October 7, 2015

The deadliest industrial disaster of the 21^st century occurred in Bangladesh in 2013, when the Rana Plaza building, which housed factories that made clothes for many western companies, collapsed. More than 1,100 people died, with 2,400 more injured. In Clothes to Die For, a documentary commissioned by the BBC, compelling interviews and never-before-seen footage give voice to those impacted by the disaster. The film raises fundamental questions about the global fashion industry and the responsibilities of all those involved. On October 14 at 11:30am, the Design & Merchandising program will host a screening in the URBN Annex Screening Room (3401 Filbert Street), followed by a panel with Director Zara Hayes and Producer Sarah Hamilton.

Described by the Telegraph as “blunt and brilliant,” Clothes to Die For highlights the greed and high-level corruption that led to the 2013 tragedy, and provides insight into how the incredible growth in the garment industry has transformed Bangladesh, particularly the lives of women.

British director Zara Hayes focuses on capturing characters within extraordinary contexts and portraying human rights issues in a sensitive, thought-provoking manner. Previous credits include the cinema-released Battle of the Sexes (New Black Films) and the television feature documentary 12 Year Old Lifer (Channel 4/ A&E), and she is currently developing a number of feature length documentaries in the UK and US. Sarah Hamilton is a BAFTA award-winning producer who has made films for the Discovery and Smithsonian Channels, as well as for all main UK channels including the BBC, ITV and Channel 4. She has produced, directed and filmed documentaries in countries such as Vietnam, Syria, Uganda, China, the USA, Mozambique and Peru.

For more information about the free-to-the-public lecture, please contact Victoria Hurst at vlh49@drexel.edu.