Handmade in Bangladesh

The documentary »Handmade in Bangladesh« takes the audience on a journey to the very heart and soul of this East Asian country - the hard-working people of Bangladesh. In short episodes the film tells the stories of average working people who live in a rich cultural heritage of artisan handicraft and creativity. They invent many ways of recycling in order to make a living out of basically nothing, looking at it from the perspective of the affluent West, in the sense that "One man's trash is another man's treasure." In this way »Handmade in Bangladesh« offers an alternative point of view to the often one-sided, negative media image of this young, independent country. Besides being one of the poorest and most densely populated countries in the world Bangladesh faces major challenges: environmental vulnerability as a result of global warming, child labor violations and dangerous conditions for workers. But listing problems alone does not paint the entire picture. There are many creative, open-minded, optimistic and proud people who are building their country literally with their own hands. Their struggle for survival is directly related to global capitalism and our standard of living in the West. »Handmade in Bangladesh« introduces the viewer to the faces and working situations of citizens who produce resources for production under difficult and sometimes dangerous conditions. They are part of a chain of production that fuels global capitalism and ultimately secures the Western way of life. This film documents working people's enormous efforts and the passion with which they fight for their future, for education, and a better way of life for themselves and their families.