Black Lives Matter

The film that the mining industry tried to shut down — telling the story of the Marikana massacre and its political fallout in the most unequal country on the planet. In 2012, 34 striking mineworkers were murdered by South African State Police in what was the most deadly day of state repression since the country’s new constitution in 1994. The news of the killings rocked the country, leading to a year with more protests and actions the country hadn’t seen since the end of Apartheid. The film explores how the mineral wealth -rightfully belonging to the people of South Africa- has been sold to foreign capitalist interests for the enrichment of a few elite individuals – and how traditional communities have been divided in this process. The story is told through a number of key characters who drive the narrative. From a mineworker who survived the Marikana massacre, to artists, community activists, union leaders, and lawyers.