Maevia GRIFFITHS (2021 Masters in Development Studies)
Maevia's two-fold thesis, constituted by a film and a report is an unconventional and innovative way of conducting research and it's quality convinced this years Jury for the Global Migration award.
Bridging the Visuals and Social Science Research Gap through Film A Visual Insight into the Stories of Four ‘Undocumented’ Women in Geneva And the Documentary Elles, les (in)visibles
Elles les (in)visibles is a documentary recounting the stories of four ‘undocumented’ women in Geneva. Maevia’s work uses filmmaking as both object and method of her research, as to bridge the gaps between social science knowledge production, under-represented realities and a wider audience. The film concentrates on the lived experiences of four migrant women working in Geneva’s care economy, two of whom have been regularised and two who remain without regular status. This movie looks at the processes of regularisation through the pilot project Operation Papyrus – between 2017 and 2018 in Geneva – which regularised nearly 3,000 people. The audience follows their stories: leaving their homes, crossing borders, finding work as an ‘undocumented’ migrant in Geneva, situations of abuse, exploitation and violence, most importantly their strength and resistance to cope with the situation at hand. Viewers will be able to stop and listen to people who rarely have their voices heard. Director, Maevia Griffiths, explains: “These are the people we all rely on for our society to function, and by watching and listening we can allow recognition of their presence, their suffering and strength as well as their humanity, allowing more symmetric power relations to form, starting here in Geneva, in our own home.”