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Frédéric Castaignède
2003 - 52 min - Betacam - France
Our film tells the story of the ongoing battle to give southern countries access to the drugs they so sorely need. The key players include: noted relief organization Doctors Without Borders (DWB), and German Velasquez, coordinator of the World Health Organization's (WHO) action plan for ensuring developing countries access to vital drugs.
The film is structured like a suspense thriller, leading viewers to the four corners of the globe: to Switzerland, where international policy of drugs is laid out; to Brazil, spearhead of the battle to give poor countries access to generic drugs; to Mali, ravaged by malaria and under pressure from large laboratories; and China, the new giant in the World Trade Organization that is gearing up for a wrestling match with big pharmaceutical companies.
The film includes accounts from politicians, economists, industrialists, activists, doctors and people suffering from disease, who help us understand the high stakes of the battle over drugs and unravel the convoluted threads of the Velasquez affair.
Author-Director : Frédéric Castaignède
Delegate Producer : CAPA Presse TV
Broadcasting Co-producer : ARTE France
Contribution : CNC