Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Index
Common Destiny, A Gayil Nalls
Thomas Banyacya, now in his 80's, is a spokesman for the Hopi high religious leaders. His words come from the heart as he interprets the potentially apocalyptic message of the petroglyph on Second Mesa. The Hopi believe that our culture suffers what they call Koyaanisqatsi, meaning "crazy life, life in turmoil, life out of balance," that we are living out of harmony and are spiritually bankrupt. Their message: the only hope for humankind to survive is to return to spiritual connectedness with Mother Earth. Community Spirituality
This film is currently missing.
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60 min. 1990
Part 1: BRANCHING OUT.The forests which blanket northern Alberta are as exciting a tourist destination as Alberta's mountain parks. The economic potential of nature tourism is stressed, as is the threat to both tourism and the eco-system posed by clear cutting and pulp mills. Part 2: NATURAL SELECTION. What is the alternative? Alberta selective loggers are shown in action using horses and machines. Existing, clean pulp mill technology is presented, including treeless paper. Part 3: THE ECONOMICS OF THE BOREAL FOREST. Part III dispels the myth that we have to choose between jobs and the environment: the type of industries that are best for the environment are also shown to be the most labor intensive, most stable, and require the smallest capital investment. Given a level playing field, local nature tourism operations, selective loggers, small sawmill operators and wood products manufacturers can ensure a stable, satisfying source of employment for Albertans. Environment
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Breaking the Silence Stories from AIDS Activists in Southern Africa Making W.A.V.E.S. Productions, CIDA
Through Africa women's s eyes and words, we journey to the frontlines of the AIDS epidemic in Southern Africa. We witness the daily struggles and success of AIDS activists as they work together. "Breaking the Silence" focuses on a Canadian sponsored development programs that help Africans help themselves with very promising results. Health Activism
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28 min. 1992
An exceptional film incorporating an ancient native myth that shows the importance of preserving old growth forests by focusing on the pileated woodpecker and it's critical role in the ecological chain. Environment
Winner of Award of Excellence, Amtec Media Festival. Grades 5 - adult.
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60 min. 1993
This is a presentation of the events surrounding the overthrow of the Hawaiian nation in 1893. It is a look at the political situation that arose as the Hawaiians struggled to maintain their independence and the outside forces that made it impossible to do so. Aboriginal History
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15 min. 1995
Through the experiences of Wayan, a young Indonesian boy, children are introduced to environmental concerns. The need to raise human awareness of the necessity to reduce, reuse and recycle is presented through an enjoyable shadow puppet play. Environment Children and Youth
This film is currently missing.
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32 min. 1993
This video examines the world of Dr. Galba, a Brazilian doctor who set up natural birthing centers in rural towns in Brazil. Encouraging midwives to bring their knowledge to the centers, Dr. Galba was surprised to find that he was learning as much from them as he was trying to teach. The centers became a focal point for communities, mobilizing people to monitor pre- and post-natal care; and Dr. Galba worked to make hospital maternity wards conform to information gained from the traditionalist midwives. Health Community
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90 min. 1993
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80 min. 1995
This artistic montage includes voices on all sides of the forestry debate on Vancouver Island. Local environmental activists Melda Buchanan and Ruth Masters are featured as well as Merv Wilkinson who demonstrates sustainable alternative practices. This film received rave reviews at the 1995 Vancouver Film Festival.
Environment Activism
One of the most effective school projects in ethics development is the Richmond-Guatemala orphanage project. The Richmond students who have had the experience of going to Guatemala and working with disadvantaged children have almost without exception taken part in an experience that has profoundly affected them. Also shows Richmond schools' fish hatchery project and rejuvenated Remembrance Day ceremonies. Development Children and Youth
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
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28 min. 1994
Critter Songs
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6 min. 1994
Critter Songs emphasizes learning to be ourselves and encourages us all to look at animal behaviors in making connections. This is a lively, positive and upbeat video, blending live action with children's artwork. Environment Children and Youth
This film is currently missing.
