Silver
Poland, Finland, Norway2025documentary79'Documentary CompetitionNational Competition
Without this metal, there would be no modern technologies today. Since the colonial times, millions of people have died in the Bolivian silver mines of Potosí. In the 21 st century, there are still murderous working conditions there, from which the profits are reaped by international corporations. For the people who live in the area, including children, the mines constitute their entire lives. The documentary depicts their daily routine underground and on the surface without any embellishment. It offers a glimpse into the world where survival depends on the precious metal chunk chipped away by the sweat of the miner’s brow. The exploitation of resources is accompanied by the exploitation of people – and the film brings them out of darkness and oblivion for a moment.
- directed by
- Natalia Koniarz
Documentary filmmaker. Born in the Beskid Mountains, she has lived and worked in Chile, Bolivia, and France. She currently splits her time between Warsaw and Cairo. A graduate of the Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School, where she now lectures and is pursuing a PhD. She made her debut with the film "Tama", which received awards at festivals such as Fipadoc, Go Short, and New Horizons. The film was screened at over 50 festivals and broadcast on the French platform TENK as well as on Polish Television (TVP). Her next documentary, "Postcards from the Verge", premiered at IDFA and was showcased at Makedox, Women Make Waves, and numerous other international festivals. She is a Grand Prix winner for Best Pitch at the East Doc Platform Forum and a participant in the Ex Oriente program. She has also developed her projects through DocsBarcelona Public Pitch and Fipadoc Industry.
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