Across the world, film has been used to share the stories of communities fighting social injustices through cooperation.
From miners’ strikes in Mexico and cooperative factories in Albania to weavers in India and music in Tibet, here are are few of the films that tell intertwined tales of social justice and collective action.
Salt of the Earth (English, other subtitles available)
This 1954 film portrays a miners' strike in New Mexico, highlighting the role of workers' solidarity and collective action in the fight for labour rights and social justice.
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La Patagonia Rebelde (Spanish, other subtitles available)
Voted the second greatest Argentine film of all time, this 1974 drama-historical film is based upon the military suppression of anarchist union movements in Santa Cruz Province in the early 1920s.
The Co-op Wars (English)
A a one-hour documentary that tells the story of the tumultuous early years of the Twin Cities’ natural food co-op movement, the largest in the US.
Susman (Hindi, English subtitles)
Directed by Shyam Benegal (who also did Manthan), this 1987 Hindi film highlights the struggle of rural handloom weavers in the wake of rapid industrialisation.
Dear Future Children (English, other subtitles available)
A 2021 documentary focusing on young activists worldwide, including those involved in cooperative movements, as they tackle social justice issues in their communities.
Sounder (English, other subtitles)
Set during the Great Depression, this 1972 film follows a Black sharecropping family that struggles against racial injustice while relying on cooperative farming and mutual aid within their community to survive.
Also look out for…
The Rochdale Pioneers (2012)
In 1844 a group of working-class people from the town of Rochdale in Greater Manchester came together to change the unfair society they were living in. They decided to pool resources and organise in a cooperative.
Lamerica (1994)
Set in post-communist Albania, two Italian businessmen attempt to exploit a cooperative factory for financial gain. The film critiques capitalism’s impact on cooperative enterprises in struggling economies.
The Secret of the Grain (La Graine et le Mulet) (2007)
A Tunisian immigrant in France tries to establish a worker-owned restaurant with his family and community. The film highlights the economic struggles and social solidarity of migrant communities.
The Land (Al-Ard) (1969)
An Egyptian classic about a group of poor farmers who come together to resist a wealthy landowner trying to take their land. The film highlights collective action and rural cooperatives fighting against economic and social oppression.
The Nightingale of Tibet (2013)
This film follows the struggles of a singer who works with a cooperative to keep indigenous Tibetan music alive in the face of cultural suppression. The film touches on racial discrimination and the power of collective preservation.
What are your favourite films about social justice? Let us know at mailto:contact@ica.coop.
