2013, HD video, feature documentary, Directed by Esy Casey, Produced by Sarah Ema Friedland Jeepney visualizes the richly diverse cultural and social climate of the Philippines through its most popular form of mass transportation: vividly decorated ex-WWII military jeeps. Unlike mass transportation in many parts of the world, jeepneys are not a government service but are individually operated by the drivers, who manifest their identity, values, and dreams in their painting and decoration. The stories of a jeepney driver, artist, and passenger take place amidst nationwide protests against oil price hikes that pressure drivers to work overseas to earn a living, Jeepney provides an enticing vehicle through which the rippling effects of globalization can be felt.
Made possible by: The Center for Asian American Media, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The Princess Grace Foundation, and The Ford Foundation.
Select screenings: PBS Now broadcast, National, Chicago Asian American Showcase, Brooklyn Film Festival, Jeepney, Cinemalaya, LAAAFF, DisOrient, LAAAFF, CAMMFEST
Awards: Best Cinematography LAAFF
Reviews: Read reviews from the Society for Cultural Anthropology and more here.
Companion research and inspiration: Vestiges of War by Luis H. Francia, Angel Velasco Shaw, Eye of the Fish: A Personal Archipelago by Luis H. Francia, Jeepney by Emmanuel Torres
Learn more from organizations doing labor and equity activism in the Philippines: Bayan, Gabriela
