On Sept. 15, the United Auto Workers Union announced that about 46000 General Motors Co workers in the United States went on strike because of the collapse of controversial negotiations on the new contract.

Less than a month ago, the documentary "American Factory" of Fuyao Glass Industry Group's factory in Dayton, Ohio, premiered on Netflix. In the film, the main contradiction between Chinese management and American workers also revolves around trade unions. Whether in the film or in an interview with the media later, Cao Dewang, founder and chairman of Fuyao, rejected the trade union, believing that the western trade union system was no longer suitable for the development of the manufacturing industry.

In addition to the union dispute, American Factory also shows how entrepreneurs and managers from China can apply Chinese-style production methods to American workers. And how did the American workers who felt uncomfortable with this react?

"this film has no protagonist, it presents a whole. There are Americans, Chinese, managers and workers in the story. They belong to different races and have different cultural backgrounds. We hope to show what the world looks like through the shaping of many individual images. "American Factory" director Steven Bergner (Steven Bognar) said.

He and Julia Lecchte, another director of American factories, are both native of Dayton. They have long focused on issues such as local workers and manufacturing, and before that, they made a documentary about the closure of the General Motors Co factory in Dayton, the Fuyao Dayton factory, which took advantage of the old factory area of the General Motors Co factory. In early 2015, shortly after buying a factory in Cao Dewang, the two directors obtained Cao Dewang's permission to shoot and followed him for three years.

After the broadcast of "American Factory", it sparked large-scale discussions in the United States and China.

This documentary is a study of what is about to happen, that is, the dazzling cultural and labor politics between China and the United States. Film critic Austin Collins wrote in Vanity Fair. He believes that the "American Factory" skillfully presents the cultural and ideological differences between the East and the West, and the purpose of these differences and collisions is to try to make the new factory alive. The film shows how local workers are forced to adapt to new ways of working, but it is equally urgent that foreign entrepreneurs who invest in the United States may also need to change and adapt to the new investment environment.

American film critic David Adelstein wrote on the New York Times website Vulture that the message that is hard to ignore in the film is that Chinese workers are slim, graceful and smiling, while American workers are bloated and depressed. Moreover, American workers often complain that they show undisguised fatigue when they have to work in high temperatures for 10 minutes. But Adelstin also believes that the living conditions of Chinese workers presented by the "American Factory" is a "tragedy."

Rolling Stone magazine published a review of David Phil's film, pointing out that the film outlines the common pressures facing the labor market and presents the situation of both employers and employees. The differences in production mode and workers between China and the United States can be attributed to the confrontation between collectivism and individualism, the contradiction between output and speed, the contradiction between quantity and quality, the sense of achievement of workers' work and the contradiction that workers only want to earn money, and so on. No matter how many confrontations there are, as the workers in the film say, they are the ones caught in the middle. But at the end of the film, it is chilling that automatic mechanization is the common enemy faced by Chinese and American workers, because they are likely to be replaced by each other, and this enemy may arrive sooner than expected.

So, what does the director himself think of the documentary? What challenges did they encounter in the shooting, and how do they view the differences between the Chinese and American labor systems? Recently, Grain Rain interviewed Steven Bergner, the director of the film, to hear him tell the story behind the shooting of "American Factory".

"We didn't expect what happened in the film at all."

Grain Rain: you and Julia Lecchte are both locals of Dayton. What kind of place is Dayton in your opinion?

Steven Bergner: Dayton is a small and beautiful community. It is known as the cradle of innovation. The Wright brothers grew up here and designed and built airplanes here. Many inventions were born in Dayton, where more patents are filed per capita than in any other city in the United States.

This is also a place full of fighting spirit. Why is it full of fighting spirit? Because the people who live here are in a difficult situation, people will fight. In recent decades, the town has witnessed a lot of ups and downs, with many people losing their jobs and many rich people choosing to leave. But there are a lot of people like us who don't give up and fight for the community.

In this town, many people know each other well and have a real sense of community. There are also some problems in this town, such as apartheid, some people will be racist, if you are people of color, life here will be very difficult.

Recently, Dayton experienced a difficult summer when tornadoes destroyed many houses and caused a lot of inconvenience. This past August, there was a bad shooting incident in the neighborhood where we used to eat and clubhouse. But people were not afraid. after the shooting, people gathered in the same neighborhood to encourage each other. The scene is very touching. This kind of experience makes us know the importance of the community.

Grain Rain: both of your documentaries are related to Dayton. One is the short film the Last truck: shutting down a General Motors Co Factory, which tells the story of the closure of the General Motors Co factory in Dayton in 2008, and the other is American Factory. What is the relationship between the two films?

Steven Bergner: the General Motors Co factory has been in Dayton for decades and has played a very important role in this community. Several generations have worked in General Motors Co Factory, which is a good job. Workers can afford to buy houses, though not very expensive ones; they can afford cars, have enough money to go on vacation, and send their children to college-even if they have never been to college themselves. And they come from different races, and African-Americans have the opportunity to enter the middle class. It can be said that the workers at that time lived a blue-collar middle-class life, and they could be proud and dignified of this job.

