Three young Filipino women self-document difficult conversations with their families and friends during the first year of the pandemic.
Three young Filipino women probe ideological divisions in their communities in “Who We Become,” a sensitive but straightforward documentary largely filmed during the first year of the pandemic. The nonfiction exercise consists almost entirely of footage captured by the subjects; the director PJ Raval assembles the self-documented scenes into a rough arc by tracking how the women stay connected to their families and engage with them about identity and injustice.
The film begins with a perfunctory news montage priming us on the Covid-19 crisis — as if we need a reminder — before pivoting to spend time alongside Lauren Yap, a college senior returning to her family home in Bedford, Texas, for virtual graduation. The documentary goes on to bring in scenes from Monica Silverio, an activist in Austin, and Jenah Maravilla, a community organizer in Houston, who both become involved with the Black Lives Matter movement. Their friends are encouraging of their advocacy work; their parents, sometimes less so. “Do a peaceful protest at home,” Monica’s father suggests on a video call.
The issues explored in “Who We Become” are essential, but the film’s content can occasionally feel superficial, as when Raval scrolls through text and images the women shared on Instagram. Those social media posts, designed for public consumption, pale in comparison to the documentary’s personal scenes. When, in an intimate video call, Jenah’s longtime friend Rachel tells her, “you’ve treated my Black body with care,” it is more galvanizing than any number of infographics.
Who We Become
Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 12 minutes. Watch on Netflix.
Source: Movies - nytimes.com
