Skip to content

“Crude” hits theatres nationwide

August 14, 2009

Crude, a compelling new documentary film about 2008 Goldman Prize recipients Pablo Fajardo and Luis Yanza’s fight for environmental justice in the Ecuadorian Amazon, screens across the country starting this September.  After garnering praise at film festivals around the world, the film is now set for wider distribution, giving the people and organizations involved in the Chevron case a new opportunity to discuss their sides of the story.

Directed by acclaimed documentary filmaker Joe Berlinger, Crude delves into the controversy surrounding the situation in Lago Agrio, Ecuador, where millions of gallons of crude oil and tailings were dumped as a result of petroleum operations initially run by Texaco, which merged with Chevron in 2001.  The film gives voice to the indigenous local Amazonian peoples who have suffered as a result of the pollution.  It also follows the legal process both in the US and in Ecuador, as both sides present their version of the truth to the courts.

Both Fajardo and Yanza are featured, providing a deeper view of the struggle that won them the Goldman Prize.  Learn more and find screenings in your area.

Related Posts

Goldman Prize winner Yuyun Ismawati stands in front of the English countryside. She is wearing glasses, a white jacket, and has short, greying hair.

Prize Winners Today: Fighting for a Toxic-Free Future with Yuyun Ismawati


October 12, 2026 – By Amy Breshears

17 years after her Goldman Prize win, Yuyun Ismawati is still busy—fighting against waste and leading the charge against mercury pollution.

Read more

A Q&A with Sarah Finch on Reshaping Climate Policy in the UK


May 19, 2026

The Goldman Environmental Prize sat down with UK climate activist Sarah Finch to discuss her motivation to take on Big Oil, and her tenacity to see a multi-year judicial battle through to the finish line.

Read more

Environmental Leadership in Tunisia: A Q&A with Semia Gharbi


June 30, 2025

2025 Goldman Prize winner Semia Gharbi digs into her work as an environmental advocate in Tunisia, starting with her Goldman Prize-winning campaign to reverse the illegal import of waste into her country.

Read more