Contribution short abstract:

I will talk about my research experiences and discoveries made through working with a lens and how they differed from when I conducted my research only using traditional methods. Additionally, I intend to talk about existing migration theories and how they are reflected in the film.

Contribution long abstract:

After publishing a book on Indian migrants in Tokyo (Routledge: 2020) with a chapter focusing on women's lives, I decided to make a documentary about them – 'Finding their niche: Unheard stories of migrant women'.

The protagonists of this documentary are women I had been in contact with since I moved to Japan (2007) and who later were among the interlocutors for my research. At my request in 2020, they agreed to be a part of my film. Looking at their lives through a lens revealed many surprises and other aspects of their life, which, although known to me, had a much more profound impact on my thinking as I worked through the material in the editing room. In making this film, I felt that I attained a deeper understanding of their emotions and their transition from daughters to wives, mothers and migrant workers in a foreign land. Making this feature-length documentary took me back to my past and, collectively, with my protagonists' experiences, led me to rethink the concept of migration.

In this presentation, I would like to reflect on my research experiences without and, later, with the camera. I will also talk about my journey to becoming a filmmaker and aim to reflect on the research experiences and discoveries made through working with a lens and how they differed from when I conducted my research only using traditional methods. Additionally, I intend to talk about existing migration theories and how they are reflected in the film.