Made in Ethiopia

A dusty town becomes ground zero in the globalisation game.

In rural Ethiopia, a massive Chinese industrial park promises 30,000 new jobs, but the collision of two worlds, one driven by profit and progress, the other defined by a vanishing countryside and the cycle of seasons, reveals the harsh complexities of globalisation.

Factory director Motto strives to push forward an ambitious expansion, while an Ethiopian farmer and factory worker bet their futures on the promised prosperity. Filmed over four years, the film provides a nuanced, multi-perspective look at the real impacts of China’s investment in Africa, going beyond simplistic narratives of victims and villains to explore the true cost of development, tradition, and welfare.