The significance of “Por la vida”

The importance of this documentary lies in its intention to celebrate alternative economies and ecologies that have arisen in spite of—and in response to—the extractivist agenda in Honduras, one of the most aggressive of the 21st century. Over the last decade, the Honduran state has tried to expand its extractivist sectors (mining, silviculture, industrial agriculture, energy, fishing and tourism) in a context of deepening militarization and with little respect for the human rights of those who oppose them. In fact, Honduras has been identified as the most dangerous place in the world for environmental activists. The risks of extractivism are amplified for Indigenous peoples since the potential growth of the mining and energy sectors would be 50% more dense in Indigenous territories. As a global crisis of civilisation in the 21st century, this environmental situation has in turn generated a migration crisis for which the Honduran nation has become known internationally.

We do not want this documentary to be merely a site of denunciation but also an acknowledgement of the efforts to create other possible worlds, visibilising alternative processes to the economic model based on the large scale extraction of collective property. In the face of individualistic and consumerist societies, the documentary will record and share stories of communal societies where the meaning of life is generated through cultural and spiritual activities. The stories and experiences featured in the documentary can in this way inspire other alternative processes in defense of land and life.