Voices of the Sierra Tarahumara

Voices of the Sierra Tarahumara

Arizona International Film Festival program film description: The Sierra Tarahumara contend with the loss of life, freedom and land at the hands of such powerful forces as the World Bank, NAFTA, and the international drug trade. Through interviews with activists, environ­mentalists and the Tarahumara themselves, we learn of narcos who burn Tarahumara forest to clear land for drug plantations, and who force the Sierra Tarahumara to cultivate marijuana and opium, most of which is imported to the United States. The now­ defunct World Bank forestry project literally paved the way for illegal logging companies to further destroy the Tarahumara land. Corrupt state police and judges offer the Sierra Tarahumara no protection from attacks on their lives and lands. However, the culture and people still survive. Some of the Sierra Tarahumara have become activists, while others who have been forced from their Sierra Madre homelands have formed a strong urban community.

Video (VHS)

English

Documentary

FEST 2001 FILMS - BOX 2

2000

53 minutes

Robert Brewster, Felix Gehm

Robert Brewster, Felix Gehm

USA