An artistic storytelling, FIRST BATCH is both a documentary film and exhibition narrating the story of the first wave of Filipino migrant nurses from the 1970s till 1980s to Austria, triggered by the bilateral agreement between the Philippines and the city of Vienna.
Chelsea Amada, a second generation Filipino and proud daughter of a migrant nurse, embarks on an investigative journey, together with a team of young storytellers of predominantly Filipino descent, to uncover and discover unique stories of these pioneer women in a series of conversations – as in old Filipino oral tradition of passing down history.
The photo exhibition captures raw moments of storytelling taken during the documentary, creating in essence, portraits of these witnesses of history giving a retrospective account of their, then perceived “new normal” and examining “what is normal” in their experiences of life abroad; arrival, getting along, difficulties. Their legacy will in turn be the subject of reprints on various merchandise to symbolize continuity and trace the many lives that the first batch has impacted.
The exhibition will be followed by a panel. The panel will be a combination of First Batch nurses, experts in the field of anthropology and sociology and young Filipinos from the community.
First Batch is a love letter to our mothers, our lolas (grandmothers), our titas (aunties) and the strong women that paved the way. It is a tribute to our matriarchs. It is a thank you note to those whose shoulders we stand and a gift to those whose journey to find their roots have yet to begin.
Proceeds from the sale of any merchandise item will go to the Stop AAPI Hate organization to help track and respond to the surge in racism and xenophobia towards Asians and Pacific Islanders.
#StopAsianHate
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