Telling us a story of inequality, oppression, the huge divide between the rich, poor, and the perspectives of both, director Rahul Jain’s documentary, Machines is set in a gigantic textile factory in Gujarat, India.
A factory where dehumanising physical labour and intense hardship are the rhythm of life.
I’m in for the visuals, memorable images and interviews with the workers.
This trailer reminds me of one of my favourite documentaries, The True Cost (2015), which, like this one, also featured Livia Firth and fashion designer Stella McCartney.
You’ve probably heard about the tragic stories of inhumane factory working conditions in the developing world. Conditions that have lead to far too may deaths that could have been avoided. You may also have heard about the continued use of such factories by numerous multinational retailers.
The True Cost is a documentary directed by Andrew Morgan and it covers the ills of the fashion industry, particularly the effects of the prioritisation of profit over people and the planet.
I’m glad that I made time for this documentary because it opened my eyes to a few truths that before, I only had a vague idea about. Morgan’s documentary does a good job of identifying and explaining the root cause(s) of the problems within the fashion industry. But even more than that, the viewer is presented with ideas for positive ways to move forward by some of the great people already working towards and advocating for change.
By the end, I understood that the issues presented in The True Cost aren’t the easiest to solve. Even though most people have the best intentions, they’re not always able to play their part. As such, thank goodness for everyone impassioned enough to do all that they can.
A random thought that went through my mind as I watched is: ‘How great things would be if only the World’s empathy deficiency was something that could be fixed with a prompt inoculation.’
The Movie My Life 