The Poetics of Land

The Poetics of Land is the result of Marc Hatzfeld's personal journey of discovery where West Bengal became a microcosm in his attempts to understand the mythic notions of land in the context of globalised development. It was first conceived in 2008 when Marc was living in Calcutta and became involved in the debates triggered by the dramatic events of Nandigram concerning landless peasants and sharecroppers who fought for their survival on the land where they had lived for centuries - a land coveted by industrial projects for the sake of development. Over the next six years, Marc interviewed West Bengali farmers, poets, corporate executives, economists, artists, filmmakers, writers, activists and politicians. What emerged is a fascinating look into the conflict between the ideas of growth and development which is both timely and relevant.