“Without lithium, no electricity storage facility, no
data centre, no electric car, no smartphone
would work. The Europeans want the raw
material to save their automotive industry. The
Bolivians want it to combat poverty.“
The film opens with beautiful landscapes accompanied by a voiceover. Don Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala guides us throughout the movie and provides an inside with the historical compression. The grandson of King Túpac Inca Yupanqui establishes an important connection between past and present while representing an indigenous perspective.
In the 16th century Bolia became a colony and part of upper Peru. During that time the land was exploited for its rich resources of pure minerals such as silver and gold, therefore becoming one of the richest colonies. Bolivia itself received none of the extracted resources and instead natives were enslaved, exploited and brutally treated. Spaniards took all of the extracted resources home where they were able to proceed with their own industrialisation.
After numerous attempts of a revolution and fight for freedom, Bolivia gained its independence in 1825 receiving its name from the fighter Simón Bolívar. However, due to such a long period of exploitation and colonial history Bolivia‘s economic, cultural and social status was changed permanently. This shows how strongly the past influences the present.
MATERIA PRIMA addresses a new opportunity which Bolivia is confronted with today. Lithium, a resource with high demand all over the world, has its largest deposits in Bolivia. Many different organisations, such as the EU, show great interest in the mining of this raw material. Lithium plays a key role for green energy and is essential for modern technologies.
Yet the people living in the extraction regions face very poor living conditions and many negative consequences. Basic resources such as water are rather being used for industrial purposes than for the local communities. Beautiful landscapes are threatened with environmental damage so that traditional lifestyles no longer have a place. Locals are forced to work under physically demanding conditions for a poor wage in order to survive. At the same time they depend on the mining industry, as it offers new job opportunities and a stable source of income. This creates a strong dependency.
MATERIA PRIMA manages to catch the complexity of this situation very effectively.
While all the scenes appear natural and neutral, the smart editing creates a critical approach.
Wide, slow drone footage of nature and beautiful landscapes are followed by images of intense labor, loud machinery and men working in the mines under life threatening work conditions.
In addition, every now and then different people are being interviewed in their daily routine. Even though the interviews look somewhat staged, they still manage to highlight important phrases. “Why shouldn’t we learn how to build a raw material industry?” a statement from Dunja Karina Borja, a lawyer in Uyuni. She reflects Bolivia‘s desire for independence and the wish to be a strong economy.
In the end the final dilemma is still ongoing. Bolivia faces a major opportunity to strengthen its economy through lithium, yet also the risks repeating historical patterns of exploitation. The film overall greatly emphasizes the need to listen to indigenous voices and encourages to reflect on global inequalities critically. Overall, the documentary challenges the idea of “green progress” by revealing the social and environmental costs that remain largely invisible. It does not offer a clear solution, but rather leaves the viewer with this unresolved tension and a heavy feeling of responsibility.
Sources:
Documentary „MATERIA PRIMA“ by Jens Schanze
https://www.britannica.com/place/Bolivia/Hydrocarbons
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_Bolivia