Becoming Labrador: A New Two-Part Documentary

Did you know there's a growing Filipino community in the small Labrador town Happy Valley-Goose Bay? More and more people are leaving the Philippines and traveling halfway around the world for jobs, in hopes that the opportunities will provide their families back home with a better life. Yet, these opportunities come with unexpected costs.

The new two-part documentary Becoming Labrador follows a handful of people who've made this sacrifice, as they cope with homesickness, isolation, racism, and immigration red tape.

Parts One and Two of "Becoming Labrador" are now streaming for free on CBC Gem.

A Cold Welcome

Many of the people profiled in the documentary describe facing racism and prejudice in Labrador. "My first summer here, I was working at a bar. I was assaulted by a woman," one woman describes. "She said, 'Hey you, little Filipino. What are you doing here? Why are you getting our jobs? Better go home."

In the midst of dealing with prejudice from their new communities, newcomers are also facing the intense loneliness that comes from being separated from their families with no opportunities to visit. Filmmaker Justin Simms says the story of one man featured in the documentary, Rey, really stands out.

"He had lived in HVGB for four years when we met him, four years away from his wife and young children, four years of existing to each other exclusively on Skype while Rey worked to save money and wait for immigration paperwork," Simms says. "It was apparent that the hole left in his life by their separation was excruciating for him. Their eventual reunion is no doubt the emotional high point of the film. I have never seen someone so happy."

A Shared Experience

Becoming Labrador was made in 2018 by filmmakers Rohan Fernando, Tamara Segura, and Justin Simms. The idea for the film came from producer Annette Clarke, after she heard a radio documentary about the subject.

"The emotional journey of immigration is close to my heart as I'm a first generation Sri Lankan immigrant," says Fernando.

I hope Canadians of all stripes are able to empathize with the struggle all immigrants face and are inspired by the profound journeys of our characters.- Tamara Segura, Filmmaker

Like Fernando, Segura also saw her own story reflected in the film. "I immediately sympathized with the subject," she says. When Clarke invited her to join the team of directors, Segura had just become a permanent resident of Canada. "Newfoundland and Labrador is a province with a relatively small community of immigrants and the life experiences of the newcomers are often very foreign to the local people."

With this film, Segura hoped to inspire understanding and empathy for the struggles immigrants endure in order to settle in a new country.

Love and Adventure

Despite the challenges, the documentary also has happy stories to share. One woman never expected to come to Labrador and fall in love. "I always told everybody, I didn't expect to have a boyfriend or a husband who is a foreigner," she says. Yet, she fell in love with an Inuit man. "She tells me that all the time," says her husband. "She wanted a Filipino man, but she met me."

Another woman profiled in the documentary fell in love, too with Labrador itself. She came to Labrador back in 1965, in search of adventure. She became a teacher. "I never planned to stay here for good," she says. "After 10 years, I thought maybe it's time for a change. So I went to Quebec. I like it there, but I didn't speak French. I went to Saskatchewan, but it was so flat. The roads went on forever. So I went to Toronto. It was so busy - I didn't last a year there. When I came back a third time, I told the school board, "You can send me anywhere, as long as it's in Labrador."

"We hoped to find joy in these stories but never expected to find it in spades," says Fernando.

• Part One of Becoming Labrador is now streaming for free on Gem.
  
• Find Part Two of Becoming Labrador, also streaming for free on Gem, here.

About the Filmmakers

Rohan Fernando is a visual artist and filmmaker based in Halifax. Last year, his debut producorial effort was also featured in CBC's Absolutely Canadian series. The Song and the Sorrow is a documentary about the troubled life of music icon Gene MacLellan, his legacy, and his influence on his daughter, musician Catherine MacLellan. The Song and the Sorrow can be streamed on Gem.

Tamara Segura is a Cuban-Canadian filmmaker who's been based in Newfoundland since 2012. Her films have won awards in Spain, Cuba, Canada, and Mexico. Her short film C Sharp and D Suspended was included in season 12 of the CBC show Short Film Face Off. The 13-minute film can be streamed on Gem.

Justin Simms is a filmmaker originally from Labrador City, NL, and now based in St. John's. He has previously directed films about traditional hand line cod fishing on Fogo Island, and about former Newfoundland and Labrador premier Danny Williams.