Black Gold

The Ethiopian province Kafa is the origin of the coffee bean and also the setting for this documentary. The Francis brothers set out to answer the question why the producers of one of the world’s finest coffee beans live on the border of starvation. We meet Tadesse Meskela, a representative of the coffee farmer’s Co-op Union, who as well as witnessing the hard work of the farmers and their thin margins of survival, has to deal with the global coffee trade companies, representing giants as Nestlé and Kraft. In addition there is also the stock market where buyers like Starbucks do their very best to keep the price of coffee at the lowest price possible. Meskala’s attempts to establish fair prices for his farmers, is a real struggle considering the powers he is up against. The Frances brothers work the camera brilliantly with a stylish sense of composition, which gives a striking beauty to their subject. Black Gold is a documentary that will stick in your mind long after the film is over. Next time you’re enjoying a foamed latte, you might want to remember that you’re sipping on a cup of human despair. JOHAN THORNTON

Premiärstatus
Svensk premiär: Producent
Nick Francis, Marc Francis: Foto
Marc Francis: Musik
Andreas Kapsalis: Talat språk
English