The Coca-Cola Case (Short Version)
For decades, Colombia has ranked first among countries in the number of social leaders assassinated. From 2002 to 2009, more than 470 leaders were killed by paramilitary militias in the pay of companies ready to do anything to crush the unions. Among these unscrupulous corporate brands were bottling plants of Coca-Cola company products. These unpunished crimes spur U.S. activists Dan Kovalik, Terry Collingsworth and Ray Rogers into an ambitious crusade against the soft drink giant, accusing them of turning a blind eye to the misdeeds brought to their attention. By following the relentless efforts of this unshakeable trio, The Coca-Cola …
For decades, Colombia has ranked first among countries in the number of social leaders assassinated. From 2002 to 2009, more than 470 leaders were killed by paramilitary militias in the pay of companies ready to do anything to crush the unions. Among these unscrupulous corporate brands were bottling plants of Coca-Cola company products.
These unpunished crimes spur U.S. activists Dan Kovalik, Terry Collingsworth and Ray Rogers into an ambitious crusade against the soft drink giant, accusing them of turning a blind eye to the misdeeds brought to their attention. By following the relentless efforts of this unshakeable trio, The Coca-Cola Case takes us on a fascinating legal road-movie, against a backdrop of denunciation campaigns claiming: Stop Killer Coke!
After five years of struggle, will Coca-Cola yield in the end? And on the verge of a settlement, what will the victims choose—cash, or power and integrity?
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original ideaGermán Gutiérrez
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researchGermán Gutiérrez
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scriptCarmen Garcia
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field directorGermán GutiérrezCarmen Garcia
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director of photographyGermán Gutiérrez
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sound recordingGermán Gutiérrez
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picture editingElric Robichon
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picture editing - collaborationCarmen Garcia
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original music scoreOlivier Alary
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sound designFrançois Senneville
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dialogue editingStan Sakell
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sound mixGeoffrey Mitchell
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online editingYannick Carrier
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computer graphicsElric Robichon
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production managerSalvadora Garcia
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coordinatorSalvadora Garcia
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accountantSalvadora Garcia
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assistant directorRicardo Restrepo
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additional photographyGary GriffinRicardo Restrepo
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additional sound recordingSusan BryantEdwin R. AnguloRené Portillo
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additional editingHoward GoldbergFernando Lopez Escriva
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additional researchSalvadora Garcia
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archives researchNancy Marcotte
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music collaborationJohannes Malfatti
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orchestrationJohannes Malfatti
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music recordingDavid Bryant
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music mixOlivier AlaryJohannes Malfatti
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musicianSheila HanniganJean RenéStéphane AllardCéline ArcandFrançois LaroucheYannick ChênevertRené GosselinOlivier AlaryJohannes MalfattiDenis PlanteBertil Schulrabe
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technical coordinatorRichard Cliche
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translationRobert Gray
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subtitlesRobert Gray
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technical supportDanielle RaymondIsabelle PainchaudMartine ForgetPierre DupontAmélie Bolduc
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titlesPhilippe RaymondGaspard Gaudreau
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creditsPhilippe RaymondGaspard Gaudreau
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legal advisorRemy Khouzam
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marketing officerJulie Armstrong-BoileauJenny Thibault
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marketing officer - assistanceSolen Labrie Trépanier
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administratorDenise DesLauriersManon Provencher
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production coordinatorHélène RegimbalMirabelle Bélanger
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administrative teamDominique BrunetLise Lévesque
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associate producerMaryse Chapdelaine
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producerCarmen GarciaYves BisaillonJohanne Bergeron
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executive producerCarmen GarciaYves Bisaillon
Coca-Cola is suspected of having used paramilitary elements in Colombia and Guatemala to have labor unionists assassinated. In 2001, U.S. lawyers took legal action. The suit was filed in an American court because an old law in that country allows foreign victims of crimes who have not obtained justice in their own countries to bring proceedings on U.S. soil. This documentary illustrates the power imbalances in this legal struggle, and the strategies used by the multinational. Questions to ask: What are those strategies? Can justice be done? Why did the workers reject the settlement proposed by Coca-Cola in 2008? What is dignity?
More educational content
The Coca-Cola Case (Short Version), Germán Gutiérrez & Carmen Garcia, provided by the National Film Board of Canada