Join us for an exclusive film screening for the documentary, The Fisherman and the Banker, From the Sea to the Supreme Court: A Quest for Justice, and a Q&A with director, Sheena Sumaria. Watch the trailer here.
WHEN: Wednesday, 25 August, 2024, 6pm BST
WHERE: IHRC Bookshop (202 Preston Road, London, HA9 8PA)
Film running time: 90 minutes.
Refreshments provided.
Prayer and wudu facilities available.
About the documentary:
Filmed over a decade, “the Fisherman and the Banker” is modern-day David and Goliath documentary that chronicles the struggle of a fishing community in India’s Gulf of Kutch who take on one of the world’s most powerful institutions, The World Bank Group, after it funded a coal-fired power plant on their coast.
In Gujarat, the fishermen and their movement, MASS, have long been fighting against power plants that threaten their way of life. Then in 2015, they join forces with EarthRights International, a Washington DC-based NGO, and file a lawsuit against the World Bank’s private lending arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), after it provided a critical loan to the Tata Mundra power plant, despite recognising it as high risk project. As the legal challenge progresses to the US Supreme Court in 2018, the film documents the community’s pursuit of justice.
Through a poetic and observational lens, the film captures not just the legal battle but the profound connection between the community and their environment. Will these indomitable fishermen succeed in rewriting international law to protect their heritage and environment, or will the might of the IFC prevail?
About the director:
Sheena Sumaria, a British-Gujarati documentary filmmaker, transitioned from a career in international development to filmmaking. With degrees in Economics and Development Studies from Cambridge and SOAS, her passion for social justice drives her work. She began with “Still Standing,” highlighting life in Medellin’s slums, followed by films on the Chilean student uprising and the 2002 Gujarat pogrom. Her short films address various social issues, including Brexit and homelessness. Her latest documentary, “The Fisherman and the Banker,” is a fourteen-year, mostly self-funded project that explores a fishing community’s battle against the World Bank in India’s Gulf of Kutch. Her multicultural background inspires her to tell transnational stories connecting local struggles to global issues.
Getting to the IHRC Bookshop:
Public Transport
The nearest Underground station is Preston Road on the Metropolitan Line. We are also well served by buses. Check TFL to plan your journey.
Car
IHRC Bookshop is situated in a residential area and free parking is available on residential roads (such as, Elmstead Avenue and Carlton Avenue East). We recommend arriving early to secure a parking spot.
Share the event!
Let your followers know that you are seeing #TheFishermanandTheBanker and tag @ihrc.org.uk on Instagram and @ihrcbookshop on X.
Any questions? Email events@ihrc.org.
