The Branches of Resistance – On Pulp, Land Conflict and Resistance in Chile

Film screening in presence of the movie maker

At the end of 2019, several million people took to the streets in Chile to demonstrate against the government, the constitution, and neoliberalism. The nationwide blockades also affected the forestry sector, which operates largely in the historical settlement areas of the Mapuche and profited from the expropriation and displacement policies of the dictatorship. Today, monocultures stretch across more than 3 million hectares, causing erosion, loss of biodiversity, and crop failures. Because of the limited land restitution, Mapuche communities and small-scale farmers are reclaiming areas, planting native trees, and practicing ecological farming. The state responds to this struggle with militarization and the application of the dictatorship’s anti-terror law. The eucalyptus and pine logs are processed in enormous chemical plants that release toxic wastewater and emissions. Residents regularly block the factory gates to draw attention to the dangers. Germany is the leading EU importer of Chilean pulp. Many end products carry the much-criticized FSC label for environmentally friendly and socially responsible production.

HD, 85 Minutes, Chile/Germany 2021

A movie by Heiko Thiele (Zwischenzeit e.V.)

Trailer and Info: http://www.zwischenzeit-muenster.de/Chile-Film.html