Sama Bella *Viewer Discretion Advised*
Gender Studies
•
20m
Many early mornings, Bella and her brothers take a small boat from the harbor at the Sama-Bajau community in the Philippines to catch fish. The Indigenous sea nomads in maritime Southeast Asia are deeply connected to the ocean and are known as the best skin divers in the world.
The men take their spears and free dive while Bella stays on the boat. “I don’t dive deeply anymore since I changed livelihood because I am a woman now.”
The fishing trips are a way for the family to bond despite the huge change in Bella's life. They are undocumented settlers, forced to move to Davao City because of the civil war. Bella and her community have no documents and must scratch a living from the informal economy.
Bella abandons traditional spearfishing and adapts a new way of life, selling pre-loved clothes under the scorching heat of the sun. She enjoys her new livelihood interacting with customers on style trends and selling affordable clothes.
However, the indigenous Sama-Bajau see the LGBTQ+ community as taboo. To avoid discrimination, Bella's grandmother forced Bella to marry a woman and have a son.
Despite challenges, Bella embraces her womanhood. As the only visible transgender woman in her community who breaks barriers, she continues living her dreams by providing for the family, being a woman, and saving money for a new set of makeup.
Director(s): Pia Duran
2024 | 20 minutes
Philippines
Language(s): Bisaya, Sama-Bajau
Subtitles: English
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