Céline Roustan
Analisa and Phoebe left their lives in the Philippines to move to the UK, hoping to provide for their families. Instead, they found themselves trapped in modern slavery. In Pamilya, writer/director Miles Blacket blurs the lines between fiction and documentary, working with the participants to paint an emotionally poignant portrait of resilience, and community among modern slavery survivors.
“There was tenderness, humour, and resilience in how they supported one another”
When Blacket first heard about the FDWA (Filipino Domestic Workers Association), it was the community element, built against a broken system, that struck a chord. “This small group of women – survivors of modern slavery themselves – were now helping others escape the same fate”, he explained. It was their bond that inspired him most: “There was tenderness, humour, and resilience in how they supported one another”. The family these women have built in the UK, and the strength of that bond, stayed with him. Yet, ultimately, it was the participants themselves – “how Ana, Phoebe and the other Filipinas were so welcoming towards us and eager to share their stories” – that prompted him to make Pamilya.
At its core, Pamilya is about the tight-knit community these women have built. While never bypassing the fact that they are survivors of trafficking, the film resists centering solely on that narrative. Instead, Blacket’s short challenges our expectations of such stories by welcoming us into the intimacy of the group, showing how they support one another, and give each other strength – the warm feeling of this family can be felt through the screen.
“It offers a window into their personalities” – Blacket discussing the dinner table scene in Pamilya
Blacket’s genuine connection with the participants is palpable, allowing the film to not only shed light on the vital work of the FDWA, but also to reveal the women’s different personalities. Over time, the director built a rapport with the group, granting his film an authenticity in both the narrative structure and the participants’ presence on screen, as they appear “in all their humour, charm, and cheekiness”.
Throughout his short, Blacket finds just the right balance between fiction and documentary to convey the emotional depth of Pamilya. By having the participants play themselves, it also creates a direct connection with the audience – as if we were in the room with them as they are recounting their experiences firsthand. Through a blend of improvised moments with more scripted ones, the director allows us to get to know the participants, enhancing our emotional connection with the women and the overall warmth of the film.
Ahead of its online debut, Pamilya made its way around the festival circuit with notable stops at SXSW, the Palm Springs ShortFest, and Aesthetica. Blacket is currently working on a new short, Leftovers, a fiction piece “that follows two people re-connecting and then, through shared food memories, turns into magical-realist way of dealing with their repressed past.” He is also developing his first feature, Desire Paths, a docu-fiction hybrid film “following a group of boys in a school”.