Green Like Gold

Due to the growing global demand for raw materials for the energy transition, Colombia has seen a rise in requests for mining permits, particularly for metal megaprojects. Many of these permits are located in ecosystems vital for biodiversity conservation, climate regulation, and food production. This has led to socio-environmental conflicts between local communities, multinational companies, and the State. In Antioquia’s southwest, communities have spent over a decade resisting the Quebradona gold and copper mining project by AngloGold Ashanti. This case study examines the impact campaign of Green Like Gold, which aimed to amplify the message of grassroots organizations. During a two-week period parallel to the film’s release, a flexible campaign was built to highlight the gaps and inconsistencies in the environmental impact studies submitted by the mining company. Many of the issues later identified by the National Environmental Authority were already developed as narrative blocks in the film and then became the foundation for the visual materials of the impact campaign. The campaign successfully influenced national public opinion and helped shape the decision of the environmental licensing authority. In November 2021, the license for the Quebradona mining project was officially shelved.