What does it mean when someone calls you "MAARTE"?

As a Filipina, when someone calls you “MAARTE,” it usually isn’t a compliment. It’s a word used across Filipino households within the diaspora as a response to, primarily, young women who:

- Express themselves loudly and dress even louder

- Sing, dance, and act as though not a soul is watching or listening

- Are outspoken and have strong opinions

“MAARTE” is the most basic translation for being “dramatic” in a culture that teaches girls and women to behave, obey, and to never stray from the status quo.

As artists and change-makers, that just isn’t who we are.

We want to reclaim “MAARTE” into a word of empowerment. It starts right here and now with this docu-series.

Hi! My name is Roxanne and I’ve been called “MAARTE” many times in life: for wanting to make art instead of pursuing financial stability, for being too “extra” in how I spoke or carried myself, for having a penchant for maximalism, for being too “bossy” when I try taking the lead, for taking up space instead of allowing myself to be invisible.

Cue the whiteboard I drew on during a co-working sesh at my friend's apartment in January 2020. How's that for taking up space? Lol.

Fast forward to nearly 4 years of development (read: lived experiences) later, and I'm still standing on this hill: It’s crucial for young Filipinas in the arts to know that it’s possible to make your dreams a reality. “MAARTE” highlights the diasporic stories of Pinays from New York, Chicago, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and beyond, and why the term "MAARTE" fuels them in their respective industries.

King Marie, a DJ, singer, stylist, and creative director who marches to her own beat, flies from city to city on a weekly basis, and still makes time for her people.

Faith Santilla, a poet and activist whose performances empower the masses, whose feature on Ruby Ibarra’s song “Us” is perhaps the most sampled audio out there in the Filipina community.

Grace Bio, the visual artist who creates live paintings and murals that breathe life into a Southern port city known for its large military community and rich history.

Charlie Kane, the multimedia artist whose keen sense of story and love for research bridges the gaps between unlikely worlds.

Christine Morales, a pageant queen who straddles the divide between the world she lives in and the world she wants to create.

Lovelisa Dizon, is a triple threat DJ, cyclist, and A&R rep who loves Coogi and citrus. 

Gericault De La Rose, the transfemme who takes performance art to the next level both in the classroom and in the ballroom.

Christian Aldana, the queer educator-organizer who founded a monthly open mic program to give people of color a safe space to express themselves in a city where they often feel ignored.

and JUST ANNOUNCED:

Asia Jackson, a Los Angeles-based actress, speaker, and content creator. As a proud Black and Asian Air Force brat, with African-American and Indigenous Filipino heritage, Asia passionately explores the realms of beauty, fashion, and culture at the intersection of race and identity.

and Alavia Khawaja - a Filipino and Pakistani Dallas-based yoga teacher, community builder, and multi-media artist, with a passion for broadening perspectives, and addressing the duality that lies within all of us.

Their stories are just the tip of the iceberg in dispelling the narrative that there aren't enough Filipinas in arts, media, and entertainment out there. Because let's be real: That take is tired. The problem here is simple: visibility. This is why we need to get this docu-series made.

Filipinas like me and the women in this docu-series grew up consuming media and stories (usually told to them by their parents and family members) of what an "ideal" Filipina woman should be, which were variations of the following: being light-skinned and skinny, having western features, having dreams of being a nurse, being submissive. In turn, "MAARTE" aims to completely *bleep* up your preconceived notions of how Filipinas "should look" when they do appear on screen and how we "should act" IRL. 

We are not a monolith. With this docu-series, we will showcase the breadth of the Filipina experience so that aspiring Filipina artists will have the courage to show up and be their full selves - MAARTE and all.

Through "MAARTE," we hope to challenge the gatekeeping and provide a more nuanced, intersectional spectrum of experiences - because every story is valid even if they fall outside of the mainstream representation. 

If you believe in visibility, inclusivity, and empowered storytelling, this docu-series is for you.

GOALS AND DREAMS:

Our biggest hope for this project is that it takes on a life of its own. Though it is intended for a limited number of episodes right now, we hope that with your help and future backing, we could turn MAARTE into an ongoing initiative to highlight the amazing Filipina creatives in cities and towns across the country who might come from even lesser known communities.

Another dream of ours is to create sustainable educational programming through this work. We would love to create partnerships with Filipino cultural centers in different cities and facilitate local screenings and discussions, offering direct audience engagement. Collaborations with streaming platforms are also being explored to ensure wider distribution. The educational aspect of "MAARTE" is a huge priority for us as this project has always been to create accessible, authentic, and fun content for our communities.

FAQ

How far along are you in the process? What does this campaign support?

We are currently 75% through production. As of the past six months, we have filmed with most of the East Coast subjects for the series, but need to make our way to the West Coast to film in both LA and the Bay Area.

This campaign will cover post-production (the editing process) for the first half of the series, so that we can start rolling out the first few episodes and introduce you to our MAARTE gworls! 

How and when can I watch MAARTE?

We intend for the first episodes of MAARTE to premiere in Spring 2024. The audience will primarily receive the project through a mix of IRL and organized virtual screenings. This is because we want to prioritize community engagement through this work. It will be put on YouTube for public access after being screened.

We are not under any distribution agreements at this time, though we are open to working together with networks or organizations that are interested. 

STRETCH GOALS

$18000 - We'd be able to return to the field, cover travel fees for the crew, and shoot additional scenes with each of our subjects. Because production was self-funded through personal savings and resources were highly limited, the current footage is quite concise. Having a little extra time with each subject and/or some special guests from their networks adds more depth to their respective episodes, and provides a more intimate look into the relationships and systems that directly influence or are impacted by their work.

$20000 - This amount will help us catch up on deferred pay for the production team! This goes directly to our DPs, PAs, 2nd Unit team, and other folks who were on-set securing our very first proof-of-concept interviews.

$23000 - This project was for the people, from the jump. MAARTE aims to serve beyond being just something you can watch. We want it to be something you can experience tangibly and in the community of others. A $23K total would mean we'd be able to sustainably host screening events and create educational programming such as artist talks or workshops in each respective city. 

Please follow and share both this page and our Instagram, @maartedoc!

We know the holidays are right in the middle of this campaign, so please consider pledging a donation this season. Your support is the greatest gift we could ask for.

And that's not all! When you make a pledge, your contribution is automatically tax-deductible thanks to our fiscal sponsorship from the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA).

Now, are you ready to do this ish? We are. Let's do it together.