But in 2008, the factory closed, which dealt a devastating blow to the workers. We felt it necessary to make a film to tell the story. We want people in other parts of the world to understand what the closure of this factory means for workers: does losing their jobs mean losing their future?

"the Last truck: shutting down a General Motors Co Factory" was filmed for HBO. "American Factory" is broadcast on Netflix. The connection between the two stories is that they take place in the same factory. After the General Motors Co factory closed, the huge building remained vacant for many years, until Chairman Cao Dewang decided to buy it and transform it to open Fuyao Glass Industry Group's American factory. If Chairman Cao bought a piece of land elsewhere in Ohio and built a new factory from scratch, it would be much cheaper. But he understood the significance of reviving the factory, which had been dead for many years, and decided to rebuild it at the same site and make a statement through this action.

Grain Rain: how did you decide to follow this story? What were your expectations for the development of the story at that time? What are the unexpected?

Steven Bergner: chairman Cao bought General Motors Co's old factory in 2014, but it really began to recover in early 2015, when we decided to shoot. At that time, the factory was still empty and many buildings were still under construction.

We expect this to be an interesting story, but we don't make any predictions about what will happen later. If there are a lot of expectations in making a documentary, you are likely to miss out on something very important that is happening. Therefore, "abandoning expectations" is an important principle for us to make documentaries, and we keep an open mind as much as possible.

Of course, we know there will be a lot of cultural collisions at Fuyao Glass Industry Group's American factory, but we didn't expect what happened in the film. We did not expect Fuyao to boycott American trade unions, nor did we expect a union dispute-despite the well-intentioned intentions of both sides. When shooting started, we didn't expect to go to China to shoot. It was an unforgettable shooting experience.

Grain Rain: how did you gain the trust of American workers and Chinese managers when filming? Do many workers refuse to be photographed?

Steven Bergner: chairman Cao agreed with us to shoot in his factory. He was very generous and brave. Few American entrepreneurs would give an independent film crew as much authority as he did. Chairman Cao realized that this is a major story, it will be of historic significance, of course, it will also face challenges. He hopes that we can truly present the story.

Chairman Cao wrote an autobiography in which he described many ups and downs in his life, such as his successes and failures, and he understood the power of a good story. A good story must have difficulties, and the protagonist must face challenges.

Chairman Cao allows us to shoot, but that doesn't mean we can shoot anyone at any time. During the shooting, we will ask each subject's opinion and get permission. Most people are very generous to us, but some people don't want to be filmed, and that's okay.

At the beginning of filming, we spent a lot of time getting to know the employees of the factory and finding people who would like to be photographed. We will consider whose story is the most attractive and who is willing to open up to us. Many American audiences have seen our early movie "the Last truck: shutting down a General Motors Co Factory," and they know that we respect our subjects, which makes our shooting easier.

Grain Rain: what about when shooting Chinese people? Which group is the most difficult to shoot?

Steven Bergner: at first, our shooting team was only Americans, and no one could speak Chinese. When our Chinese co-producers Zhang Yili and Li Mijie, as well as live producers Meng Lulu, Liu Siyan and Wang Danny joined, the situation changed greatly. They help us understand the position and mentality of Chinese workers and Chinese managers throughout the process, and understand their stories. Especially Zhang Yi and Li Mijie, they soon won the trust of the Chinese workers at the Fuyao American factory and were invited to eat at home and work together. With the story of Chinese workers, the film becomes more complex and profound.

They also help us understand Chinese culture, history and the mentality of the Chinese people. Zhang Yili sent us some books about China, including "China in Ten words" by Yu Hua and "finding the way" by he Wei. Whenever we are confused by something, they will explain to us and talk to us late into the night. They will also tell us about their life in China and their education. Zhang Yi and Li Mijie initially worked as live producers, but over time, they made more and more contributions and eventually became co-producers of the film.

The most difficult subjects to convince should be the Chinese women working at the Fuyao US factory, who do not want to be filmed.

Grain Rain: why did the main subject in the film agree to be filmed?

Steven Bergner: I think it's not that they "want" to be filmed, more often, it's that they are willing to share their stories, and they see the value of sharing their stories. For them, filming is a burden a lot of times, but they are very patient with us, shooting and asking questions.

Americans think the Chinese don't respect themselves.

Grain Rain: what specific challenges did you encounter when shooting in the factory?

Steven Bergner: the factory is so big that we have to walk for miles with heavy camera equipment every day. We are exhausted. The factory is also very hot, and when summer comes, in some areas of the factory, the temperature is even more than 38 degrees Celsius. Shooting here is also dangerous because it is a glass factory and the glass is easily broken. We have to wear protective clothing and protective glasses, but wearing protective glasses will affect the operation of the camera.

Another challenge is that the sound in the workshop is very loud, and sound is very important in documentaries. If the sound is not clear enough, the film will not be able to establish a connection between the subject and the audience, so we face a lot of challenges.

