SYNOPSIS
The most overlooked industrial operations of our century: deep-sea mining. In the name of the ecological transition, and against a backdrop of geopolitical crisis, unscrupulous companies are engaging in a frantic race to claim the rights to extract marine nodules. Formed over several million years and rich in the rare metals essential for battery manufacturing, these resources lie at the heart of a fragile ecosystem several kilometers below the surface. Several decades of manipulation for the benefit of greedy corporations, punctuated by breathtaking images of deep-sea organisms. From the Atacama Desert to Papua New Guinea, passing through the City of London and Shenzhen, the film denounces the hypocrisy of the industrial sector in the face of the climate crisis, the illusory promises of electrification, and the privatization of this common heritage of humanity. An ethical and philosophical dilemma: Can we sacrifice the last ecosystem untouched by human presence in the name of our survival?
Theme(s):
DETAILS
DIRECTOR

Matthieu Rytz
SEE COMPLETE PROFILEVisual anthropologist Matthieu Rytz is passionate about photography and ethnology, leading him to travel the world with his camera, exploring human cultures. In 2011, he founded ARKAR, the company that produces the World Press Photo in Montreal, and AnthropoGraphia, an organization advocating for human rights. Always sensitive to environmental challenges, he has made them a priority in his research and productions since 2012.
CAREER
Visions du réel • CPH:DOX • Sundance