Joe Berlinger

It's the David vs. Goliath of the petrochemical age: Two young Ecuadorian attorneys, Pablo Fajardo and Luis Yanza, are taking on Texaco (now Chevron) on behalf of 30,000 indigenous people who believe their land was illegally poisoned by its oil processing plants. With potential damages in the billions, this is one of the most expensive — and potentially groundbreaking — lawsuits of all time. This hefty, comprehensive documentary by Joe Berlinger (Brother's Keeper) includes testimony from both parties, including heartbreaking stories of cancer and poisoned rivers; an exploration of the power of modern messaging, which both sides try and control; the power of celebrities to affect change, as Sting and his wife come to the aid of the Ecuadorians; and the maddening intricacies of international law. As admirably complex piece of non-fiction storytelling, Crude is both a stirring call-to-arms and an ambivalent portrait of environmental struggle in the 21st century.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1326204/… (mehr)