From the moment the smartphone alarm wakes us up in the morning, we begin our day relying on the lithium battery. The toothbrush, the e-bike, the laptop, tablet, camera, hearing aid, and smartwatch. The weedwhacker. The pacemaker. From the mundane to the lifesaving, lithium-powered devices get us through the day.

The demand for lithium batteries has skyrocketed in just a few years. This trend is forecasted to accelerate with the global transition to electric vehicles. Access to minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel has emerged as a vital geopolitical, economic, and social concern. So where do these minerals come from? And who controls the supply chain?

From the lithium flats of South America, to the cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; from nickel smelters in Indonesia, to battery gigafactories in Northern France and recycling plants in rural Georgia, this new film, directed by the award-winning documentarian Samuel George, brings the viewer up close and personal with the people and communities impacted by this global transition.

It is a journey to the frontline of energy in the 21st century.
And the race is on.