Family Ties

Family Ties, a documentary from Crave Productions, is scheduled for release on August 20, 2026. The film centers on an interview between the director and her maternal grandparents, Elenea and Manuel Papelera, who recount their formative years in the Philippines during the final period of Japanese occupation and the years that followed World War II. Their account spans memories of childhood under occupation, the decision to uproot their lives and emigrate to Australia, and the physical labor they took on to support their family across a new country. Through these conversations, the director traces her own connection to her Filipino heritage across two countries and three generations. The film closes on an image of that same family gathered together, playing Mahjong with friends.