Directed by Van Maximilian Carlson
On December 2, 1984, forty tons of poisonous gas leaked from a Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, killing over 20,000 people. Almost 30 years later, hundreds of thousands of survivor continue to suffer from chronic diseases and disabilities. Bhopali is an invaluable examination of the world's worst environmental disaster.
During the Green Revolution, Union Carbide (now owned by DOW Chemical) decided to locate a pesticide manufacturing plant in the city of Bhopal. The film explains how the plant, experimenting with methyl isocyanate and unreliable technology near a densely-populated area, resulted in this immense industrial disaster.
The residents of Bhopal, also known as the Lake City, rely heavily on the use of ground water which is now contaminated with toxic chemicals and heavy metals. With no access to clean water and no support from the government, the prospect for the future appears to be bleak, but Bhopal survivors and activists are determined to hold DOW Chemical accountable and are mounting a legal case to seek justice.
This eye-opening, emotional film incorporates harrowing interviews with residents, experts, activists and local politicians, demonstrating the long term damage to the community as well as the successes of non-profits such as Chingari Trust. Bhopali shows that the only long-term solution for Bhopal is cleanup and containment paid for by the corporation responsible for the disaster, and that setting such a precedent is a crucial step in preventing similar disasters from happening around the globe.
Reviews
~ "Carlson, a Los Angeles filmmaker, skillfully interweaves a cogent account of the disaster and the ongoing legal battles it spawned with intimate, often heart-wrenching stories of the disaster's living victims." - Variety
~ "Bhopali is highly recommended to those interested in the environment, South Asia, and corporate responsibility". - EMRO
Awards
~ Winner, Grand Jury Best Documentary Award, Slamdance Film Festival, 2011
~ Winner, Documentary Audience Award, Slamdance Film Festival, 2011
~ Winner, Best Documentary Award, New York Indian Film Festival, 2011
~ Winner, Best Documentary Award, Los Angeles International Film Festival, 2011
~ Winner, Best Documentary Special Jury Award, Beverly Hills Film Festival, 2011
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