A film that documents why the world is losing fresh water supplies and the politics behind its ownership and distribution.
History has hidden within it umpteen episodes when scarcity of a
particular thing has led to bloodbaths of the most gruesome kind. After waging
battles over land, food, oil and other essentials for life, mankind is now on
the verge of a global war thanks to the scarcity of fresh water. Blue Gold:
World Water Wars, a documentary by Sam Bozzo, seeks to wake us up to the
horrific reality staring us in the face.
The documentary looks at how the source of all life — fresh water
— is being polluted, wasted and abused by the exponentially growing population.
This is leading to available resources being depleted at a rapid pace, thus
allowing corporate giants and corrupt governments to take control of the
remaining water and hold people to ransom for every drop.
This paucity is set to cause major shifts in the power structure
as military control of water occurs and etches out a new geo-political map.
India is already facing the brunt of this paucity, with wastage
and pollution being widespread. Oblivious to us, the situation is worsening by
the day. It won’t be long before fresh water — that we take for granted today —
comes with a huge price tag. Even if we can afford it, we may probably not get
enough for even the most basic needs.
It is to make people aware of this grim future that Prithvi
Theatre and Vikalp: Films for Freedom are screening Blue Gold as part of the
‘Vikalp@Prithvi’ initiative.
Kunal Kapoor of Prithvi says of this initiative, “We partner with
several groups/people to promote the performing arts and get more people
excited about our art. Vikalp is one group that curates documentaries from
around the world. We provide the space and equipment to showcase this art to
the general public. We screen a selection of documentaries and short films on
the last Monday of every month at Prithvi House. Entry to all screenings is
free and on a first-come-first-seated basis.”
Vikalp: Films for Freedom believes that an assault on freedom of
expression is an assault on democracy itself. The organisation was conceived as
a response to the censorship borne by several documentary makers in 2004. Over
the years, Vikalp has transformed from a parallel festival into a movement that
holds regular screenings at Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata.
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