Obamas congratulate directors of ‘American Factory’ on Oscar win

Team Udayavani, Feb 10, 2020, 4:23 PM IST

Washington: Barack Obama and his wife Michelle on Monday congratulated the directors of “American Factory”, a Netflix film from the couple’s nascent production house which has won the Oscar for best documentary feature.

Directed by filmmakers Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar, the documentary focuses on what happened to a group of Ohio autoworkers laid off during the 2008 recession.

“Congrats to Julia and Steven, the filmmakers behind American Factory, for telling such a complex, moving story about the very human consequences of wrenching economic change. Glad to see two talented and downright good people take home the Oscar for Higher Ground’s first release,” Obama, the former US president, said in a tweet.

Obama served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017.

“Congrats to Julia, Steven, and the whole crew on winning Best Documentary for AmericanFactory, Higher Ground’s first release! So glad to see their heart and honesty recognizedbecause the best stories are rarely tidy or perfect. But that’s where the truth so often lies,” Michelle tweeted.

The couple’s production company ‘Higher Ground’ backed the documentary. The Obamas came on board the film as executive producers after it debuted at the Sundance Film Festival last year, making it the first title in their multi-year deal with Netflix.

“AMERICAN FACTORY tells an emotional, local story that resonates globally. Directors Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert have created a masterwork that examines culture, labor and class struggle, and challenges us to consider what unites us instead of what separates us,” Netflix Film tweeted.

The film which won the award on Sunday has been praised as a nuanced look at the cross cultural and economic challenges faced by both management and employees.

The 92nd Academy Awards were held on Sunday and were televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.