Made in Ethiopia Film Sheds Light on Women, Work, and the Human Costs of Industrialization
How does development take shape in real communities? Made in Ethiopia, an award-winning documentary by directors Xinyan Yu and Max Duncan, brings this urgent question to life through the stories of two Ethiopian women and one Chinese woman, as they navigate the promises and costs of rapid industrialization.
Filmed over four years, the documentary follows the expansion of a massive Chinese-built factory complex in rural Ethiopia. Having created 20,000 jobs, the project’s second phase pledged 30,000 while reshaping communities, identities, and futures. Made in Ethiopia follows the journeys of a farmer, a factory worker, and a Chinese manager, giving audiences an in-depth look at how globalization shapes real people’s lives.
Date:
Tuesday, Sept. 30
Location:
53 Wall Street Auditorium
New Haven CT, 06511
Time:
4:00 - 7:45 p.m.
When asked, “How can film lead global conversations about development, identity, and change?” Duncan and Yu responded: “Film has the unique ability to make complex global issues deeply personal and human, and therefore accessible to a general audience. By following Chinese and Ethiopian workers side by side, we wanted to capture the shared humanity of individuals swept up in these great economic and political forces.”
The film also exposes the tensions between rural and urban communities, men and women, and different generations with competing aspirations. “Above all, we wanted to show all the shades of gray,” the directors reflect, “allowing audiences to make their own judgments: who are the real winners and losers; what is a fair approach to development in the 21st century; and ultimately, what should we be prepared to give up in the pursuit of ‘progress’?”
For Yale audiences, the screening serves as an entry point into broader conversations about the lived realities of industrialization and globalization. The screening of Made in Ethiopia will be followed by a discussion with the filmmakers, inviting the community to consider how research and storytelling together can deepen our understanding of development in the twenty-first century.
The screening is hosted by the Yale InterAsia Initiative, and co-sponsored by the MacMillan Center’s Council on African Studies and Program in Agrarian Studies.