La Orilla Negra

Directed & photographed by Javier Falcón · First place — CreateCOP27 by Art Partner

On January 15, 2022, Peru suffered the worst ecological disaster in its recent history: more than 11,900 barrels of crude oil from the Repsol-operated La Pampilla refinery were spilled into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Lima. The spill left fishermen without marine fauna, merchants without visitors, and entire coastal communities without their livelihood. La Orilla Negra documents the lasting toxicity along the shore — and the people who live with it.

Still from Orilla Negra — oil spill on the Peruvian coast, documentary photographed by Javier FalcónContaminated shoreline after the 2022 Peru oil spill, from the documentary Orilla Negra by Javier Falcón

About the project

La Orilla Negra is a documentary short by Javier Falcón, who directed the film and created all of its imagery — the cinematography as well as the portrait series of stills made for this project. The film won first place at CreateCOP27, the international climate art initiative by Art Partner, bringing international attention to the aftermath of the January 2022 Repsol oil spill and to the communities affected by it. Creative direction by Lizeth Lozano Palomino.

Portrait from Orilla Negra, documentary directed by Javier Falcón in PeruDocumentary still from Orilla Negra by Javier Falcón, photographer in PeruStill from Orilla Negra — communities affected by the Peru oil spill, by Javier FalcónDocumentary photography from Orilla Negra by Javier Falcón, Lima Peru
The Pacific shore after the Repsol oil spill, from Orilla Negra by Javier FalcónFishermen's coast affected by the 2022 oil spill in Peru — Orilla Negra documentary by Javier Falcón

© 2026 Javier Falcón