‘Made In Ethiopia’ Documentary Gets Canadian Premiere At Planet In Focus Environmental Film Festival

“Made In Ethiopia” documentary gets its Canadian premiere as the opening night film at the 2024 Planet In Focus Environmental Film Festival in Toronto

“Made In Ethiopia” opens up the 25th anniversary of Toronto’s Planet In Focus Environmental Film Festival

This Canadian premiere examines the powerful exploration of industrialization, women’s resilience, and the complex impact of China’s growing presence in Africa

The critically-acclaimed documentary, “Made In Ethiopia“, will make its Canadian premiere as the opening night film of the Planet In Focus Environmental Film Festival on October 15th.

Produced by Toronto filmmaker Tamara Dawit and co-directed by Washington DC-based Xinyan Yu alongside Max Duncan, the film kicks off the festival’s landmark 25th anniversary with a timely, topical story.

Filmed over four years in and around a massive Chinese industrial park in Ethiopia, “Made In Ethiopia” gives audiences an intimate view of two colliding worlds; an industrial juggernaut driven by progress and a countryside rooted in traditional ways of life.

As the film’s three female protagonists navigate the park’s transformative impact, they reflect a nation at a pivotal crossroads between economic opportunity and the erosion of long-held ways of living.

The film captures the hopes, challenges, and complex realities of both the women and the nation.

Having premiered earlier this year at the Tribeca and Sheffield film festivals, “Made In Ethiopia” has been praised for its nuanced exploration of China’s influence in Africa and its impact on the local community.

“This film is an opportunity to rethink what economic growth really means for local communities, women, natural environments, and countries on the brink of transformation, as well as how these issues resonate with Canada’s trade and policy interests,” says Tamara Dawit.

Adds co-director Xinyan Yu…

“We are honored to have ‘Made In Ethiopia’ open the 25th anniversary of Planet In Focus. The film explores themes of social justice and the complexities of global development. We hope it sparks thought-provoking conversations about what genuine progress means for communities facing rapid industrialization and external influences.”

For more info and to purchase tickets for the Canadian premiere of “Made In Ethiopia”, visit PlanetInFocus.org!!!