The Mill

Nimble Fingers

Vietnamese women who work in factories owned by some of the most popular electronic brands worldwide have nimble fingers. Bay is one of the thousands of young migrant factory workers. She comes from a remote Muong village on the highlands of Northern Vietnam. Now she lives with other workers, in a Hanoi suburb, a district developed around one of the biggest industrial production sites in the world. These workers’ life strictly follows the rules of the great Industrial Park of Thai Long. Every single woman is apparently following a stereotype of tireless work and obedience to keep up with the pace of industrial production. They tell us about their work through animated drawings. Step by step the film reveals how the production chain is built: the labour conditions of the young workers, the tight control and the difficulties in the workplace. Behind the apparent perfection of these workers, through Bay we glimpse at the dreams and fears of the working girls.

Bay goes back to her native village during Tet’s festivity, the most important time of the year in Vietnam: it represents the opportunity to draw conclusions and make decisions. Returning to the countryside is the occasion for Bay to think about her condition, realising the detachment between her life as an industrial worker and her origins. Not only Bay, but her whole generation face this detachment. A generation that lives the change from a rural life to the industrial exploitation of the city. In the case of Bay, becoming aware of that schism means to search for a new path where she can fulfill her dreams.

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