The Good Life

Jairo Fuentes is the young leader of Tamaquito, an indigenous Wayuu village in northern Colombia. His people have always lived from what nature provided for them. But driven by international demand, the nearby Cerrejón coal mine is growing quickly and threatens to swallow up Jairo's village. The final destination of the Colombian coal are European countries like Germany, Holland and Great Britain where coal-fired power plants generate the energy needed for economic growth and prosperity. Jairo and his people are forced to abandon their village and their territory, leaving behind the good life. From now on their lives will be controlled by money and financial issues. The film tells the story of the indigenous village of Tamaquito in the context of the quest for ever more prosperity in Europe. (Berlinale)