In any case what Quartz revealed : “Barack and Michelle Obama are officially candidates for the Oscars”. And the former US presidential couple is likely to win a statuette. No, having occupied the White House for eight years, they have not decided to become actors. In addition to writing their memoirs – among the most lucrative in history – the two “retirees” have made an agreement with Netflix to produce movies, series and documentaries for the streaming giant.
And one of these productions is already known, and recognized: American Factory . At the realization, a talented duo, Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, already nominated at the Oscars in 2009 for their work on the closing of a General Motors plant in Ohio, The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant . Ten years later, with their latest documentary, the two directors tell the story of this story: the purchase of this plant in 2014 by Cao Dewang, Chinese billionaire and president of Fuyao, one of the largest glass manufacturers in the world. American Factory portrays the hope and joy initially aroused by the resumption of activity and the hiring of 2,000 American workers in a disaster zone, then anger and disillusionment with the demands and severity of the Chinese leadership. The clash of cultures, between a technological China and industrial America. ” They call us strangers, ” says a disillusioned employee.
” Mrs. Obama said it spoke to her because her father worked very hard for decades to support her family, and she felt that Midwest side of the movie when she saw it, ” AFP told AFP. Steven Bognar , while Julia Reichert added: ” She found her family in the film, and I think the president found a number of political issues and topics related to globalization .”
The Obama couple was captivated by this documentary, presented in January at the Sundance festival. The former US president and his wife bought the rights to American Factory , the first acquisition of Higher Ground Productions, their production company. Since its broadcast on Netflix August 21, the film has received many positive reviews. According to IndieWire , he is well on his way to being selected at the next Oscars.
