WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle made their Hollywood debut on Monday in a documentary filmed in Ohio's industrial zone, which critics called a timely and influential film.
The American Factory is about a Chinese company taking over an abandoned GM plant, the first co-production of Netflix and Haier Ground, founded by Obama and his wife last year.
"A good story gives you the opportunity to better understand someone else's life," Obama wrote on Twitter. This is what attracted me and Michelle to produce the first film of Haier Ground. ” The documentary follows the lives of thousands of workers laid off from the automotive industry in Morin, Ohio, during the 2008 recession, in which Chinese auto manufacturer Fuyao Glass re-employed some at the same plant six years later. The Washington Post described Netflix's "American Factory" as "an excellent way to shed light on the stories of marginalized groups."
"We want people to go beyond themselves, get to know and understand the lives of others," Obama said in a video to promote the film with filmmakers Julia Reichert and Stephen Bognar, released by Netflix. Michelle Obama told filmmakers on Monday that she was particularly impressed by the early scenes of workers on the factory floor. "From here I came, that's how my father was." "One of the things I love most about this film is to let people tell their story themselves," she said. (American Factory) does not have a specific directive, not subject to revision ».
The Los Angeles Times called the film "influential" and the Fox.com cultural site said it gave "a great glimpse into the challenges of globalization." The film received a 97% rating on the Rooten Tomitose Film Ratings website.