Owensboro native Curt McDivitt has some new things to check off his bucket list — become a Chinese translator, land his dream job, and now, play a role in an Oscar-winning documentary.
American Factory, a Netflix documentary by Steve Bognar and Julia Reichert follows the purchase and revival of the former Moraine, Ohio GM Assembly plant. After producing a previous documentary about the closing of the plant, Cao Dewang, a billionaire glass magnate, bought the building to turn it into a glass factory. Bognar and Reichert were given access to film the process for the first few years of operation.
“I came along in 2016, about a year after they first took over the building, and was hired as a translator,” McDivitt said. “After six months I was promoted to Supervisor, and later to Lead Supervisor. Steve and Julia approached me on the floor one day and asked if they could film me during my work, and of course, I agreed.”
The film follows the cultural barriers between the two sides, struggles to get the plant running, the Union vote, and then the uncertain future.
“I never thought I’d ever find a job in the U.S. where I’d be using Chinese daily, but here I am,” he said. “I had put my resume out, and was contacted by a recruiter to come interview at a Chinese factory in Moraine, Ohio. After I googled the factory to see that it was real, I called them back and interviewed, and got the job,” McDivitt said.
His parents Stan and Leah McDivitt said they are most proud of the compassion they see in their son, honoring both eastern and western cultures. While studying in China, still a student at Indiana University, they said he completely immersed himself in the Chinese culture in order to better understand it.
“His tenacity in doing that, along with his hard work, has earned him the respect of many co-workers, Chinese and American alike at Fuyao,” Leah McDivitt said.
American Factory was first nominated for an award at the Sundance Film Festival in January when they debuted the film.
“I only have about two minutes of screentime, but they’re a memorable two minutes,” McDivitt said. “I joke that they took 1200 hours of footage, and that’s the best two minutes they could pull of me. It deals with broader ideas than just “look at this East-West mashup.” There are comical moments, there are worrisome moments, but overall I think the film was pretty fair to everyone.”
The film was put up for Best Documentary at the Academy Awards earlier this month and won. A post-Oscar party was held Wednesday night, when the Chairman of the Fuyao Group was able to attend. In addition to McDivitt, the producers, chairman Cao Dewang, and politicians from the Dayton, Ohio area were in attendance.
“There are hard days, and most days are long days, but Fuyao has offered me what I couldn’t find anywhere else: good stable income, good insurance, and a secure job,” McDivitt said.
As far as future plans, McDivitt is thankful for where he’s at today, a career that may sustain him well into his future.
“My grandfather was a company man for Texas Gas, that’s how I came to be in Owensboro. He dedicated himself to the company, and it paid off for him in the long run. I see myself doing the same here at Fuyao,” McDivitt said. “I’m on Netflix, I am part of an Oscar-winning documentary, and it all happened while I was getting paid to do something I love.”
