The Illusion of Abundance follows several indigenous climate activists and groups as they face the harsh realities of global development, seeking justice against transnational corporations who have stolen and poisoned their lands. Annually, around 200 such activists lose their lives in these struggles with corporations, with Latin America bearing the brunt of this alarming statistic
The film spotlights landmark legal battles: German giant Tüv Süd faces a lawsuit from Brazilian flood victims' families, Dutch development bank FMO instigates legal attacks against indigenous small farmers in Honduras, and Newmont, the world’s largest gold mining company, potentially heads to US courts for a land dispute with a Peruvian woman. With a narrative spanning continents and decades, The Illusion of Abundance exposes the shifting landscape of globalization turning national.
Central and Southern American judges and politicians hesitate to greenlight these international trials despite the undeniable impact on lives. The documentary goes beyond a mere exposé of the human toll of neocolonialism — it serves as a poignant exploration of the illusionary promise of abundance in our interconnected world.
The Illusion of Abundance is an outstanding documentary from start to finish. Erika Gonzalez Ramirez and Matthieu Lietaert create a compelling yet concise exposé on the activities of the multinational extractive industry in Central and South America. It’s hard to believe just how much content and information made it into this 58-minute-long film. I could have sworn I was sitting on my couch for twice that amount of time! It’s a rare thing for a film to do its job so beautifully and effectively: I can’t think of a single complaint!
Three activist groups are documented and interviewed during their struggles with law-breaking and human-rights-violating corporations, laying bare the human cost of consumerism and the collective efforts against these violations of Indigenous rights and lands. This documentary is a must-see for anyone who loves the genre. Highly Recommended. Editor’s Choice.
What kind of college instructor could use this title?
Anyone teaching modern economics, colonialism, Latin American studies, and environmental justice will want to use The Illusion of Abundance in the classroom.