Delta Force
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50 min. 1995
This film tells the story of the Ogoni people of Nigeria, led by Ken Saro-Wiwa, and their struggles with the multinational oil companies. Since Shell Oil came to Nigeria in 1958, it has realized $30 billion in revenue while the local people live in poverty and environmental degradation. As leader of MOSOP, (the Movement of Survival of Ogono People), Saro-Wiwa was viewed as an impediment to doing business and was executed in
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8 min. 1985
From the Heart of the World The Elder Brothers' Warning Alan Ereira
Deep in the mountains of Colombia, the descendents of an ancient Tairona priesthood still rule. In cities more than a thousand years old, the ascetic Kogi tribe has preserved the culture and concepts of an advanced civilization wiped out by the conquistadors. After centuries of deliberate isolation, the Kogi have decided that the time has come to speak to us about these changes. They call themselves the Elder Brothers of the human race, and are convinced that we, the Younger Brothers, will soon destroy the balance of life on Earth. They believe that the only hope is for us to change our ways, and have set out to teach us what they know about the balance of humanity, nature and the spiritual world. A stunning film; you cannot be untouched by its Aboriginal Spirituality
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This video is made up of interviews with four leading thinkers/activists in the field of environment and development: Edward Goldsmith, founder, publisher and co-editor for The Ecologist magazine; Vandana Shiva, Coordinator of the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Natural Resource Policy; Martin Khor, Vice-President for the Third World Network and the Consumers' Association of Penang; Helena NorbergHodge, Director of the Ladakh Project and the International Society for Ecology and Culture. The interviews were conducted at the International Seminar on Environment and Development in Biskops-Arno, Sweden, which was jointly organized by the International Society for Ecology and Culture and Friends of the Earth,
Environment Development
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25 min. 1995
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This video documents the role of Operation Eyesight in protecting and restoring the vision of people in rural India. Sophisticated medical care is brought to poor villagers who suffer from diseases causing blindness. Older people have sight restored by medical intervention, and a screening program to prevent blindness in children is instituted. A huge difference in peoples' lives can be accomplished with surprisingly few resources. Health Development
Bill Mollison, the "global gardener", is a practical visionary. For nearly two decades he has worked to spread a method of sustainable agriculture he calls "permaculture", where plants work together to nourish the soil, not deplete it as in traditional farming. We are able to present just two parts of a series which follows Mollison to several bio-regions: Arid Lands - starting in the Sonoran Desert, Mollison looks at how the permaculture concept is helping to reverse the desertification in Botswana, Arizona and Australia. Cool Climates - Mollison's designs are shown at work in the cooler climates of Tasmania, Europe and Washington State. Environment Agriculture
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For more than a decade, tens of thousands of indigenous Guatemalans who fled the violence in their country have lived in Mexican refugee camps. Now, with recent changes in Guatemala, they are organizing to go home. The film follows the first group of refugees on their long and perilous journey back to their remote mountain home, a heavily militarized area. To help protect them, a group of international observers accompanies the refugees and shares their fear and uncertainty. Among the refugees featured is Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchu, who describes the return as a "rebirth of life". Aboriginal Peace and Conflict
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
In Good Hands Culture and Agriculture in the Lacandon Rainforest Jamie Kibben, Steve Barte
While inefficient agricultural methods are destroying much of the world's rainforests, the Lacandon Maya of Chiapas in southern Mexico have been practicing a sustainable form of rainforest farming for centuries. A beautifully shot plea for respect for a practical alternative. Agriculture Environment
Heart of Tibet An Intimate Portrait of the 14th Dalai Lama Martin Wassell
Thought to be perhaps too intimate for many in the Buddhist community, this documentary carries an important and inspiring message. Filmed while on a visit to Los Angeles, the Dalai Lama is revealed as a man of simplicity and humour dealing with highly complex ideas and sensitive issues. Woven into the story is recent footage smuggled out of Tibet as well as the performance of the Kalachakra - the purpose of which is to hasten the dawn of lasting world peace from within every human heart. Spirituality Peace and Conflict
45 min. 1994
GGP Inc.
