La Loi de la Banane (original title)

Bananas are everywhere: Americans eat nearly 10 billion of them per year, consuming more pounds of bananas than apples and oranges combined.

WHEN BANANA RULED is a French documentary telling the story of the men who made bananas the most ubiquitous fruit in the world, through a multinational empire that dominated production and sales, overthrew governments, and created a business model still largely used by today’s tech giants. (?)

Using a rich trove of archival footage and documents, including letters to and from lobbyists, telegrams, vintage ads and movie clips, and gorgeous, hand-tinted stills, WHEN BANANA RULED is a story of intrigue that touches on economics, international politics, the history of multinational business and reveals how an array of forces conquered the world through a simple fruit. 

Directed by Mathilde Damoisel
Official website, here.

Reviews

“This documentary tells the story of how a few American entrepreneurs—20th-century conquistadors—turned much of Central America into a banana plantation using violence, theft, political cunning and clever and sinister marketing, creating one of the world’s first multi-national corporations: United Fruit.” —KPFA

“An enlightening story, rich in archival footage, about a fruit that has become the symbol of colonialism, corruption, and the advent of capitalism.” —France Inter

“Illustrates the beginnings of American imperialism and reflects on the legacy left by the United Fruit Company in Latin America.” —Le Monde