A new comedy, Made in China, explores the process of inventing the “great American novelty” on the streets of Shanghai. It won the 2009 Grand Jury prize at SxSW:
Slinkys, Pet Rocks, Ant Farms… behind each of those great novelties is the story of a great Novelty Inventor. ‘Made In China’ is the story of one such inventor.
Johnson, a self-styled novelty inventor from a small town in East Texas, is determined to bring his big idea – “a humorous domestic hygiene product”- to the world. Johnson’s journey takes him to the Mecca of the novelty world: China, where anything is possible and everything has its price.
Lost in the backstreets of Shanghai, Johnson discovers that it takes more than a million dollar idea to make it to the big time. It takes guts, determination, and a fist full of sneezing powder.
Learn more at the film website. Read a review from Chicagoist, who wasn’t crazy about the movie.