In the cobalt mining areas of Katanga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), babies are being born with horrific birth defects. Scientists and doctors are finding increasing evidence of environmental pollution from industrial mining which, they believe, may be the cause of a range of malformations from cleft palate to some so serious the baby is stillborn. More than 60% of the world’s reserves of cobalt are in the DRC and this mineral is essential for the production of electric car batteries, which may be the key to reducing carbon emissions and to slowing climate change. In The Cost of Cobalt we meet the doctors treating the children affected and the scientists who are measuring the pollution. Cobalt may be part of the global solution to climate change, but is it right that Congo’s next generation pay the price with their health? Many are hoping that the more the world understands their plight, the more pressure will be put on the industry here to clean up its act.
Related Movies
Strength Trilogy (2023)
An abstract documentary, in three parts, about the gradual process of an Ayahuasca ritual performed by the Shawãdawa "enchanted macaw" indigenous family.
Landscapes at the World's Ends (2010)
A non-verbal visual journey to the polar regions of our planet portrayed through a triptych montage of photography and video. Landscapes at the World's Ends is a multi-dimensional canvas of imagery recorded above the Arctic Circle and below the Antarctic Convergence, viewed through the lens of whom is realistically an alien in this environment, the polar tourist. Filmed during several artist residencies on-board three expedition vessels, New Zealand nature photographer and filmmaker Richard Sidey documents light and time in an effort to share his experiences and the beauty that exists over the frozen seas. Set to an ambient score by Norwegian Arctic based musician, Boreal Taiga, this experimental documentary transports us to the islands of South Georgia, the Antarctic Peninsula, Greenland and Svalbard. Landscapes at the World's Ends is the first film in Sidey's Speechless trilogy, and is followed by Speechless: The Polar Realm (2015) and Elementa (2020).
Homay King on 'Shanghai Express' (2018)
Film scholar Homay King discusses director Josef von Sternberg's cinematic China and the role of star Anna May Wong in 'Shanghai Express'.
A Conversation with Hazel Henderson (NaN)
Futurist Hazel Henderson is featured in this documentary film filled with fiery conversation on climate change, women in the workplace and our economic future.
Bodies and Spaces, Fabric and Light (2018)
This visual essay focuses on the visual style and composition of the Hollywood films made together by Josef von Sternberg and Marlene Dietrich.
Don't Look Too Far Ahead (NaN)
“Don’t Look Too Far Ahead” is a film about Miami native and first-generation Haitian-American college basketball athlete, David Jean Baptiste. Although privilege and wealth did not allow David the same basketball opportunities as many of his peers, he continued to persevere and create his own legacy. Watch as David plays the last home game of his college career at The University of Chattanooga and reflects on what’s ahead.
A Face in the Dark: Diane Baker on 'Mirage' (2019)
Diane Baker discusses her acting career and participation in the film 'Mirage' (1965).
Virus Hunters (2020)
At the height of the COVID-19 crisis, National Geographic Explorer, Chris Golden, and ABC News foreign correspondent, James Longman, embark on an epic worldwide journey to figure out how to stop the next pandemic, before it’s too late.
The Méliès Mystery (2021)
A documentary that details the process of restoring 270 of the 520 lost films of pioneering director Georges Méliès, all orchestrated by a Franco-American collaboration between Lobster Films, the National Film Center, and the Library of Congress.
Hellstorm (2015)
A documentary that tells the tale that the victors still do not want you to know. Learn the terrible truth about the rape, torture, slavery, and mass murder inflicted upon the German people by the Allied victors of World Word II.
Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga (2009)
Both during and after pregnancy, yoga is a perfect way to firm your body, build strength, and gain flexibility. These two yoga practices, filmed in a serene garden overlooking the Pacific Ocean, are also a wonderful way to maintain emotional balance and reduce stress during the exciting and often hectic times surrounding the birth of a child. In the prenatal sequence you'll practice safe and simple movements intended to strengthen and tone your body at any stage of pregnancy, while providing relaxation that will help create a luminous space in which your baby will thrive. The postnatal sequence is designed to redefine your body, restore your energy, and help you reconnect to yourself and your own wellness.
