MADE IN BANGLADESH-MOVIE

After the devas­ta­ting fire in Rana Pla­za in 2013, direc­tor Ruba­iyat Hossa­in deci­ded to make a film abo­ut the coura­ge­ous resis­tan­ce of young women who are fig­h­ting back aga­inst ter­ri­ble wor­king con­di­ti­ons and patri­ar­c­hal struc­tu­res. The story of the young pro­ta­go­nist Shi­mu is based on the sto­ri­es of a tra­de uni­on leader who tal­ks ope­nly abo­ut the hard life in the texti­le industry.

Shi­mu, in her ear­ly 20s, wor­ks in a texti­le fac­tory in Dha­ka. Alt­ho­ugh she ear­ns more the­re than in her pre­vi­ous job as a house­ma­id, the wor­king con­di­ti­ons are cha­rac­te­ri­sed by injus­ti­ce and exploitation.

One day, a short cir­cu­it causes a fire, which trig­gers panic among the fle­eing wor­kers. One col­le­ague dies and many others suf­fer seri­ous inju­ri­es. When the fac­tory mana­ge­ment wit­h­hol­ds part of the alre­ady low wages, resis­tan­ce for­ms – some women deci­de to form a tra­de union.

Shi­mu takes the lead and fig­h­ts reso­lu­tely aga­inst the patri­ar­c­hal struc­tu­res – both in the wor­k­pla­ce and in her marriage.

Fran­ce, Ban­gla­desh, Den­mark, Por­tu­gal 2019 / 0mU / 95 min. / Direc­tor: Ruba­iyat Hossain