Discount Workers Documentary
The Incident
Eight Years ago, On September 11, 2012, Fire broke out in a cellar workshop in Karachi, Pakistan. 258 people died, at Ali Enterprises, a textile factory. Ali Enterprises is a supplier to the German brand KiK (customer is king). KiK did not ensure that its supplier took fire protection precautions.
One can never be certain whether or not their clothes were sewn in a dark windowless cellar, by someone working with no breaks and under wretched conditions. No one pays attention to safety regulations in such places, so even a minor accident can turn into a tragedy. The road to punishing the guilty and obtaining reparation is difficult and drags on for years. The film tracks the persistent efforts of one of the victim’s parents to obtain not only justice for their son, but also dignified conditions for thousands of other workers in factories manufacturing cheap fashion. Will they win the court dispute? How can the targeted customers contribute to making a change?
Behind The Scenes
The documentary “Discount Workers” is a collaboration between Christopher Patz and the Pakistani director Ammar Aziz, financed by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation. The film shows the enormous efforts and desperation of the bereaved in their struggle for justice and recognition in the absence of such legal instruments.
The film will premiere on September 11, 2020, on the 8th anniversary of the fire in Karachi at the “ONE WORLD - International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival” in Prague. In Germany, the documentary will be screened online at the Human Rights Film Fest from September 30 to October 10, 2020 and in Berlin.
Views on News:
Justice is still awaited to be served