With World Environment Day right around the corner, we have a list of 5 documentaries to watch on the intersections of social and environmental justice!
1) Nero’s Guests
A quarter of a million Indian farmers have committed suicide since 1995. This is the reality of present day India. In this documentary, P. Sainath depicts the conditions of the farming community in Maharashtra. He also visits many of the affected areas, and you see him talk to the farmers and document their woes . A must watch documentary that shines light on the issues of the rural farmers.
Available on Youtube
2) India Untouched
Casteism and environmental justice are intertwined. This documentary explores how prevalent the caste system is in India even today. It reiterates the need to fight for equity in the environmental movement.
Available on Youtube
3) A dream of trees
A Dream of Trees explores the rewilding work of the 2 Nature Conservation Foundation’s scientists in the Anamalai Hills of the Western Ghats. It showcases the beauty of Western Ghats and the importance of its restoration.
Available on Youtube
4) Daughters of Destiny
Since 1997, the Shanti Bhavan school has provided free education for some of India’s most impoverished and underrepresented children. In Daughters of Destiny: The Journey of Shanti Bhavan, we are able to learn about the unforgettable story of a school that has changed countless lives for the better.
Available on Netflix
5) Coal Curse
Coal Curse, a film on the political economy of coal in India by Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, supported by Greenpeace, takes you on a journey to the land of dirty coal and the trials and tribulations of the people working in the coal mines. The documentary explores the political economy of coal in contemporary India with the situation in Singrauli as a case study. It highlights the scandal, popularly called Coalgate, and the consequences of coal mining in the Singrauli region in central India. It raises questions as to whether extraction of coal is the best answer to secure India’s energy needs.
Available on Youtube
