SYNOPSIS
In 2545 Spanish conquerors discovered pure silver in a mountain in the ICA region of Kollasuyo, today´s Bolivian Altiplano. They named this mountain Cerro Rico (Rich Mountain) and the prosperous and powerful city born at its base, Potosí.
After more than four centuries of operation the Cerro Rico of Potosí continues to offer silver, zinc and lead to forty-five cooperatives of miners who work under dreadful conditions similar to those of their ancestors in colonial times. “El Tío” (“The Uncle”), the Lord Demon of the mine, is the true owner of its veins, and the miners worship him to win his favour. In exchange, the men must sacrifice their lungs in the obscure maze of the mountain tunnels. They, and those who live off this natural wonder, are the “children of the Silver Mountain.”
CREDITS
DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER: Juan S. Betancor, SCRIPTWRITERS: Juan S. Betancor, Leonardo Díaz, CINEMATOGRAPHY: Diego Modino, Juan S. Betancor, Dirk Royaards, LOCATION SOUND: Dirk Royaards, PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS: Hiroko Matsuguchi, Pachi Lledó, SOUND MIXER: Daniel Rappa, EDITOR: Juan S. Betancor, GRAPHICS AND VISUAL EFFECTS: David Guaita, BOLIVIAN MUSIC COMPOSER: Óscar Avilés, BOLIVIAN MUSIC PERFORMERS: Marco Chakolla (pipes), Octavio Churqui Luna (charango), Óscar Avilés (guitar), BOLIVIAN MUSIC RECORDIST: Darwin Espinoza, ELECTRONIC MUSIC COMPOSER: KNOBS
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
YEAR: 2006, RUNTIME: 53 min., COLOR, SOUND MIX: Stereo, ASPECT RATIO: 4:3, SHOOTING FORMAT: DVCAM, EXHIBITION FORMAT: BETACAM DIGITAL, QUICKTIME, DVD, COUNTRY OF PRODUCTION: Spain, LANGUAGES: Spanish, English, SUBTITLES: Spanish, English, French, FILMING LOCATIONS: Bolivia, Peru, Chile, United Kingdom, Belgium
FESTIVALS AND AWARDS
- “Terre des Hommes” Award for the Promotion of Economical, Social, and Cultural Rights, Human Rights International Film Festival of Paris, Paris, France, 2006
- “Inconvenient Truth” Award, Cine-Eco Festival of Seia, Seia, Portugal, 2006
- Official Selection, Festival International de Programmes Audiovisuels FIPA, Biarritz, France, 2006
- Official Selection, ECOCINEMA, Athens, Greece, 2006
- Official Selection, Academic Film Olomuc, Olomuc, Czech Republic, 2006
- Official Selection, Human Rights Film Festival of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2006
- Official Selection, Vermont International Film Festival, Vermont, USA, 2006
- Official Selection, Human Rights Film Festival of Montreal, Montreal, Canada, 2006
- Official Selection, The International Exile Film Festival, Gothenburg, Sweden, 2006
- International Showcase and Tour of Documentaries, PRODOCUMENTALES, Albacete, Spain, 2007
SIDDHARTHA FILMS 