Power in the Desert

Synopsis

From California to Chile and Argentina, the film follows the trail of lithium across three desert regions, a key resource in the transition to clean energy. As demand for electric vehicle batteries grows, communities around the Atacama Desert, Salinas Grandes, and the Salton Sea face the threats brought by lithium mining. The film brings together those who see new investment as an economic opportunity and those concerned about its impact on water, land, and local ecosystems. Asking who pays the price of the global energy transition and who benefits from it, the film reveals the realities behind the idea of “clean energy.” Lithium also lies at the heart of a larger struggle over who gets a say in the future of these lands.

Director Biography

Emiliano Rodríguez Nuesch

Filmmaker and risk communication expert whose work explores risk perception, memory, and resilience across different cultures. His documentaries and communication campaigns focus on disaster preparedness, climate change, and the ways communities respond to crisis. His work has received international recognition, including a Gold Lion at Cannes Lions for a Greenpeace campaign. He has also collaborated on projects with organisations including the World Bank, UNESCO, UNDRR, and NASA.

Credits

Cinematography / Sinematografi

Hernán Paganini, Alejandro Gatti

Editing / Kurgu

Hernán Paganini, Alejo Santos

Music / Müzik

Diego Voloschin

Sound / Ses

Diego Voloschin

Production / Yapım

Emiliano Rodríguez Nuesch