Cursed for Gold

2008 French documentary film

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Cursed for Gold

Directed by| Olivier Weber
Written by| Olivier Weber
Produced by| Rosem Films
France Televisions
Canal Plus
France Televisions Distribution
Cinematography| Olivier Weber
Edited by| Florence Bresson
Music by| Christophe Monthieux
Distributed by| Zootrope Films

Release date

* 15 October 2008 (2008-10-15)

Running time

| 93 minutes
Languages| English, French

Cursed for Gold (French: La Fièvre de l'Or) is a 2008 French documentary film written and directed by the French writer and novelist Olivier Weber, former war correspondent, dealing with the new gold rush destroying the Amazon rainforest.[1]

## Overview

[edit]

A new gold rush is sweeping through the Amazon rainforest where scores of women and men hunt for nuggets and specks of gold. But this race for gold is bringing on the destruction of one of the last earthly paradises, the world's largest tropical forest, the lungs of our planet, where everything and anything can be paid in gold. As a result, a gold ingot cycle has developed—with its batch of insolvents, prostitutes, godfathers, traffickers, whether in French Guiana, Brazil or Suriname. Gold has brought upon disease, mercury, crime, alcoholism. Gold has turned creeks and rivers into dumping grounds. This cycle is that of the destruction of men by men. Whereas the Amazonian rainforest releases 300 tons of gold each year, it receives 120 tons of mercury. An uneven trade: treasure against poison. And as the backdrop, all sorts of traffics are arising: people, weapons, drugs. In the depths of this borderless jungle also lies the tragedy of the Wayanas, a Native American tribe from Guiana, who are being poisoned by mercury, the element essential to gold mining. The Wayanas are doomed by a looming disappearance. Congenital malformations have already been observed in children. The elderly are developing neurological disorders and cancers. Along with the outrage that is mercury comes another massacre of Indians. The New Eldorado is enduring one of the world's worst globalization disasters.

The film premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival for a special screening and received the 2008 Trophy of Adventure.[2][3] Top 10 of the best films on ecology with Darwin's Nightmare and Unbelievable Truth.

## Awards and festivals

[edit]

* Trophy of Adventure, 2008 [4]
* Prize Terra Festival, 2010
* International Festival of Francophone Film, 2009
* Festival Grand bivouac, 2010
* Festival Amazing Travellers (Étonnants Voyageurs), 2011
* Top 10 of films on ecology.[5]

## See also

[edit]

* Political Cinema

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Cursed for Gold Director's bio". Fest21.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-30.
2. ^ [1]
3. ^ "Cursed for Gold film premiered in Cannes Film Festival". Archived from the original on 2014-02-23. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
4. ^ "Olivier Weber Biography". Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
5. ^ "Top 10 des films écolos". L'Express. 18 May 2011. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* Official site of Cursed for Gold
* La fièvre de l'or at IMDb
* A travel writer in Amazonia
* Press films
* "Cursed for Gold" Premieres at Cannes Film Festival
* A new gold rush
* Cannes Film Festival Screening
* Amazing travellers