'' (''Bubot Niyar'') is a
2006 documentary by
Israeli director
Tomer Heymann .
The movie, shot on
Videotape , is about a group of
Transsexuals from
The Philippines who have emigrated to
Israel to work as
Home Care providers. During the day they work as home attendants for elderly Israelis; at night many perform in
Tel Aviv Nightclub s.
The persons profiled in ''Paper Dolls'' are in various stages of gender transition and are referred to by their feminine names. Many came to Israel in the wake of the
Intifada to fill jobs that had been handled by
Palestinian s. They express mixed attitudes toward Israel, which they find less sexually repressive than the Philippines but also more materialistic and bureaucratic.
The Filipinos are ineligible for Israeli citizenship and their visas can be revoked if they lose their jobs. Most have obtained fairly high fluency in
Hebrew and have learned to ignore the occasional stares on the way to and from their jobs in
Orthodox neighborhoods.
