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Workers of the World Film at the Ottoman Bank Museum
 The Ottoman Bank Museum’s film program explores the theme "Economics" this week. On Thursday, February 2, at 7:00 p.m., there will be a screening of the Belgian-made, Workers of the World, directed by Marie-France Collard. Following the screening, author, Hasan Ersel, from the Faculty of Administrative Sciences at Boğaziçi University, will be joining us for a discussion on the topic, "Can There Be a One-Dimensional World?"
"Workers of the World" focuses on Levi Strauss & Co., and follows the company in its relocation of garment production from Europe to developing nations with cheap labor, exposing the deplorable working conditions of the women employees there. The documentary also records the closure of four of the company’s factories in Belgium and France and the resulting crisis among the 1400 employees losing their jobs. The Levis’ workers in Europe realize they are no longer able to compete with their counterparts in developing countries, who accept longer working hours at much lower wages. The film presents all these women’s stories, the low wages, exhausting schedules and job losses due to relocation, within the broader context of free trade and globalization.
The Museum's film program is prepared in collaboration with the Documentary Filmmakers Association (BSB) and offers films, complemented by discussions, on a different theme every month. Screenings are held at the Museum's movie theater on Thursdays at 7.00 p.m. and are free of charge.
Working Women of the World / Ouvrières du Monde
Director: Marie-France Collard, Belgium
Released in: 2000
Running time: 52 min.
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Hasan Ersel Graduated in 1967 from the Faculty of Political Science at Ankara University. He remained in that university as part of the faculty until 1983. Ersel was successively chief economist of the Capital Market Board (1984-1987), general manager of research and planning at the Central Bank (1987-1991), and vice president of the Central Bank (1991-1993). He then served as assistant general to the managing director (1993 – 2003) and member of the executive board (2003 – 2004) at Yapı Kredi Bank. Since November 2004, he has been on the board of trustees of the Turkish Foundation for Research on Economic Policies, and was appointed chief economist at the Institute for Research on Economic Policies of said foundation. In addition to being a member of the executive board of the Cairo-based "Economic Research Forum," Ersel currently teaches at Boğaziçi University and Sabancı University, produces a program on economics for Açık Radyo and writes an economics column for the daily Referans.
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Documentary Filmmakers Association (BSB) started out as a civil platform and began its structuring process following the National Conference held in March 1997. Today it continues its activities as an association with professional status, certified by the Ministry of Culture. Starting with Istanbul, Ankara, Eskisehir and Izmir, BSB is in contact with documentary filmmakers throughout Turkey. Convinced that civil culture is crucial in designing better social futures and filling the blanks of collective social memory, the Documentary Filmmakers Association considers these functions complementary to the creative aspect of documentary filmmaking. BSB creates and promotes screening spaces other than television, organizes and participates in film festivals all over Turkey and offers film screenings with discussions, especially in universities. |
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