Made in Bangladesh
2019 | 95 minutes | France, Bangladesh, Denmark, Portugal
Director: Rubaiyat Hossain
Writers: Rubaiyat Hossain, Philippe Barrière
Language: Bengali
Contemporary World Cinema, Toronto International Film Festival 2019
Resourceful and defiant twenty-three year old Shimu left her village as a child when her stepmother threatened to force her into an arranged marriage. Now living in Bangladesh’s capital city, Dhaka, she works long, exhausting days at a textile factory for virtually no pay. Conditions in the factory are deplorable and dangerous, at one point leading to a catastrophic fire that claims the life of one of her co-workers. Following the fire, Shimu is encouraged by a local organizer to start a union at the factory.
Motivated by outrage and a desire for fair wages for the work she and her female co-workers perform, Shimu passionately takes up the challenge. Despite intimidation from her bosses and resistance from her colleagues, who are desperately afraid of risking their livelihoods, Shimu fights on, but can she succeed against such considerable odds?
As writer-director Rubaiyat Hossain observes, “One hundred years ago in Bangladesh, women had to live in seclusion. Today, they are working, they are making a living for themselves and their families, and they are fighting within the factory and at home for their rights.” Change has been profound but, as this courageous, gritty realist drama about a brilliant young woman demonstrates so effectively, the struggle for justice and equity must continue.
-Tom McSorley
Screenings
SUNDAY, MARCH 29
3:00PM
Stay after the screening for a Q&A with the short film director
Preceded by the short film
Alternating Current
A woman aging out of a thankless job faces a life of poverty after being suddenly stripped of her hard-earned pension.
In tandem with Made in Bangladesh, Alternating Current extends the discussion surrounding workplace conditions to include issues of retirement, fair compensation and due recognition.
Director in attendance
Rowan Gray