Documentary (83min) · 2024

“Black Water Green Gold” is a feature length documentary about an indigenous community fighting to save Lake Pátzcuaro in Central Mexico. Their traditional lifestyle is threatened by the effects of globalized economy and climate change. The documentary film follows the story of three individuals living around Lake Pátzcuaro. Carlos, Santiago and Tona. In the course of the movie the protagonists share their views on the situation at the lake. Their voices narrate the crisis that they and their communities are experiencing: the decline in water levels, ongoing wildfires and the insecurity haunting the region. The communities are connected by their Purépecha – heritage, the name of the indigenous group and language originating around the lake. Axel Javier Sulzbacher’s debut film is an emotional and authentic portrait of an indigenous community. Close-up, aesthetic and sometimes mystical images tell the story of how the global economic cycle is destroying regional culture and, by extension, the regional indigenous culture of the Purépecha. An important nutshell story about a global phenomenon of our time. Black Water Green Gold Feature-length documentary.

Credits

Director
Axel Javier Sulzbacher

DoP
Axel Javier Sulzbacher

Executive Producer
Felipe Angeles Hamann

Creative & Executive Producer
Nico Gerspacher

Associate Producer
Ramadan Mushkolaj
Enzo Gromiko
Sandra Beuck

Editor
Daniel Hofmeier

Music
Leonard Küßner

Re-Recording Mixer
Volker Armbruster

Sounddesign
Volker Armbruster
Marco Schnebel

Graphic Designer
Sebastian Moock

Color Grading
Friedemann Leis

Production company
Tzintzuni Studio

Co-Production
Übergrafisch & Ivory Tower