Each year grassroots heroes in every corner of the globe are honoured with the Goldman Environmental Prize, considered the Nobel Prize of ecology. This film profiles the seven Goldman winners for 1993, along with the critical issues motivating them to action: including a Chinese woman who has led a crusade against a huge dam on the Yangtse River, and an Australian man who has fought to protect the largest sand island in the Activism Environment
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24 min. 1995
This presentation makes the statement that the world's biological diversity cannot be conserved in an environment filled with harmful chemicals. The endocrine system, which regulates hormonal activity in wildlife and people, can be adversely affected by chemical exposure. This can in turn wreak havoc on sexual and cognitive development, behaviour, fertility, and ultimately survival. Theo Colburn, world-renowned for her work in the area of chemicals and endocrine disruption, explains the effect of man-made chemicals on wildlife and human health. This is a wake-up call we all need to hear. Environment Health
As distinct fishing societies of great spiritual, cultural and economic wealth, First Nations have always respected the resources of their rivers and oceans. But within their own lifetime, they have watched governments "manage" the fishery into a state of crisis. Now it is time, they say, for us to listen to what Natives have to say. Filmmaker Barb Cranmer, a member of 'Namgis First Nation, explores the rich fishing traditions of the Sto:lo, Heiltsuk and 'Namgis peoples of Canada's West Coast. Cranmer presents rarely heard stories of traditional fishing practices and documents Native peoples' efforts to build a sustainable fishery for the future. A thought provoking and beautiful documentary about a multi-faceted issue. Aboriginal Economics
Best Feature Documentary - American Indian Film Festival, 1995
demonstrates how the media and society can become more democratic. Media and Communication Education
In two parts on two tapes. Sampler. Original missing.
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24 min. 1993
Created by the Oscar-winning animator of The Man Who Planted Trees, and using the St. Lawrence River as its focus, this animated film wondrously recreates the grace, beauty and tragedy of nature, presenting a passionate lesson about human impact on our fragile natural resources. Academy Award Nomination - Best Animated Short Film, 1993 Grand Prize Winner - International Animated Film Festival, France Environment Science and Technology
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Combining traditional Native values of respect for the Earth with more modern tools and methods, Native people of the Pacific Northwest are working to restore natural fisheries, reform timber practices and clean up polluted bays and wetlands. They are having a positive impact on environmental policies, and are teaching everyone a great deal about resource conservation. Aboriginal Environment
11 min. 1992
Mother Earth is a short, evocative, poetic film that celebrates life on our planet. This documentary film looks at the reality of human beings; the earth is our home and we are profoundly connected to all other beings. Powerful reference to the forces that threaten the earth and all the inhabitants offer us points for reflection. Haunting visual images selected from 50 years of NFB productions, accompanied by stirring music composed by Loreena McKennitt, speak without words to all people. An affirmation of life on earth, Mother Earth will inspire and initiate communication. Environment Community
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
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57 min. 1991
Under the Samoza regime in Nicaragua, many young people disappeared. Mothers organized themselves in protest to challenge the dictatorship. After the Sandinista victory, many continued to be active in rebuilding their country. However, with the outbreak of the Washington-based Contra War, the mothers expanded their program of outreach and humanitarian aid to families displaced and broken by war. This eloquent documentary chronicles the struggle of one of Nicaragua's most inspiring community service groups. Peace and Conflict Women
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30 min. 1993
Who's been polluting the stream? Detective Tuesday is hired by Billie Beaver and Molly Duck to solve the mystery. Taped before a live audience, this play entertains while informing us about the causes and solutions to water pollution. A good giggle! Would you like to "do" this play yourself? We have script, music and rights to perform. Please enquire. Environment Children and Youth
A copy of the play is available in library.
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49 min. 1991
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30 min. 1990
Is a living rain forest of greater economic value than one which has been cut down? This film explores the international marketing of foods, cosmetics and crafts derived from tropical forests and outlines a movement which holds promise for Native inhabitants to be able to provide the economic means of protecting their vanishing lands. Featuring Rainbow Crunch! Environment
Economics
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This film portrays the work of Operation Eyesight Universal in the slums of Bombay where preventative health care is a priority. Health Development
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28 min. 1992
38 1994
Ever feel like you can't get it all done? Ever wonder why some people are working fifty or sixty hours a week when others can't get a job? This is a serious look at the work crisis in modern industrial society, and how we can begin to deal with the twin crises of overwork and unemployment. Labour and Employment Economics
39 1993
This film is positive and non-confrontational in giving a clearer understanding about sustainability, global economics and localized economies. It reveals the common sense behind environmentalism. Environment Economics
This film is currently missing.
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28 min. 1995
Unfinished Business First Nations, Canada, and B.C. Johnson and Assoc.
