When does the event take place?

The film screening takes place on Friday, October 30, 2026, from 7 to 9 PM.

Where will Materia Prima be shown?

The venue is the Kinemathek Karlsruhe at Kaiserpassage 6, 76133 Karlsruhe.

How much does admission cost?

The researched ticket price is €12.50.

Will director Jens Schanze be present?

Yes, Jens Schanze is announced as a guest and will be available for discussions with the audience.

How long does the film last?

The documentary has a runtime of approximately 89 to 90 minutes. The event is scheduled from 7 to 9 PM.

What themes does the film address?

Materia Prima addresses lithium, energy transition, resource policy, industrial interests in Bolivia, social justice, and colonial continuities.

Materia Prima: How Lithium Makes the Energy Transition and Old Power Relations Visible

Name: Materia Prima – New Energy. Old Powers?
Start: 2026-10-30T19:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-10-30T21:00:00+01:00
Location: Kinemathek Karlsruhe

Materia Prima: The Raw Material Race for the Future

The documentary Materia Prima – New Energy. Old Powers? takes place on October 30, 2026, at the Kinemathek Karlsruhe, leading us to the Bolivian highlands, where lithium becomes a symbol of a global energy transition and simultaneously a litmus test for justice, self-determination, and decolonization. Director Jens Schanze will be present and available for discussions afterward.

Lithium Between Energy Transition and Exploitation

Lithium is considered a key raw material for energy storage, electric cars, data centers, and smartphones. The film tracks the conflicting interests that converge on Bolivia's vast reserves: European companies and political actors seek the resource for industrial transformation, while the Bolivian population sees it as a way to overcome poverty and economic dependence.

A Documentary Reflection with a Global Perspective

Jens Schanze combines observational cinematography with a polyphonic narrative style. European negotiations, Bolivian government decisions, and the mobilization of civil society groups relate to the lived realities of farmers, llama herders, miners, lawyers, and political activists. Particularly striking is the role of women, who organize resistance against a new form of extractive economic model.

500 Years of Colonial History in the Present's View

The film's dramaturgy opens the current resource conflict to a historical dimension. A chronicle from a 16th-century indigenous eyewitness reshapes perspectives on the present and raises questions about the willingness to decolonize. Thus, an ambitious artistic experience emerges, blending political documentary, visual research, and cultural-historical reflection.

Direction, Awards, and Festival Reception

Jens Schanze works as an author, director, and producer of documentaries. His films often deal with societal upheavals, global power relations, and the consequences of economic decisions. Materia Prima has been shown at CPH:DOX, DOK.fest Munich, and DOC NYC, among others. The film score by Atena Eshtiaghi received the German Documentary Film Music Award at DOK.fest Munich 2026.

Conclusion: An Evening of Film for a More Critical Future

The Karlsruhe audience can expect a focused aesthetic experience that combines political analysis, impressive landscape images, and personal perspectives. The subsequent encounter with Jens Schanze deepens the reflection on the work and opens space for questions regarding the energy transition, global resource policies, and cultural responsibility. Those who wish to not only observe the present but understand it in its historical contexts should experience this film evening live at the Kinemathek.