Last updated on May 31st, 2018 at 12:56 pm
Heather White, Complicit’s filmmaker, joined B2B News Network CEO, Jen Evans, to continue the discussion about what roles supply chain management and corporate governance have.
Shot over 2½ years beneath the Chinese government’s radar, the documentary Complicit exposes the human costs of global outsourcing through the lives of a group of young factory workers poisoned while making devices for #smartphone brands Apple, Nokia, & Samsung.
Did the project conclude the way you expected?
By the way, the project is in its 6th year & not concluded yet! We’re doing a lot of outreach now to schools, local non-profits worldwide and social justice orgs looking at the effects of technology on our lives and health.
How is that outreach going? Are you finding a receptive audience?
Yes definitely. This is a film consumers & people interested in tech /human rights /corporate social responsibility (or the lack thereof) want to see. We often sell out at the venues & folks often follow up later w/ helpful offers and donations for the workers
As 1st time filmmakers we didn’t know what to expect and were thrilled and honored to be invited to Human Rights Watch’s film festival in London for our world premiere last March.
Out of everyone you met making the film, whose story hit you the hardest?
Ming Kunpeng – From Day 1 I had a sense of impending tragedy. We traveled 800 miles to his village, wrote many letters to the Dutch owners of his factory, to their so-called ‘ethical investors’ some who I knew personally. They refused to assist or reply.
Any developments in that story?
Yes some uplifting news. Ming’s father legally ‘adopted’ COMPLICIT’s hero Yi Yeting last year. He’s now part of the family – a replacement son. Here’s a photo of Yi when he finally made it out of China for a weekend w/ us for the premiere.
Describe the initial response to the film. Was it what you had expected?
Yes definitely. This is a film consumers & people interested in tech /human rights /corporate social responsibility (or the lack thereof) want to see. We often sell out at the venues & folks often follow up later w/ helpful offers and donations for the workers.
Why has more progress not been made? Are consumers unaware or apathetic?
Concerned consumers can contact Apple & Samsung’s 1-800 tels. These megafirms violate their own codes of conduct DAILY, but we CAN hold them accountable as a movement. Write to them; support @electrowatch and goodelectronics.orgs campaigns.
If you or your organization are interested in having a private or public screening at your school, university, community centre, or business, we’d love to support you in that! Sign up here and we’ll be in touch: http://b2bnn.co/complicitfilm
