Materia PrimaMateria Prima

A documentary about Bolivia’s vast lithium reserves and the competing interests of European industry, the Bolivian government and local communities.

Materia Prima is a documentary by Jens Schanze about lithium in Bolivia. The country holds the world's largest lithium deposits, a metal described as essential for the energy transition and for batteries in electric cars. In the Andes, on the salt flats, the film looks at the competing interests around this raw material. The Bolivian government negotiates with corporations from around the world, while civil society groups in rural areas, organised mainly by women, mobilise. Europeans want the lithium to secure their automotive industry; Bolivians want it to combat poverty. European diplomats and businesspeople are also watching, while the local population risks its life in dangerous mines. The film examines the conflicting interests around extraction and industrialisation in Bolivia.

Story written by Evenitto from TMDB and the film catalogue