Dr. Paul Tennant of the Department of Political Science at the University of British Columbia presents a concise and impartial outline of the historical background to the current treaty-making process in B.C.. This is an excellent starting point for a discussion of ways to build a new relationship between the aboriginal and nonaboriginal people of B.C. - a relationship based on mutual understanding, goodwill, and trust that will benefit all British Colombians. Aboriginal History
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50 min. 1994
In 1903 a sacred Whaler's shrine was shipped from Yuguot, a 4,000 year old Mowachaht village, to the Museum of Natural History in New York. Removing the shrine removed the heart of the people and in the following ninety years, the community was relocated away from their traditional lands, eventually winding up on Vancouver Island in the shadow of a pulp mill. Revitalization of traditional knowledge, practices and community is now changing things once again. Aboriginal Community
Best Feature Documentary - American Indian Film Festival, 1994
While sewage pollution increases in Baynes Sound, septic tanks continue to fail, and massive population growth increases the pressure on our local environment, alternatives exist here and now. This video, produced by the Georgia Strait Alliance, looks at alternative sewage treatment systems that are economically and environmentally more viable than many of our present technologies. A very positive contribution to the search for solutions that work. Environment Community
Other Side of the Rainbow: East Meets West, The Meeting of Tibetan and Native American Wisdom Ken Thurlbeck, True
His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, Head of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, and Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo, Clan Chieftainess of the Etowah Cherokee Nation, speak simply and warmly to some of the major issues of our times. This auspicious and historic meeting of two spiritual lineages from East and West fulfills ancient prophecies of both peoples and reveals the unity of mind that underlines the world's nature. Spirituality Aboriginal
We Live in a Watershed
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10 min. 1996
From the Comox Valley to Cortes Island, a growing number of people concerned about habitat for wild salmon, are becoming actively involved in watershed stewardship. This not only protects and restores spawning and rearing grounds for wild salmon, but also helps create a strong sense of community empowerment as people connect with their neighbours and with the special places around them. Environment Community
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27 min. 1991
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35 min. 1995
Pastors for Peace is an American group which takes humanitarian aid to countries in Central America and the Caribbean. When they tried to take goods to a children's hospital in Cuba, they ran up against the economic blockade of Cuba by their own government. This is the inspiring story of Pastors for Peace and their refusal to back down in the face of the world's most powerful government. What can a small group with a commitment, civil disobedience, and a will to challenge Goliath accomplish? They can win! Development Activism
Who's Counting? Mariyln Waring on Sex, Lies and Global Economics Studio B, NFB
When Marilyn Waring was elected to the New Zealand parliament in 1975 she thought she might one day return to her first love, classical music. Instead, the 22 year-old MP was re-elected three times and blazed a trail that eventually brought down her own government and launched her as the foremost spokesperson for global feminist economics. Witty and irreverent, this is an entertaining primer for anyone who suffers from what Waring refers to as "economic anxiety". See it and the news will never be the same! Women Economics
thousands of years. But their way of life and their very existence are threatened by gold-mining, development, and disease. Yanomami: Keepers of the Flame documents an expedition by a group of journalists, anthropologists, and doctors who journeyed to the Venezuelan rainforest to visit with the Ashetoeateri village, a Yanomami settlement never contacted by the outside world. Following a brief history of the native peoples in America, the film provides an in depth look at the Yanomami way of life through Western eyes. The film concludes with a plea from Native Americans and others for preserving the Yanomami and respecting all cultures. A fascinating cultural study, the film is also a reminder that even those with the best of intentions can impact a fragile culture. Aboriginal Development
This film is currently missing.
