We the Workers
凶年之畔

For over thirty years, China has been swept up in rapid capitalist development. The “China miracle” has been built on the backs of hundreds of millions of migrant laborers. This film features workers from different provinces spanning two generations who have resisted this force through activist struggle and action.

My film presents a state of tremendous anxiety. In the “world’s factory,” some fight for compensation after being injured on the job, some are prosecuted for organizing strikes, some are fired for representing workers in negotiations with bosses, and some are stripped of their right to practice law for providing legal advice to workers. – Huang Wenhai, Director

The subject of this film, labor rights, is somewhat rare among documentaries. As China has become the largest manufacturer in the world economy, the nation’s prosperity and rapid development have come at the price of the common worker and the suppression of forces fighting to defend workers’ rights. This film engages in deep analysis of the formation of early self-organized unions and the difficulties they have faced in defending their rights. –Ai Weiwei

Film Details

Language: Mandarin with English subtitles
Year: 2017
Running time: 173 min
Director: Huang Wenhai 黄文海

Films and schedules may be subject to change.