Abstract:

"Each day, thousands of women leave underdeveloped countries like the Philippines to seek work in more prosperous places. With little prospect of employment at home, these emigrants work abroad as nannies and domestics for meager wages and with few rights. What little money they earn they send home to their families. This crucial source of revenue to their country's economy has prompted the Philippine government to call these contract workers 'modern day heroes.' Starting from the case of Flor Contemplacion, the Philippine maid hanged in Singapore for the killing of her abusive employer, this film shows the human and sometimes tragic side of this organized labor trade: failed marriages, family break ups, and exploitation and abuse at the hands of unscrupulous employers. The film also takes us to a shelter in Saudi Arabia where abused domestics seek refuge. These women will ultimately return home penniless. The government is active in setting up training courses for young women to become nightclub dancers abroad. It also facilitates their employment and transportation abroad. When it comes to human rights violations, however, the government is reluctant to pressure foreign governments for fear of losing revenue. This leaves millions of women migrant workers vulnerable to exploitation." --http://www.filmakers.com