Jeepney

This documentary visualizes the richly diverse cultural and social climate of the Philippines through its most popular form of mass transportation: vividly decorated ex-WWII military jeeps. Following jeepney artists, drivers, and passengers: Gerry drives a jeepney that reflects his reverence for nature and tradition; Manny grew up near a US military base and watched the jeepney transform as he did while working abroad; and Lhudz continues the woodcarving skills of his indigenous grandfather with jeepney mud flap carving. Their stories take place amidst nationwide protest against oil price hikes that pressure drivers to work overseas to earn a living, separated from their families for years at a time. Lavishly shot and cut to the rhythm of the streets, Jeepney provides an enticing vehicle through which the rippling effects of globalization can be felt.

Praise for Jeepney:

"a freewheeling and pungently poetic slice of urban Filipino life." - Kimberly Chun, San Fransiosco Bay Guardian

"a close examination of a colorful and popular form of public transit in the Philippines"- Bonnie Steiger, The Examiner