People in Chile are rich but unhappy | VPRO Documentary

Chile is the biggest economy in South America, but people seem to be less happy than other South Americans. In the Chilean capital, Santiago journalist and presenter Stef Biemans visits a symbol for the growing economy, the highest skyscraper in South America. The symbol for the fast economy now faces the reverse of that success story: an unprecedented high percentage of depression and suicides. It seems that Chileans are less happy and suffer more from depression than other South Americans. Why are Chileans so unhappy?

Dutch presenter and film maker Stef Biemans travels across the back of the Andes and wonders how people are doing in South America. In the second episode of this documentary series across the back of the Andes he experiences life in the capital city of Chile. In Santiago he is confronted with people that are unhappy, depressed and jump from the skyscraper that once was a symbol for the growing economy. What happened that people decide to end their life by jumping from the tower? Chile has the strongest economy of South America. Is the mental health of the Chileans suffering under capitalism? Where did it go wrong?

The highest tower in South America is beyond the smog of Santiago. He is the symbol of the strong neoliberal economic system. The pride of Chile. But almost every month someone jumps off the tower. The depression figures are nowhere in the world as high as in this country, although the economy is exploding. In and around this skyscraper, Stef looks for where it went wrong. What are the preconditions of success and how do you survive in the smog of neoliberalism? And what does the young Chilean really enjoy? With music, religion, laughter therapy and a Freudian bench people are searching for enlightenment.

Original title: De wolkenkrabber van Santiago (2/6) – Over de rug van de Andes
Presented by Stef Biemans
March 2018

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