Even the Rain Journal

Water is a fundamental human right that is available for all, and is property of planet Earth.
My whole life, I have assumed that water is a basic human right available for everyone to use,
and share. I never realized that during the Bolivian water crisis of 2000, citizens had this right
stripped from them because of a growing greed. The movie, Even the Rain, opened my eyes
into the often hidden contracts between governments and corporations, all through an enriching
storyline about the will to do the right thing, during a time made impossible.
The film highlights the sneakiness of a big corporation, the greed of a government, and
ultimately the sacrifice of a population. The film takes place in Bolivia in 2000, during the
countrys worst water war, and time of government betrayal on the majority lower-class
population. Young film-director, Sebastian, attempts to create an accurate film regarding
Columbus colonization of the Americas, the corruption of the Spanish government, and
ultimately, the genocide of the Taino peoples. By sharing the story of Columbus and the native
Taino peoples, a sense of irony is presented to the viewer, as history appears to repeat itself
during Bolivias famous water crisis. In a sense, the idea of a government making secret deals
and betraying a population reminds me of the film, The Island. In this film, those who are
wealthy enough can invest in a special type of life insurance, in which a clone of them is
genetically created in case something life threatening is to happen. Films such as these make
me wonder what other secrets our governments could be hiding. Are some situations better kept
secret? Or should a population be informed about everything that goes on within their country?
The film itself leaves me questioning the ethics and morals of government systems, and the
people we vote into office to protect us. The storyline of this film ultimately leaves the viewer
questioning the future of humanity, and why we dont seem to learn from past events.
Water is a resource; therefore, it contributes to the economy of a country. This film depicts
the economic issues surrounding water access and ownership among big corporations, and
individuals of a community. Before watching this film I did not know that citizens were denied the
right to use rainwater for personal use, and that the government arbitrarily gave full power to
American corporation, Bechtel. This idea of granting full ownership of the countrys water
supply to a power-hungry corporation proved that the government cared more about the
countrys economic success and overall GDP, rather than the well-being of its citizens. By doing
this the government waded on the corporation, and ignored the suffering of its lower-class

population. The idea of big corporations being in charge of a countrys resources, reminds me of
the film Food Inc. and how big corporations created and monitored the yearly production of new
GMO, herbicide-resistant soybean seeds. These corporations were able to monitor the growth
of these crops, and criminally charge any farmer who was not under contract with this
corporation but was found with their seeds. Since the corporation was in power, they were able
to charge individuals as they wish. This makes me question the overall objectives of both the
government and corporation. Why are corporations allowed to get away with these things? Who
passes these deals, and do the big corporations have connections with those working in the
government? Overall this film left me wondering how geography can determine a countrys
economy and affect the availability of resources. Clearly a corporation can impact a countrys
government as much, if not more than its citizens.
The film not only tackles the water issue, but also the ethical issues surrounding Sebastian
(director) and Costas (executive producer) film about Columbus. While Sebastian is about
making the film historically accurate, respectful, and morally okay, Costa is about staying on
budget, and getting things done quickly. For example, the extras casted to represent the Taino
people are actually of Quechan descent, and are from the mountains of Central America. While
Costa wants to use them to save money, Sebastian argues that they do not even look like the
Tainos and feels it would be disrespectful to cast individuals of a different culture. While at
dinner one night, the actors ask their server how to say different words in the Quechua
language. The actor who plays Columbus argues that they wont remember anything she tells
them, and that they are ultimately making her the other; therefore, going against everything
that Sebastian is trying to achieve. While watching events like these play out in the film, I was
reminded about the actual situation when Columbus came to the Americas. When Columbus
and his men arrived, they treated the Tainos as the other, which allowed them to begin to see
them as not human, and used this way of thought to justify their actions towards the indigenous
peoples. Seeing these actions portrayed in modern day life makes me wonder if treating people
as the other is something we are taught, or if it is just a part of being human. Can this innocent
sense of interest in ones culture end up being harmful instead of polite? Where do we draw the
line between being respectful and disrespectful? Watching this film made me realize that history
repeats itself in the simplest of actions and words. If we want a brighter future in human diversity
and acceptance, we need to be more aware of our words and actions.

While watching the film Even the Rain, I learned from, and interpreted the film through the
aspects of the storyline, the geography, and the history. This film opened my eyes to the impact
major corporations can have on a countrys economy, how basic natural resources are
becoming sacred, and how we tend to learn nothing from history. 500 years ago, Columbus
raided the Americas in search of gold, in the year 2000, water became just as sacred in Bolivia.
After watching and reflecting on this film, I am left with one question. In the future will basic
natural resources become the new gold?