Made In China (China and USA)
With a good sense of humor nurse Wayne Petersen scans the labels at Wallmart; “Made in China”? No thanks!
The production jobs this ex-miner sees disappearing to China stand for new opportunities for the young Li-Jieli to improve her and her families living condition.
Sacrificing her education to earn money for her family, and suffering drudgery, loneliness and displacement, Li Jieli must leave her rural Chinese home to work in a far-away factory where she is only a number. Li-Jieli’s story gives us a look behind the factory gates. Li-Jieli is willing to go a long way to ensure a fair living wage, she is assembling components for electrical appliances under highly competitive conditions. Will her job provide her a basis for growth and personal fulfillment? She has only been back home once in the last three years. Like millions of young people around the world, she must suffer isolation and regimentation for the opportunity to help her family and accomplish her dreams.
In the depressed Iron Range of Minnesota, Wayne Peterson and David Olson are also forced to make difficult choices to survive in a greatly diminished job market impacted by global trade. Wayne is now a Licensed Practical nurse and he makes 12$ an hour. But how does he compare that to what he earned in the mines where he used to make a minimum of $48,000 a year?
Wayne Petersen, David Olson and Li Jieli – each from very different worlds and expectations, show how they struggle to maintain their security in a shifting and uncertain global economy.
Producers: Alexandra Jansse & Joost van Loon 2005
Director and script: Eline Flipse
Editors in chief: Babette Niemel, Alexandra Jansse
Camera: Edwin Verstegen
Sound: Bert van den Dungen
Editor: Patrick Janssens
Music composer: Orlando Gough
• A Dollar a Day” is broadcast in The Netherlands, India, USA, Japan, Canada, Sweden, Middle East, Africa, Belgium, Greece ea.
• Film festival China (Guangzhou); World Social Forum Nairobi 2007 Slum Cinema screenings.
• Distributed by Off The Fence and World Bank.
Outreach campaign and website by the Center of Global Development Washington with this series!
ThiemeMeulenhoff Publishers educational program for high schools GEO method with this series.
Locations: China, USA 2005
Themes: World Trade, Low-cost labour, Seeking alternatives, Manufacturing, Mining, Health insurance, Social Security.
