About the Film

For centuries, the natural riches of Cerro Rico in Potosí, Bolivia, fueled empires. Colonial powers extracted immense quantities of silver while countless indigenous miners lost their lives in the mine shafts and rubble. Yet, even as Europe prospered, Potosí was left behind to face poverty and environmental ruin. Today, the cycle threatens to repeat itself. Beneath Potosí’s vast salt flats lie some of the planet’s largest lithium reserves, part of the “lithium triangle” spanning Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. This resource is critical to electric vehicle batteries and the global clean energy transition. This short documentary confronts a haunting question: Will Potosí once again provide the resources that enrich the world while leaving its people behind?