Official reports state that a worker falls victim to toxic chemical poisoning in the manufacturing process every five hours, though the actual toll is suspected to be much higher. Captured discreetly over a span of three years, 'Complicit' chronicles the journey of Yi Yeting, a former Chinese factory worker turned activist, and a group of like-minded individuals striving to enhance working conditions in these factories.
Grappling with his own battle against work-induced leukemia, Yi Yeting delves into self-education on labor law to mount a legal challenge against his past employers. Subsequently, he establishes a legal cooperative to advocate for and educate other ailing workers. Beyond confronting corrupt officials, these activists covertly infiltrate factories producing goods for some of the world's leading brands to gather evidence of perilous working environments.