cap bocage

i do have an (armchair) interest in matters environmental

and a want to cover as much genre ground as possible at the nziff

both motives colluding to get me into a viewing of this local number

nice surprise in store - the added presence there of the writer/director

briefly introduced and a promise of a q&a after the screening - good-o

the film opens with some plain text white on black background information
cap bocage is a nickel-rich cape situated in the northern part of new caledonia
home to the indigenous kanak people and far removed from the city of noumea
that where most of the french and other international ex-pats live, work and play
the ballande mining company plunders the area for nickel - 11 mines in 11km
nickel extracted here used as a component of domestic and military goods
in january 2008 heavy rains lead to a spillage of mine waste down into the sea
affecting the fishing grounds of the kanaks - this is the story of their plight
the film opens with a helicopter flying over the affected coastal area
then more footage of the star of the film - florent euisouke driving up
a walk around the open cut mines revealing the instability of the tailings
views of the huge toxic mud-slide to the ocean that caused the pollution
florent is a local kanak tribesman - outspoken, charismatic and enraged
president of the local environment protection group called mee rhari
they are taking on ballande and insisting on a cleanup at their expense
the company of course reluctant to do that so a drawn out fight ensues
more talking heads introduced - lawyers, workers, owners, accomplices
but it's not all dry - florent is very likable, well-respected and a family man
it's clear what side the film-maker is on so very easy for us to join us vs them
ballande's tactics are to draw it out as long as possible - very easy of course
lots of money paying lawyers to drag out the process and wear the others down
which of course it does as the other side are also workers or families of the mine
so idealism vs pragmatism becomes the issue and there's dissent in the ranks
blockading the mine does have a financial impact and so the protest effective
eventually the court case goes in favour of the kanaks and a cleanup begins
but the damage has been done and the fishing grounds permanently scarred

there's the sense of a moral victory but as always it's part of a bigger picture
new caledonia votes for independence from france in 2018 - a huge issue
we can only imagine the power-position shuffling going on leading up to that

a suggestion that the court's decision part of a big largely political concern
appease the locals so that this environmental disaster is not a lightning rod
of course the french industrialists would rather keep control of this colony
so this film touching on more than just a very bad environmental problem
sadly there's not a lot of us at this evening's screening to pick up on that
but a very vigorous q&a session follows with director jim marbrook
he has generously flown down from auckland to be with us tonight
lucky us - not often you can engage in discussion with a film-maker
he full of insight into the plight of the people and their politics
one very smart man and using his integrity and skills well
have a feeling he is going to become very well known
director also of current breakout hit 'dark horse'
wanna see that one now - but cap bocage - so good
me very happy to have bothered to get to see that one...