Michele Josue is no stranger to telling compelling, emotionally honest stories with films like Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine and Happy Jail deeply ingrained in my heart and my mind long after I sat down to watch them. 

Josue is back with Nurse Unseen, a feature documentary currently in limited release that explores the history and humanity of Filipino nurses and their often unsung contributions to American healthcare even amidst cultural obstacles, blatant discrimination, and other obstacles. Josue largely focuses her lens during the years of the COVID-19 pandemic, a global crisis that found Filipino nurses on the front lines and negatively impacted by the pandemic in numbers far higher than other nurses.  Nearly 1/3 of the nurses who died from the pandemic in the U.S. were Filipino, however, Filipinos compromise only 4% of U.S. nurses. 

To say that Nurse Unseen is an emotionally resonant film is an understatement. The film soars with its personal stories and aching vulnerability. It's a film destined to elicit pride for Filipinos and awareness for many of those who don't know this hidden history. 

Josue vividly captures the history and culture of the Philippines that created what seems like a direct line toward becoming nurses in the U.S. While the film lands a bit light on addressing the institutionalized exploitation of these nurses, Josue's ability to paint a vivid and intimate picture of these lives gives the film a profoundly engaging, intimate, and yet often melancholy feeling that is frequently interrupted by bursts of light and pride. 

I will confess I somewhat longed for more of a call to action to truly honor Filipino nurses by fixing the broken institutions that hinder their work, however, this loving, well researched exploration of a world that far too many Americans don't realize exists is a far more satisfying and meaningful dcoumentary than one might expect. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic