Experiencing Interruptions?

The real cost of coal

For the first time in Croatia, the animated film "The real cost of coal" links into one story the devastating effects of coal exploitation in Colombia with the power plant in Plomin. This power plant has, for many years, been largely supplied by Colombian coal, including from the infamous El Cerrejón, one of the largest coal mines in the world.

Like a cancer, Cerrejón devours the environment and natural resources necessary for the life of many native American and Afro-Colombian communities in the region of La Guajira. It grabs their water, land and livelihoods, and greatly contributes to the horrors of the ongoing humanitarian crisis. On the other side of the world, on the eastern coast of the Istrian peninsula, the plant's chimney at Plomin smiles almost sinisterly while emitting greenhouse gases. The thermal power plant bloodthirstily sips water, while it burns the coal from La Guajira. Polluted air harms the health of Croatian citizens and causes climate change.

While corporations grab profit, and countries thirst for imported fossil fuels, the local communities that have very much shown that they do not want big mines, or coal power plants are the victims of an unjust development model. The price of coal is much higher than the statistics show, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel...

  • Vibor Juhas
    Director
    Monteparadiso 20
  • Vibor Juhas
    Writer
  • Association Green Istria
    Writer
  • Association Green Istria
    Producer
    Save Posidonia oceanica meadows treasury of biological diveristy of the Adritic Sea
  • Vibor Juhas
    Music
  • Anel Blagajcevic
    Music
  • Vibor Juhas
    Animation
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Cijena ugljena
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short
  • Genres:
    Documentary fiction
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes 45 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 12, 2016
  • Country of Origin:
    Croatia
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Premiere
    Pula
    Croatia
    December 12, 2016
    Croatian premiere
Director Biography - Vibor Juhas

Vibor Juhas was born in 1982 in Pula, Croatia. Works in illustration, animation, film and music. Author of animated jingles for Croatian festivals and programs such as Monte Libric (2015), Pula Film Festival (2014) and Book Fair(y) in Istria (2013, 2014). Illustrator of children's books "Fearlaugh" (2012), "Midnight in the Park 52" (2014) and "Gladiators – play and learn" (2016). Co-author of an interactive picturebook "Living postcards of Pula" with text written by Miljenko Jergovic. Lead set designer and animator for "Vampire chronicles – Jure Grando" (2016) theater play which won the "Croatian Actor Award" 2016 for best set design.

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Director Statement

Although the film is pretty much self-explanatory it is important to highlight that the solutions are staring us right in the face. It is not a question of whether they are the easiest solutions or the cheapest - nothing worth doing ever is. It's about doing our best in the everlasting effort to rectify the situations we've put ourselves in. You don't have to build the infrastructure with your own hands if you're not an expert, you don't have to rally in the streets and protest outside offices and factories... but you can support it in your own way like we've done. Do something you are capable of doing, and do it now - because later is too late.