American Factory is a fascinating documentary film available on Netflix that delves into the culture clash and factory labour conditions when a Chinese auto glass manufacturer takes over a shutdown GM assembly plant in Ohio.
There is a follow-on short on Netflix where the Obamas interview the filmmakers Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert. This answered a few questions I had about inside access, explained the natural telling of all corners of the story and managing to avoid independent commentary (which must have been very difficult to resist).
Beautiful cinematography foundation with honest, insightful and heartfelt interviews, intriguing business angles and opening up a dialogue about the impacts of globalization and automation (although I disagreed with the doom & gloom written comments towards the end).
Loved how they got access to factories and people in China (putting aside the likely government controls) - any Westerner who watches this should come away with some level of deeper understanding of global cultural and work differences.
Well worth your time, not just a well made doc, but a view into the challenging times for the globe's working classes. 9/10
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