Northwest Film Forum

Set in Singapore in 1997, Ilo Ilo chronicles the relationship between a family of three and their newly arrived Filipino maid, Teresa, who has come  to Singapore, like many other Filipino women, in search of a better life.

The entire family needs to adapt to the presence of this stranger, which further threatens their already strained relationship. Still, Teresa and Jiale, the young and troublesome boy she cares for, soon form a bond. Their unique connection continues to develop and soon she becomes an unspoken part of the family.

This screening is part of Seattle’s Carlos Bulosan Centennial Celebration.

Carlos Bulosan is the United States’ most famous Filipino American author, poet, laborer and organizer, a longtime Seattle voice and influence on today’s civil rights, youth, immigration, labor and cross-cultural movements. To cement Bulosan’s place in Seattle history, and to share his struggle with a wider audience, the Carlos Bulosan Centennial Committee presents a series of public events, artistic showcases, an historic collection unveiling, academic gatherings and film screenings this fall to celebrate his life and works.

Partners include: Carlos Bulosan Memorial Exhibit, University of Washington, Wing Luke Museum, Inland Boatman’s Union Local 37, SEIU 775, Filipino Community of Seattle, LELO, Pinoy Words Expressed Kultura Arts, Northwest Film Forum, and Asian Pacific America Labor Alliance.