TIAFF 2025: Made in Ethiopia

When a massive Chinese industrial park rises in the Ethiopian countryside, a dusty farming town finds itself on the new frontier of globalization. Filmed over four years, Made in Ethiopia reveals China's historic but misunderstood impact on Africa and explores contemporary Ethiopia at a moment of profound crisis. The film follows Chinese businesswoman Motto, who must draw on all her determination and charm to push through the ambitious plans. Meanwhile, Ethiopian farmer Workinesh and factory worker Beti have staked their futures on the opportunities the park promises. As the stories of these three women unfold, the film challenges us to rethink the relationship between tradition and modernity, growth and welfare, and the development of a country versus the well-being of its people.

The film will be introduced by a lecture by Merten Nefs. Merten is an architect and researcher who earned his PhD on the topic of Landscapes of Trade (2024). After studying in Delft, Merten continued his studies at the University of São Paulo and worked in Brazil for five years. Since 2010, he has focused on the relationships between mobility and urbanization, the knowledge economy, and the quality of the living environment and the Dutch landscape at the Deltametropolis Association. Since 2023, Merten has been working as a senior researcher at the Erasmus Centre for Urban, Port and Transport Economics.