stream episode one of ‘the expats,’ a docuseries about black italian expats in america

By T. McLendon, AFROPUNK Contributor

The African diaspora touches every corner of the earth and the stories from each experience is a story worth telling. ’The Expats’ is a web documentary series created and directed by Johanne Affricot, telling the tales of Black Italian expats living abroad in the search for new opportunities. In the lexicon of the international community, the term expat is often associated with white people who emigrate for reasons related to work. By using this term in the title , the director is calling into question who gets to be called a migrant, who gets to be an expat, and the privilege associated with whiteness in the international sphere. The use of the term in the title of the series is meant to be provocative and encourage reflection not only about the idea of black Italians in Italy and abroad but also Italians who do not know this “different” or “diverse” Italy.

The journey is the central element of this experience which links each expat, in different ways, to a path that has already been taken by their own families and to a larger narrative of immigration, borders, belonging and home. In the series, they discuss their new and past experiences, being Italian both at home and abroad, of recognizing and rejecting identities, racism, love for their country and disappoint, from art to music and creativity. In doing so, they reject the notion of the monolith of Blackness, recognizing the diversity within Black culture and deepening the ways in which we see ourselves as part of a broader Black story. Stream the trailer and Episode one below and look out for more from this series!

Trailer

Episode #1 in English

Episode #1 in Italian

Website
Youtube