar, I understand the importance of black and brown unity domestically here in the United states but also abroad. I believe it’s important to stand with our allies and partners globally to work for a more just world. The truths that are exposed in this film are a part of that personal and professional mission of engaging in the world as a global citizen. |
