In Chile, water is private property that can be bought, sold and rented. “Free the waters!” was one of the main demands of the social revolt of 2019. What has happened since then?
Drought and water scarcity have been hitting hard in Chile for the past 15 years. While climate change plays a role, the main cause is the privatization of water inherited from the Pinochet’s 1980 neoliberal Constitution. It grants most water property rights to agro-exporters and large mining companies.
In 2019, a social uprising paved the way for an unprecedented constituent process: 155 people were elected to draft a new Constitution. Against this backdrop, the film follows two water defenders over four years. Ivanna, an independent constituent and a member of the Diaguita community, fights for fairer water distribution. Alejo, a farmer, struggles against drought and the abuses of large-scale farmers in his Andean valley.