Parcelpaedia
Speculative fiction: film, animation, illustration
2020
Parcelpaedia is a hybrid film that responds to Italy Syndrome- a depression specific to Eastern European women who work as caregivers in Italy.
The movie features Dr.Cara, a fictitious physician who examines parcels sent by these migrants to their families in Moldova. By weaving fact and fiction, the movie creates an absurd world with its own logic, bizarre categories, and uncanny physics where objects are alive and active in the Moldovan-Italian migration. They are studied by parcel physicians and documented in make-believe encyclopaedias and medical files.
From the photo albums of my grandparents
before 2000
Moldova before early 2000, a period of devastating economic transition from Soviet Republic to an independent state. Since 1998, hundreds of thousand Moldovans fled the country to find a better paying job. A large number of them went to Italy. There, Moldovan women found jobs in the home care services. They are called badante (Italian: caregiver) and they take care of older people, mostly suffering from dementia. They often stay in their employer’s personal home for 24 hours a day and seven days a week, having only two-hours-a-week-break.
Italy Syndrome
2005- on
Since 2005, The Italy Syndrome is reported in the national and international media along with stories of clandestine caregivers in Italy.
Interwiews
2020
Moldovan caregivers who returned from Italy were eager to share stories about the way they traveled to Italy and their experiences as clandestine caregivers.
Field trip
2020
Field trip in an empty, damaged landscape in Moldova. "Țîra" is the name of the village that appears on this soviet-ancient bus station in the middle of nowhere. This is where Dr.Cara will receive his parcel-patients.
Collaboration
2020
