The Expendable People

Directed by Tapan Bose

Using rare archival footage and interviews with the legendary anthropologist, Christoph von Fürer-Haimendorf, and adivasi activists from the 80s and 90s, some of whom were killed by Indian security forces for their opposition to "commercial forestry projects", the film explores the continuing struggle of the adivasis. It also focused on a moment of hope when the government brought in the Forest Rights Act (2006) to right "historic wrongs" only to betray that promise, so as to protect predatory developers against these expendable peoples.