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[VIDEO EXCERPT] Rasa & Asa single-channel video, 27min, 2021
Rasa & Asa (Flavors, Feelings and Hopes) tells the stories of women working as domestic workers. The video follows PERTIMIG (Indonesian Migrant Domestic Workers Association) activities and its members' journey during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. Besides recordings of online events, most footage was shot remotely by PERTIMIG members using their smartphones during the Movement Control Order in Malaysia. Rasa & Asa epitomizes the persistence of migrant domestic workers and celebrates PERTIMIG's ceaseless solidarity with migrant domestic workers!
BEHIND THE SCENES of Rasa & Asa - Flavours, Feelings, & Hope - Life as a domestic worker in Malaysia
The cast and crew share their reflection on the challenges and achievements in the process of making this film in an interview on BFM Radio with Umrohatun, Member, PERTIMIG | Nasrikah, Co-Director, Rasa & Asa, & Advisor, PERTIMIG | Okui Lala, Co-Director, Rasa & Asa.
Q: The film was made from May-November 2021, when Malaysia was having lots of movement control orders (during the pandemic). Can you share more about how you all made this film?
Okui: Initially we plan to go to the employer house of our cast to shoot as they are all live-in domestic workers. But as the pandemic situation got very serious then, instead of having a video team to shoot physically, we changed our plan to remote shooting. We did 4 video workshops, online, to teach the member of PERTIMIG how to shoot video using their handphones. During the remote shooting for the interview, we place another handphone for communication. All the lightings, audio, video are arranged by the cast themselves under our remote supervision. On top of that, they are sharing story. So we really need to “tabik” (salute) them, because it was such a challenging task and the cast were so patient and determined to get the shots right! One of the most memorable shooting session was with Ningrum, a traditional jaipong dancer. After her work at 10pm, we started shooting with her in her small room till 2am! Because Ningrum, also wanted to get her dance well capture!
Q. Umi, can you share more about your feelings about being both the ‘’videographer’’ and ‘’interviewer’’?
Umrohatun: It is not easy to take video myself and being interviewed at the same time but with the help of Okui’s team finally we can do it. They teach us how to take nice pictures and videos. We have to pay attention to the angle of shooting and the light. We were happy and had fun taking the video even though the shoot interview was in the middle of the night because we have to finish our work first. When we see the end product of the film, we are very proud!
Q: What do you hope this documentary will achieve?
Nasrikah: We want the public to acknowledge domestic workers' contribution-- to the employer’s family economic well being and to the country 's economy as well. Just imagine, if no domestic worker takes care of the kids, takes care of the house (cooking, cleaning, etc) how can women professional workers go to work? Public also should know that we are domestic workers the same as other women, we have passion, we have our own dream and of course have hope to be treated as a human being and as a worker.
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.
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.
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 and their families in Malaysia. At this moment, PERTIMIG has 140 members and is an affiliate of International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF).
