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Xyza Bacani tells stories of Filipino 'expats' through her lens

Seasoned Filipina photographer Xyza Bacani discusses her work featuring overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East and how she is able to relate to them during a talk in New York.

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<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cv6Fj5ct58s?&amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>Acclaimed photographer Xyza Bacani was commissioned a documentary photography of overseas Filipino workers in the United Arab Emirates in 2015.She recently talked about her work at New York University and gave the audience a rare glimpse of the lives that represent the 700,000 Filipino diaspora in the gulf state.Bacani shared that she relates to OFWs&#x27; experiences, having been the child of a migrant worker.&quot;I am one of them,&quot; she said. &quot;I do feel that having those experiences give me a very unique perspective on the issues that we go through as Filipino migrant workers.&quot;She also views the act of telling the story of Filipinos abroad as a way to give them hope.Her documentary photography “Komunidad, Filipinos in the UAE&quot; further shows that Filipinos overseas are part of smaller communities in the diaspora, as well as of a bigger global community.&quot;We Filipinos find each other no matter where we are,&quot; Bacani added. &quot;One of the beauty of being Filiipino is we recognize our own, we help our own as much as we can. We share what we have [with] our fellows.&quot;This sense of community will even be in full display on the fifth episode of the Prime Video series &quot;Expats.&quot;The show stars Nicole Kidman and also features Filipino actresses Ruby Ruiz and Amelyn Pardenilla.Bacani is a former migrant worker in Hong Kong. Having lived the life of the characters in “Expats” – she said an important aspect of being an OFW is family separation.This is highlighted in the limited series that is shining a spotlight on migrant Filipino workers.&quot;The trauma of abandonment, of relationships, will be there,&quot; she said. &quot;That is one thing that we should talk about.&quot;For Bacani, it is important to listen with intention to what migrant Filipinos have to say so their stories are told in a more nuanced and dignified way.A special extended Episode 5 of “Expats” will drop on Feb. 15 on Prime Video.

Seasoned Filipina photographer Xyza Bacani discusses her work featuring overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East and how she is able to relate to them during a talk in New York.

Xyza Bacani tells stories of Filipino 'expats' through her lens

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Xyza Bacani tells stories of Filipino 'expats' through her lens

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Don Tagala | TFC News New York

Published Feb 10, 2024 07:10 PM PHT

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