Ethical Gold film – coming soon
Back from Uganda, and now in the editing process of the film about ethical gold mining, an African first!
Overlooked by many when they are buying a ring or even a mobile phone, the gold industry is archaic in it’s ethical approach, but now finally that is starting to change, with a new initiative that aims to improve conditions for miners, eliminate child labour, and eradicate the need for mercury to be used in the processing.
The story follows longtime gold campaigner Greg Valerio and local partner EWAD, as they visit the first Fairtrade gold mine and produce the first mercury free gold in the whole of Africa.
Here’s some photos from the project, full film coming soon…
Phil Clarke Hill Copyright © Phil Clarke Hill
Phil Clarke Hill Copyright © Phil Clarke Hill
Phil Clarke Hill Copyright © Phil Clarke Hill
Phil Clarke Hill Copyright © Phil Clarke Hill
Phil Clarke Hill Copyright © Phil Clarke Hill
Phil Clarke Hill Copyright © Phil Clarke Hill
Harvard + MIT knowledge journey in Boston – film
Just arrived in Copenhagen where I’m going to be working with the great folks at the Collaboratorium and Network Affect for the coming weeks, including a session at CPH/DOX documentary film festival.
Here’s a piece we made in Boston back in October last year, now time to bring on the next phase.
Tamo Junto Rio hip-hop photos in Vice
One of the key projects that I was working on this year in Rio was about the growing hip hop ‘roda de rima’ scene in the city, mainly in the peripheria of the city. Most nights of the week, young up and coming artists meet at self organized events, rhyming about the various issues that affect their lives, including Police violence, inequality, education, transportation, gangs and violence. Primarily a film project, to run soon, I have also been shooting a photo story on the subject, and this week in collaboration with John Surico and Angela Almeida, some of the photos from the piece and a great text were published in Vice.
Read the article here: http://www.vice.com/read/rio-brazil-rap-police-violence-roda-de-rima-protest-brutality
and here are a few of the shots that didn’t make the article but which are some of my personal favourites
Google Local Guides Rio video
The Google local guides Rio guide video is now live! This was a great project to work on, another collaboration with Daniel Oxenhandler- showing some of the lesser know sites in Rio, and pleased to give this fantastic city, which has a special place in my heart, some more good press, as I think recently is has been lacking, don’t believe the hype! Millions of people live here everyday without getting Zika, getting shot, mugged or poisoned by the water.
Favela Brass Olympic marathon video
The video I made with Daniel Oxenhandler / Network Affect, is now live on AJ+, it’s about a music school in a favela who have been doing their own Olympic marathon…
Meanwhile, also happening in Rio de Janeiro
With the Olympics now in full swing, most of the city is either concentrating on having a good time, watching the sport, or trying to get on with their daily lives in the midst of it all.. Meanwhile, wedged in between the lively and popular ‘Austria House’ and Rio Sul shopping centre, the OcupaMinc collective have created a new space, a follow on from the Ministry of Culture, which was occupied for 70 days in protest of the cutting of this cultural institution, and making the statement Fora Temer – for interim President Michel Temer to step down, in the light of the impeachment of Dilma Roussef.
The new space is the Canecao – a famous music venue that hosted hundreds of national and international artists for their shows in Rio, a beloved place to many, it has been left empty for years, and now the aim is to breathe new life into the space, and use it as a place for independent cultural activities, discussion, protest. I’m currently working with John Surico and Angela Almeida on an article about the movement and the new wave of young activists in a politically instable Brazil, in addition to a collaborative film (more about that soon) Watch this space… Here a few shots from the opening night on Thursday:
The new Ocupa Minc – the Canecao, is a famous concert venue that has been empty for years, opening night.
Chico Buraque at The new Ocupa Minc – the Canecao, is a famous concert venue that has been empty for years, opening night 4th August.
The new Ocupa Minc – the Canecao, is a famous concert venue that has been empty for years, opening night 4th August.
BNegao playing at The new Ocupa Minc – the Canecao, is a famous concert venue that has been empty for years.
The new Ocupa Minc – the Canecao, is a famous concert venue that has been empty for years, opening night 4th August.
The new Ocupa Minc – the Canecao, is a famous concert venue that has been empty for years, opening night 4th August.
