Filmmaker: Kimon Tsakiris
AlJazeeraEnglish | October 24, 2010
On August 24, 2007, the largest wildfire in the history of Greece swept through the region of Zacharo, also known as Sugar Town.
It burnt everything in its path, leaving a devastated landscape and 65 people dead.
Pantzis Chronopoulos, Zacharo’s mayor, was trapped by the wildfire but, while he survived, his deputy and 20 villagers died.
Shortly after the fire, the government granted the mayor permission to develop the area, for ‘the good of the people’.
The film tells the story of how a small community and its environment can fall victim to the forces of ‘disaster capitalism’.
Clip
Sugar Town: The Day After
Anemon Productions on Nov 4, 2009
The Mayor of Sugar Town is a man on a mission. A self-proclaimed hero, he will stop at nothing to rebuild his constituency after the biggest wildfires in Greeces history swept through the area, burning everything to the ground. His vice Mayor and 24 villagers died in the devastating fires and he barely escaped with his life.
The question is, will his plans to redevelop the area and his indifference to the rule of law, destroy what is left?
A story of disaster capitalism, ambition and graft; where greed and exploitation threaten to leave nothing but scorched earth for the community of Sugar Town.
From the archives:
Tony Hall: Global Capitalism and Imperialism, interviewed by Peter B. Collins and Sibel Edmonds
Interview with Naomi Klein: The Shock Doctrine (video)
Naomi Klein “The Shock Doctrine” & “No Logo” interview (must-see video)
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