Land Grabbing

Farmland is a precious commodity, especially as populations rise across the globe, and more and more land is needed to produce crops to feed the masses. Also, as the demand for a particular crop (or crop byproduct) grows, the desire increases to plant as much of that crop as possible in order to reap the financial rewards. Not surprisingly, both of these trends offer opportunities for corruption. Land Grabbing, a powerful documentary by Kurt Langbein, examines what happens when governments and organizations decide to take land from private citizens to use for power and profit. A journalist by trade, Langbein traveled the world exposing instances where governments used eminent domain, often accompanied by violence, to procure land. In Cambodia, he shows the efforts of a local Buddhist monk who records the government's eviction of hundreds of small farmers, taking their land for state agricultural use. Uploading his videos to the web for the world to see, the monk and his temple wind up facing retribution while also trying to feed and care for the displaced farmers. In Eastern Europe and Africa, Langbein exposes conglomerates and wealthy entrepreneurs who use unlimited resources and muscle to outmaneuver small farmers to obtain land rights. He also details how unsustainable farming practices are destroying local ecosystems, in particular the large-scale harvesting of palm oil, which entails the decimation of thousands of acres of rainforest. The brazenness and disregard for humanity and the environment on display here are shocking, but sadly not surprising. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Morehart)