Grain Rain: in your opinion, what are the main reasons why American workers are dissatisfied with their Chinese employers at Fuyao Glass Industry Group's American factory? How did the attitudes of both sides change from the initial optimism?

Steven Bergner: in the early days of filming, everyone was very patient. The Chinese are patient with Americans, teaching them how to make glass and how Fuyao works. Americans are also patient with the Chinese, letting each other know how American companies work and the rules and laws here.

But as time went on, the factory was unprofitable, frustration on both sides increased and patience began to diminish. To the frustration of the Chinese, Americans are too inefficient and have too many problems, and they expect Chinese managers to explain many of the big frameworks. Americans are also disappointed with the Chinese, feeling that they do not respect themselves, and are too direct and even rude.

Our co-producers Zhang Yili and Li Mijie, as well as English-speaking Chinese employees, explained to us that in China's work environment, people are usually very direct, which has nothing to do with politeness and rudeness, but a cultural difference. In China, people expect to achieve their goals as soon as possible and will not always do everything, or say thank you, to make each other feel comfortable. The cultural tradition of the United States is to communicate politely and amicably between people as far as possible.

In addition, Americans feel disappointed and frustrated that the Chinese do not do their best to consider safety issues at work and do not abide by the principles of environmental protection.

Grain Rain: how much of the difference between American and Chinese workers do you think is caused by culture?

Steven Bergner: we don't think there is much difference between Chinese workers and American workers. The biggest difference between the two sides is the norms formed by the influence of different cultures. In China, it is normal for workers to work 12 hours a day, six days a week, while in the United States, it is normal for workers to work five days a week and eight hours a day.

But if you look back at the history of the United States a few decades ago, American workers used to work as many hours as Chinese workers. In order to shorten working hours, Americans fought a lot, launched a labor movement and put an end to child labor.

It is worth noting that in the past few decades, China has developed a real sense of mission. China is rising and recovering. When we filmed in China, we really felt that many workers were willing to sacrifice their own interests for the sake of the interests of the country and enterprises.

A long time ago, Americans had the same spirit. In the 1940s and 1960s, Americans were passionate about the companies they worked for. People will proudly say, "I work for General Motors Co." "" I work for Ford. "" I work for General Electric Co. "they feel that the company is looking out for them and they are loyal to the company.

But times are changing, and today, many Americans find that the companies they work for have abandoned them and shifted their focus to countries where workers' wages are relatively low, such as China and Mexico. The trust between the workers and the company was broken.

Grain Rain: I heard that you have filmed thousands of hours of material. Are there any important clips that are not reflected in the film?

Steven Bergner: because of the length of the film, many interesting scenes have to be loved, which is very sad. In the film, there is a scene of Thanksgiving when Rob, the American director of the factory, invites Chinese colleagues to his home to shoot and ride his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. We also filmed another clip of Rob helping Chinese executives buy cars in the used car market, and the used car dealers are two Palestinian brothers who have immigrated to the United States. We like this clip very much because it shows that even in small places like the secondary market, cultural collisions and exchanges are taking place. But in the end, we had to abandon this paragraph in order to keep the film compact.

Mutual understanding is a beginning.

Grain Rain: in your opinion, what is the main reason why former US President Barack Obama and his wife watched this film?

Steven Bergner: it's a documentary about workers and people in the Midwest, and they appreciate it. Nowadays, there are only a handful of films on this subject.

Grain Rain: how does the local media in Dayton report the investment of Chinese entrepreneurs in the United States? Are there more positive reports or negative reports?

Steven Bergner: as far as we know, there is only one important Chinese investor in Dayton, and that is Chairman Cao. The local media in Dayton have been very supportive of Chairman Cao and Fuyao Glass Industry Group's American factory, reporting a lot of news that Fuyao came to Dayton to bring jobs to the locals, and the locals are also very grateful.

However, over time, some of the actions of Fuyao Glass Industry Group's US factory were exposed and fined by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which were also reported in the local media. They questioned the factory's way of doing things and asked sharper questions.

Grain Rain: how do the American audience evaluate the "American factory"?

Steven Bergner: this film has triggered a discussion between the American audience and the Chinese audience, and it will be exciting if the two sides can have a dialogue on related issues. On production lines around the world, workers are under more pressure than ever before, but their wages are not rising and their living conditions are worse.

Should this situation continue? We hope that this film will spark such a discussion around the world, and we can see that such a discussion is beginning. We have heard that many Chinese have seen the film, and there are millions of comments on Chinese social media, which means a lot to us. Americans also watched the film and discussed the issues involved in the film.

Grain Rain: in the current complex situation, how do you think people who don't know each other between China and the United States should untie the "heart knot"?

Steven Bergner: as the Chinese employee surnamed Wang said in the movie, mutual understanding is a start. We should sympathize with what others have experienced and are going through. We should also realize that the world is getting smaller and smaller and that environmental problems are a great threat to the world. If we don't cooperate, the planet will be in more trouble than it is now, and we won't be able to leave a beautiful home for the next generation. As two great powers, China and the United States should cooperate and take the lead in saving the planet.