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This is a different kind of film about old growth forests: It chronicles one of the few successful movements to rescue an ancient forest. Bowen Gultch is a magnificent native forest located 12,000 feet up in the Colorado Rockies. This video portrays the beauty and value of this unique forest, while providing a broad perspective on the conflict that swirled around Bowen Gultch. Ultimately, through a diversity of tactics, including demonstrations, letter-writing, campaigns, and economic boycotts, Bowen Gultch was preserved. The film explores the tacticts and the old growth contraversy from the perspectives of all the parties involved, including conservationists, scientists, polititions, loggers, timber companies, and the Forest Service. Environment Community
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
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While formula companies promote bottle feeding as "modern" and families may spend up to 80% of their income to buy formula, the fact is that bottle fed babies in developing countries suffer from diarhea, malnutrition, and many may even die. This film looks at the programs which support the movement back to breastfeeding in Central America and elsewhere. Health Development
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Lessons from Little Tibet. Ladakh, or "Little Tibet", is a widely beautiful desert land in the Indian Himalayas. For more than a thousand years the Ladakhi people maintain a balance with their fragile environment. Recently, however, as a consequence of the regions increasing contact with the modern world, social harmony and ecological stability have been given way to divisiveness and environmental decline. Containing more than 200 slides interspersed with live commentary, the video explores the reasons behind the success of the traditional culture and looks at some of the problems caused by conventional development. It concludes with a description of the work of the Ladakh Project, which is striving to promote more human and ecological approaches to development worldwide. Development Environment
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94 min. 1954
One of the most gripping controversial films ever made was created in a small New Mexico mining town. When released in 1954, almost every theatre nationwide boycotted its exhibition because it was made by a blacklisted Hollywood group. The story tells of a true-life struggle of a mining community to achieve better working and living conditions. In a startling anticipation of social changes still decades away, Salt of the Earth made an eloquent plea for economic and sexual equality at a time when the issues had yet to hit the front page. This landmark film must be seen because it represents more than the film itself; it is a piece of history. Community Labour and Employment
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David Suzuki looks at the nuclear power debate. A good basic primer which examines the production of nuclear power and especially the disposal of nuclear waste. No matter what one's view in this debate might be, all must agree that we need to find a safe solution to nuclear waste disposal. Environment Science and Technology
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New Ideas for Television - ads to make you think. A series of anti-TV and environmental spots produced for television by the Media Foundation. Media and Communication Environment
This documentary tells of the story of one people's struggle for survival in a world dominated by the search for raw materials in markets. It is the story of Canada's shameless ongoing support for a predatory military regime. It is the story of Elaine Briere's personal political journey from the villages of East Timor to the halls of the United Nations, from political activism. Peace and Conflict Economics
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24 min. 1995
Addressing the root causes of poverty demands the equal participation of all members of the community, especially women. In Satkhira, Bangladesh, women and men show their progress in creating economic opportunity while addressing the issue of women's rights. This innovative program run by Uttaran, a local nonprofit organization funded by Oxfam, offers low-interest loans to women and men while involving them in training sessions that addresses the discrimination against women. Economics Women
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Deadly Embrace
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30 min. 1996
The war on Nicaragua is not over - it has just become more invisible. Deadly embrace traces the history of the U.S. involvement in the region, focussing on the current economic attack on the IMF, the World Bank and U.S. agencies. If you want to learn about how structural adjustment programs, the debt crisis and free trade hurt the people and communities of the Third World, this is the video to watch. A powerful and entertaining documentary that effectively humanizes critical economic issues. Peace and Conflict Economics
An Activist's Guide is available.
19 min. 1996
Nestled quietly in Nanoose Bay is the most comprehensive underwater torpedo testing range of its kind in the world. Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental Test Ranges (CFMETR) is regularly visited by nuclear powered ships and submarines from the U.S. to develop and test new weapons. This video, narrated by David Suzuki, discusses the risks of nuclear accidents as well as environmental damage caused by testing. Science and Technology Environment
Teacher's Guide is available. This film is currently missing.
Dreams Not Yet Dreamed (No Todos Los Suenos Han Sido Sonados)
There are more than 600,000 children living in "especially difficult circumstances" in Nicaragua, many families are forced to send their children out to work. Most of these girls who are seen as less likely than boys to rebel against exploitive treatment. Although some of the groups are trying to work with street children, much more remains to be done. Disturbing. Children and Youth Labour and Employment
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
This award winning film features the ideas and prototypes of pioneering designers who have trailblazed the development of sustainable architecture, cities, energy systems, transport and industry. Starting with R.
