The Fisherman and the Banker
Synopsis
For years, the fishermen of the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat and their social movement MASS have been battling coal-fired power plants that threaten their livelihoods and traditional way of life by polluting the water and the countryside. Then, in 2015, their fight took an international dimension when US lawyers at EarthRights International took on their case to file the first-ever lawsuit against the World Bank’s private lending arm, the International Finance Corporation. One of the most destructive power plants in the Gulf of Kutch is owned by Indian multinational Tata, who received funding from the IFC. The IFC claims absolute legal immunity but the fisherman challenge this in ever higher courts. In 2018 the case makes its way to the US Supreme Court. Will the fishermen be able to change international law to hold the IFC to account – and save their livelihoods?
Official Selection Big Sky Documentary Film Festival 2024 - World premiere
Details
- Year
- 2024
- Type of film
- Features
- Running time
- 85 min
- Format
- Digital Cannon 100
- Director
-
Sheena Sumaria
- Producer
- Sheena Sumaria
- Executive Producer
- Christopher Hird
- Editor
- Sheena Sumaria
- Sound
- Atul Landjudkar
Categories
Production Status
Production Company
Guerrera Films
4th Floor167 Fleet Street
London
EC4A 2EA
Page updates
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