We don’t dance for nothing

The screening is followed by a talk with Stefanos Tai

We Don't Dance for Nothing is a photo-montage love letter to the Filipina domestic workers of Hong Kong. Stefanos Tai's film follows a young domestic worker who wants to break free and follow her dreams of independence, love and motherhood. Captured on Super 16 during the Hong Kong protests of 2019, the film's imagery is a blend of stills and live-action footage. Tai touches upon LGBTQ+ themes, issues of workers' rights, and Hong Kong's changing political landscape, capturing moments of joy amidst struggle. By vividly expressing the entrapment felt by Filipina domestic workers and the freedom they find in dance, Tai's film moves beyond media (mis)representations of their community and shows them as people full of talent, joy and grace. (SU)

Stefanos Tai is a Greek-Chinese-American filmmaker. His works are intensely anthropological, and aim to remind us of a simple idea: we have more in common than sets us apart.