Crude
Joe Berlinger:
Crude (USA, 2010)
105 min. - English, Spanish - English subtitles
Age limit 12 years
Joe Berlinger's Crude is a magnificent film of the true expenses of oil. Crude presents an exemplary case of the power possessed by international oil companies and their indifference towards ordinary people. In the heart of the film is €Amazon Chernobyl,€ one of our planet's biggest and most controversial environmental court cases. The real-life law drama mixes environmental activism, international politics, human rights, media, the multinational corporate power and disappearing indigenous cultures.
In 2006, 30 000 native Ecuadorians from the Amazon jungle sued the oil giant Chevron. They accused the company of three decades of systematically contaminating their home area by poisoning water, air and soil. This pollution has created a €death zone,€ resulting in increased rates of cancer, birth defects and numerous diseases among the inhabitants. At the same time their traditional way of life has been destroyed. Did Chevron admit making a mistake? Obviously not. The company engaged in a fierce battle against the accusations.
Berlinger (whose Under African Skies is also included in the Rokumentti programme this year) follows the case in court as well as in the destroyed jungle, and all in all, on three continents. The films shows how the case that first gathered only moderate attention grows into an internationally important topic and the symbol of environmental crimes of major corporations. The film portrays the civilians€ desperate battle in all its hopelessness with insight and thought-provoking manner. How much of the destruction of people and environment can be put on the price tag of an oil barrel? How to make a giant company to answer for its deeds? This court case has the opportunity to make a permanent impact on how the international business is managed in the future.
Although Crude tells about events in the faraway Amazon, the questions it raises are topical also in Finland due to the increasing hoarding of mining industry.
Sun 18th Nov at 2:45pm Tapio 4