Made in Ethiopia review – knotty study unpicks China’s industrial influence in Africa

Three women – a manager, a worker and a farmer – tell their stories in this nuanced exploration of Ethiopia’s booming Chinese-led manufacturing sector

It’s win-win, says a Chinese businesswoman talking to a group of Ethiopian farmers protesting against the forced sale of their land to make way for new factories. She tells the farmers that their government will compensate them with new land – but months later, half of them are still waiting.

This quiet, sobering documentary explores the complexities of Chinese influence in Africa through the lives of three hard-working women. There’s Chinese factory boss Motto; Ethiopian worker Beti, who sews jeans with the “Made in Ethiopia” label; and Workinesh, a farmer and mother of five.