Programs & Projects

Jeepney

This half-hour documentary follows the journey of one jeepney, its driver and its passengers as they head toward uncertain futures within the cultural diversity of the Philippines. From the densest city in the world to the tiniest tropical islands, brightly painted hot-rod jeepneys shuttle 81 million people from their homes to markets, doctor’s appointments, schools and workplaces. This film takes viewers on a trip that visits a broad spectrum of Filipino society, from remote tribes whose arts have remained unaffected by centuries of colonization, to internationally renowned artists and the contemporary scene of the young urban crowd. Integrated vignettes of conversations and philosophies tie the film together, advancing the significance of the jeepney from its history an object of war to its current status as the last brazen symbol of the country’s repeatedly suppressed indigenous arts.

Courtesy of Esy Casey
Produced by
Esy Casey
Brooklyn, NY
Total CPB Investment
$12,500
Made possible by CPB's
Television Programming: Center for Asian American Media Subgrant