Joyce, an immigrant Filipino nanny living in NYC, makes a friend that puts an end to her loneliness, when she needs it the most.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Nora Jaenicke

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I once stumbled upon an article about the condition of Filipino nannies. It was about how many of them live overseas, far away from their own children in order to send them to school and provide a future for them. It moved me to tears and I felt compelled to write about the topic. Drawing from my own experience while working as a babysitter during my studies, I tried to step into these women's shoes, at how attached they must get to these children that they take care of and who aren't their own, while being so far away from their biological ones.

I wanted to show the struggle that these women go through on a big screen. This is the power of film. You can raise awareness and touch people's heart and minds, have them look at certain issues, and don't just "inform" them intellectually, but do so while plucking at their heartstrings. You can read a whole doctoral thesis on the sacrifices of Filipino overseas workers, but a film has the potential of making you cry on top of making you think.

I like to make films that make people look at the world differently – stories that illuminate a different perspective, images have that power, especially when they move. So this is how Joyce came to be. It all started with me reading an article and writing the first draft of the screenplay. I then found the perfect actress to play Joyce, Cassandra Seidenfeld, and she ended up helping me produce the short asides from playing the lead in it. I am forever grateful for all the help I received from this generous woman. She truly poured all of her talent as an artist and business woman into the making of this film.

We are now hoping to make the feature version in the fall of next year. The script has already gone through multiple drafts and we can't wait to start with pre production. Sending Joyce the short to as many festival as possible will help with the feature.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

I think it's a heartwarming story that deals with issues that are very timely. Ideally it will move the audience and have them reflect upon how extraordinary these seemingly ordinary women really are, and all the hard work they put into raising someone else's child while being so far away from their own. At the end of the day, Joyce is also a story about a friendship. Some people might feel like it's a love story, but really it was my intention to write about two lonely human beings who find comfort in each other, when they need it the most. I didn't want to write a love story.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Sadly, this story is the story of many Filipino nannies who, at a very young age, are already conditioned to aspire to overseas jobs. The script is sad but quite telling about the hard work of women who are so far from home to work for wealthy families. Ultimately it is a story about the connection between two lonely immigrant women in New York city, their longing for home and the hope for a new beginning. I think these themes are quite universal.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

The script has gone through a lot of rewrites. I tend to get stuck in the rewrite loop, so Joyce was no exception to that. Thankfully, I have a close circle of friends who always read my work and give me their feedback. Having other writer friends ask the right question really helps in getting to know your characters and story in greater depth. During the production of the short, Cassandra, the lead actress, and I got so excited about the story that we decided that there should be a feature. I wrote it in a month. It was the fastest draft that I have ever written. I was just very inspired and the whole team was going through such a great momentum, that it felt effortless and, ultimately, right.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

So far, only my close friends have seen the film. They all loved it, and I have some pretty tough critics in my circle of friends, so I know that they are not just saying it's good to please me. I am excited for it to hit festivals all over the world but I am a bit concerned about its length. We are at 30 minutes right now and it might be hard to program, but I am confident that it will find its audience. We can always edit a shorter version.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

I am hoping to raise the curiosity of potential producers and investors who could help us make the feature. As we all know, it takes a village. Eventually it would help to find a Distributor.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

We are looking for investors, executive producers, and all the publicity we can get; that always helps. Basically, we want this story to be seen and Joyce's voice to be heard.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

Ideally it would show at many festivals and touch as many hearts as possible all over the planet.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Why is Joyce in the situation that she is in? – That's a big question that would open up an equally big debate.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

The feature version of Joyce, the feature version of my other short Whales... And Proof! Another film that deals with immigration issues and honour killings, also the short version of a feature.

Interview: September 2018

We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

Joyce

Joyce, an immigrant Filipino nanny living in NYC, makes a friend that puts an end to her loneliness, when she needs it the most.

Length: 30:00

Writer: Nora Jaenicke

Producer: Nora Jaenicke

Director: Nora Jaenicke

About the writer, director and/or producer:

NORA JAENICKE is a German-Italian filmmaker living in NYC. She considers herself mainly a writer, even though she always ends up directing and ultimately producing her own scripts because she gets too enamoured with the "vision" of it all and loves bringing to life imaginary worlds by collaborating with other creatives.

She has directed and written five short films that won awards at festivals all over the world and is currently in pre production of her first feature film. She also runs a screenwriting retreat in Tuscany, where she was raised. Bringing together filmmakers from all over the world and sharing her passion for storytelling with others has always been one of her biggest dreams.

Facebook: Joyce