The New Silver (Bolivia)
Filmed against the background of a popular revolt called the ‘Gas War”, this film shows how the lack of access to capital is a heavy chain hanging around the necks of the poor in Bolivia and the Bolivian government alike.
Five hundred years after the Spaniards took the silver from Bolivia’s mines and left the local population in poverty, the Bolivians are determined to secure the revenues of Bolivia’s ‘new silver’. However, access to sustainable lines of credit is crucial at all levels of society.
While the new director of the State Oil & gas company Jaime Barrenechea needs billions of dollars to exploit the Bolivian gas reserves and provide household connections to the poor, indigenous miner women Maria Cabana and strong-willed lower middle class entrepreneur Thomas Bravo struggle to get a small loans to make a kick start small businesses. How are they going to get the capital needed? What is their collateral? What are they going to do with the money and the gas, what are their dreams? How much interest do they pay?
Bolivia provides the setting for a penetrating look at how Tomas, Jaime and Maria show an enormous entrepreneurial spirit in their urge to survive. They have ‘guts’, talent and an amazing potential to make something out of nothing.
Ultimately this film is a story about the struggle for ‘ownership’ and self-determination.
Producers: Alexandra Jansse & Joost van Loon EMF Films 2005
Director, scriptwriter: Alexandra Jansse
Series director: Alexandra Jansse
Camera: Eric van Empel
Sound: Pieter Guyt
Editor: Emile Bensdorp
Music composer: Orlando Gough
Production India: Priti Chandriani, Rajshri Mehta
• A Dollar a Day” is broadcast in The Netherlands, India, USA, Japan, Canada, Sweden, Middle East, Africa, Belgium, Greece ea.
• Film festival China (Guangzhou); World Social Forum Nairobi 2007 Slum Cinema screenings.
• Distributed by Off The Fence and World Bank.
Outreach campaign and website by the Center of Global Development Washington with this series!
ThiemeMeulenhoff Publishers educational program for high schools GEO method with this series.
Location: Bolivia, 2005
Themes: Natural Resources, Gas Reserves, Multinational, Microcredit, IMF, Public Revolt, Indigenous People and Self-determination.
