Ship Breaking - A Canadian Documentary By Michael Kott: Events in Hyderabad

REVIEW FOR SHIP BREAKING - A...

On average, one worker a day dies on the job at Alang in Gujarat. They don't mind - for them, the alternative is living.

ECOMOVE International, Germany, is screening a series of 11 documentaries from various countries, from 18th to 22nd January, at Goethe-Zentrum - The Association of German Culture. Today, the 3rd day, an Canadian documentary called Shipbreakers by Michael Kott will be screened.

Shipbreakers takes the viewer into the heart of Alang, India, a vibrant shanty town where 40,000 people live and work in the most primitive conditions. On average, one worker a day dies on the job, some due to explosions or falls, but many due to contracting cancer caused by asbestos, PCBs and other toxic substances.

Shipbreakers vividly captures both the haunting beauty of the ships and the deplorable conditions of the workers in an unforgettable portrayal in which third-world ingenuity meets 21st century global economics.

In the framework of an educational project initiated by ECOMOVE International, a series of film screenings and discussions take place in different cities/regions in India. For this project, ECOMOVE has prepared a film program presenting award-winning documentaries dealing with environmental problems in India and their global backgrounds and causes. An initial film screening in Chennai as well as a film tour through various villages in South India have taken place in April 2006.

The screenings will start everyday from 6:00pm, at the Goethe-Zentrum office in Hermitage Complex, Opp. Kalanjali Showroom, Hill Fort Road, and are absolutely free. For further details, please contact 6652-6443/2324-1791.