Olympic Protests
A shot from the Olympic protests on Friday, Vice didn’t run it, but I think it’s one of the most powerful – a group of young, masked protesters burn a Brazilian flag.
Anti Olympic protests in Rio de Janeiro on the opening day of the games
in Rocinha, life goes on
Rocinha, largest favela in South America, place of extremes, but also the day to day life of hundreds of thousands, getting on with their lives like anyone else. Seen here one of the key water systems of the community, poor quality, tiny outdated pipes run hundreds of liters a day to nearby houses.
Phil Clarke Hill
Festa Junina, Lapa, Rio de Janeiro
Multibloco playing at a Festa Junina (June Fayre) in the famous bohemian district of Lapa, Rio de Janiero. In some ways like a second Carnival, the Festa Juninas see Brazilians dressing up like countryside ‘hicks,’ eating traditional food, and dancing, mostly to Forró.
Phil Clarke Hill
Guarani story for the Guardian
Meanwhile, in Mato Grosso do Sul, the ongoing land conflict between the Guarani and farmers continues. What is being referred to as the Caarapó Massacre by local campaigning groups, on June 14th, one death of Clodiode Aquileu Rodrigues de Souza, and several serious injuries occurred to Guarani villagers, including a 12 year old boy who took a bullet, hitting vital organs (thankfully he is making a good recovery). Allegedly this happened at the hands of land owners involved in a long, ongoing dispute about land in the region. On assignment for the Guardian with Bruce Douglas, we investigated the situation, aiming to get to the bottom of what is happening, why, and what the chances are of a resolution between the two sides.
Here’s a couple of the out-takes, the full article will be published next week.
Phil Clarke Hill
Phil Clarke Hill
Phil Clarke Hill
Women’s Right, feminism march in Rio de Janeiro
1st June 2016 in Rio de Janeiro – Thousands of women, joined by some men, marched in central Rio de Janeiro alongside other cities in Brazil, to demand more respect for women and recognition throughout, what is in some ways a macho country. The march was also in reaction to a brutal gang rape last week in Santa Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, where the suspects posted a video of the assault on social media, the events have shocked the country.
Phil Clarke Hill
Phil Clarke Hill
Phil Clarke Hill
Phil Clarke Hill
Phil Clarke Hill
Phil Clarke Hill
United Nations – UNISDR assignment in Mariana
What can be done to prevent disasters in the future? How can communities be safeguarded in advance rather than waiting for them to happen? Using the Bento Rodrigues disaster in Minas Gerais as a case study, commissioned by Ethan films, myself and Ruy Sposati investigated some of these questions for the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction: ( http://www.unisdr.org ) The final piece will be a 3 minute film, coming soon.
Phil Clarke Hill Copyright © Phil Clarke Hill
Phil Clarke Hill Copyright © Phil Clarke Hill
Phil Clarke Hill Copyright © Phil Clarke Hill
Bolivia Salar Uyuni feature in NGT
Latest Nat Geo traveller article – written by Nigel Richardson and with my pictures (in this month’s edition), shows the amazing Salar Uyuni salt flats and the surrounding Eduardo Avaroa National Park, the most geologically amazing landscape I’ve ever been to, multi-coloured lagoons, geysers, desert and the largest salt flat in the World that stretches for miles.
read the full article online here
Santeria photo in Conde Nast Traveller
It’s always nice to see how photos can be used or different contexts, sometimes ones you wouldn’t expect – here I found out that a shot from the Santeria series I did in Cuba, was used in Conde Nast Traveller (Espana), to speak about the Santeria association in Havana: Mercado de Asociaion Yoruba Cubana. Nice that they’re mentioning this important Cuban cultural institution, educating about the islands African heritage, and happy that they used my pic!
Smithsonian magazine – Rio water quality
A proud moment to have some work in the excellent, and highly regarded Smithsonian magazine. The article is about the worrying water quality in Rio, the same water that the sailing teams will be competing in. Efforts are being made to clean up the bay, many say too little too late, where others claim they have being sailing in the water for years with no adverse affects. This is an important issue, and something I will be looking at in more detail over the coming weeks / months, from some different angles besides the obvious. Here’s the article (it’s from last year, but still very much current):
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rios-polluted-waters-may-make-olympic-swimmers-sick-180956141/
