The Fisherman and the Banker (UK)
Director: Sheena Sumaria, Executive Producer: Christopher Hird
Running time: 85 minutes
The Fisherman and the Banker is a modern-day David and Goliath tale, chronicling a fishing community in India’s Gulf of Kutch as they take on the World Bank’s private lending arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), for funding a coal-fired power plant that threatens their way of life.
Filmed over a decade, the documentary captures the fishermen’s fight against industrial encroachment and their alliance with US lawyers to file a groundbreaking lawsuit, which reaches the US Supreme Court in 2018. With a poetic and observational lens, the film explores their legal battle and profound bond with the environment, posing a powerful question: can the resilience of a community rewrite the rules of global power—or will the might of corporations and institutions crush their fight for justice?
Press
Explore the journey of The Fisherman and the Banker through press features, interviews, and reviews from some of the most respected outlets around the world. These pieces delve into the story of the Wagher fishing community, their incredible resilience, and their fight against global financial giants.
Screenings
28 Sep, 2, 3, 6 and 8 Oct 2024
Bertha Dochouse, London
Book tickets here
14 & 15 Sep 2024
The Garden Cinema, London
Book tickets here
26-31 July 2024
International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala,
Kerala, India (official selection)
16 April 2024
Landmark's E Street Cinema, Washington DC, USA
Impact screening during 2024 World Bank Spring Meetings, organised by advocacy groups
17 Feb 2024
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, Missoula, USA
(World premiere, official selection, nominated for best feature)
If you would like to organise a live screening at your organisation or academic institution, please get in touch via the contact form.
"MOVING AND NECESSARY. A DAVID AND GOLIATH STORY FOR AN AGE THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS SUCH STORIES"
- YANIS VAROUFAKIS