All week I found my mind wandering back to a certain documentary that I had finally gotten around to watching, so I think it is deserving of a spot in this week’s reflections. Given that one of the main things to think about when making a documentary is the emotional reaction you want from an audience, I find myself particularly impressed by films that are able to evoke a response so strong that it lingers longer after the credits have rolled.
‘EUPA: Factory World’ takes you into the site of a Chinese factory that is so large and densely populated that it is now it’s own self-contained colony. It’s home to over 17,000 people who both work and live there, and its size is the equivalent to that of Monaco. Rows upon rows of identical, yellow buildings are what comprise this pseudo-country, with each and every inhabitant sporting a matching yellow polo-shirt. It is a bizarre scene, but a striking one at that. The visual aesthetic of the documentary is strangely engaging, yet the situation that is being witnessed is itself quite unsettling. Think typical and mundane factory work, with each worker looking like an ant in the midst of an endless colony of labourers – from kids to adults and the elderly.
The film opens with a wide panning shot of the inside of one of the factories from high above, the innumerable rows of workers below filling the frame. The scene compelling in that it immediately evokes a strong emotional reaction from the audience. Well, at least it did from me. A dull moment is hard to come by as the narrative unfolds, and each fact that’s revealed is somehow more unbelievable than the last. The information was communicated through a narrative that unravelled at the right pace, making it both gripping and easily understandable. Paired with such high quality production, this documentary has truly solidified its spot in my top documentaries.
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