On the Clock: Reflections on Women’s Labour presents three experimental documentaries by Asian filmmakers, each of which celebrates the vital contributions of women in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Directed by Rajendra Gour, Labour of Love—The Housewife (1978) explores the inner world of a housewife in Singapore, highlighting the often-overlooked contributions of women in the domestic sphere. Capturing a series of monotonous daily tasks, the film presents a powerful feminist perspective that challenges societal norms undervaluing the economic worth of a 1970s stay-at-home mother.

In the Mood for Love, in the Mood for Life (2001) by May Fung introduces us to Leung Siu-ngo, Hong Kong's first female taxi driver. Eschewing the conventional interview format, Fung’s subject delivers her monologue while gazing beyond the frame, drawing viewers into her powerful personal history. Enhanced by 1970s archival photographs and vintage newspaper clippings, the film deftly navigates gender politics while celebrating Ngo's feisty energy.

Tambaku Chaakila Oob Aali (Tobacco Embers) (1982) is a landmark film by the Yugantar Film Collective, India’s first feminist film collective. It chronicles the activism of female tobacco workers in Nipani, Karnataka, during the post-Emergency period, which followed Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s declaration of a state of emergency (1975–1977) due to perceived security threats. This era saw political repression alongside a resurgence of civil-rights activism. Through close collaboration with the workers, the film documents their struggles against exploitative conditions and their efforts to unionize, highlighting the strength of collective action.

On the Clock: Reflections on Women’s Labour includes a post-screening conversation between artist and filmmaker May Fung and M+ Curator, Moving Image, Ulanda Blair. This conversation will be conducted in English.