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Displaced from her lands flooded by a hydropower dam, a courageous afro-Ecuadorian woman struggles to keep her head above water.

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Bella is trapped between the concrete walls of a hydro-power dam and the chemically drenched fields of a large scale banana plantation. Her life is a daily struggle to overcome the painful memories of the past and move towards a brighter future. Since 2005, Bella has endured the effects of the government planned construction of a hydroelectric dam in the Peripa river. Her brother, who led fierce protests against the project on behalf of Bella's community, was murdered under unclear circumstances. The dam’s construction and the conflict left Bella homeless and put an end to decades of community-based existence. She and her family were displaced to an unsafe and contaminated place where Bella can barely make ends meet. Despite all odds, she refuses to remain silent and embarks on a difficult journey to keep her head above water.

 

By featuring Bella’s everyday actions, this documentary shows the strength and perseverance of a tireless woman seeking to challenge her unwanted fate. This is a story of human ingenuity, skill and courage arising from the most unexpected places: Bella’s cocoa crops, her kitchen, her loving home and powerful imagination. Above Water is an intimate portrait showing the hidden stories of those neglected by large-scale projects built in the name of progress, urbanization and ‘clean’ energy.