Buckminster Fuller and ending on the doorstep of the 21st century, the film follows the evolution of ecological design from the visions of a few independent thinkers to today's powerful movement for regenerative design. This inspirational film offers vision and hope for the future. Environment Science and Technology
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27 min. 1997
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Underwater cameras take us on a magnificent tour of the coral reefs of Palau to see giant clams, the Mastigias jelly fish and the colourful fish and corals that thrive in tropical waters. But all is not well in the island paradise. Tourism and development are threatening one of the seven underwater wonders of the world. Is sustainable eco-tourism the answer? Environment Development
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28 min. 1993
A positive, fast paced look at the contributions of young people are making to transform their communities and protect the environment. Produced by youth for youth, the video begins by broadly defining "environment" to include urban blight as well as pollution. Young people tell how their involvement has helped them develop a sense of pride in themselves and their communities. The film also provides practical tips for activists on how to organize on local action. Children and Youth Activism
38 min. 1994
When trade relations with the Soviet Bloc collapsed in 1990, Cuba lost 80% of its pesticides and fertilizer imports and half its petroleum - the mainstays of its highly industrialized agriculture. Challenged with growing food for 11 million people in the face of the U.S. embargo, Cuba embarks on the largest conversion to organic farming ever attempted. Campesinos, scientists and organic farmers working to reinvent sustainable agriculture reminds us that developed and developing nations alike can choose a healthier environment and still feed their people. Environment Agriculture
Hand that Feeds the World,The World Food Day Assoc. of Canada
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19 min. 1993
An exploration of the role of women in food production. African women are responsible for 75% of the food production on the continent, yet only 4% of women are counted as "economically active". In a cashed based economy, unpaid labour is invisible. As food is becoming an commodity to pay the foreign debt, families have increased. This video explores the way some development projects have made things worse for women when the focus has been on technological solutions which have ignored the people who do the work. Women Agriculture
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
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The animals of the jungle are all busy with their work until the hunters arrive and take them away to the zoo. Find out how they get back. Clever music and animation. Environment Children and Youth
6 min. 1996
This remarkable video by Carihi Secondary (Campbell River) students, Rebecca Kaye and Lian Anson is a tribute to Rebecca's father, Dennis. Dennis Kaye became well know n across Canada through his letters to Peter Gzowski and his inspiring bestseller "Laugh, I Thought I'd Die: which is the story of his life with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), also know as Lou Gehrig's Disease. This exceptionally moving tribute is an important continuing struggle to increase awareness of ALS. Disabilities Health
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
71
The tiny island of Kaho' olawe Aloha 'Aina in the Hawaiian chain has been at the centre of a debate of global importance whether or not the U.S. military should control these 45 square miles. How did this island become an issue of concern? This video tells the story of the Hawaiian people to regain control of their sacred island which has been used as a naval artillery test target for many years. Aboriginal Community
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21 min. 1990
Afro-Nicaraguan women successfully overcome race , gender and class barriers to form their own boating business. This lively documentary shows how they overcome skepticism from fellow villagers, including their husbands, to gain economic independence, pride, achievement and a critical role in the functioning of their community. This film will be of particular interest to people who want to become involved in the Comox Valley twinning project with the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua. Women Economics
59 min. 1996
Since 1979, Alphonse Gerwing, a retired teacher and Associate Brother of the Benedictine Order, has been writing back to his nieces in Canada, describing his humanitarian work with street children in Brazil. Eventually, Felicity and Maxine decided to visit and document the life and times of their remarkable uncle. Al is a shy, charming man, but he isn't shy about putting a political spin on things. He blames the First World for the grinding poverty of those he helps. But problems are solved as they are caused by people. The Brazil of the film is also a sunny land with lots of music and dancing. In the end we remember the faces of hope. "I think the planet is one human habitation for all the people of the earth, and that people have the right to move about it naturally, but to come as fellow human beings, not as conquerors" -Alphonse Gerwing, recipient of the Order of Canada. Activism Development
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25 min. 1995
The inspiring story of the people of Billings, Montana who stood together to stop hate crimes in their community in 1993 and 1994. When the Aryan Congress appeared in Billings, KKK fliers were distributed; Jewish tombstones overturned; the home of a Native American family was spray painted with swastikas; and bricks were thrown through windows that displayed Menorahs for Hanukkah. Rather than accept the growing climate of hate, the community took a stand. The painters' Union formed a work force to paint over graffiti; religious and community leaders sponsored human rights activities, and the local newspaper printed full page menorahs that were displayed throughout the town. This film provides a dramatic portrait of an exsupremacist, and of community leaders who took the leap from being bystanders to actively fighting the hate. Peace and Conflict Community
A Teacher's Guide is available.
13 min. 1995
Representatives of the world's major religions join together in this video to share their common vision for world peace and environmental responsibility. Together, these Baha'is, Jains, Jews, Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Zoroastrians, Taoists, Buddhists and Sikhs made promises of solidarity to douse with soothing waters the flames of racial and religious hatred and violence. Peace and Conflict
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Spirituality
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18 min. 1996
This production looks challenges brought about by the development of the billion dollar gold mine to the people of Pogera, in one of the more remote areas of Papua New Guinea. As the government of Papua New Guinea looks increasingly to mineral resources for its future wealth and development, the people are at a watershed. Their traditional culture and subsistence lifestyles are gradually giving away to western economy and culture. Environment Economics
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90 min. 1995
Not your typical rainforest film. Tired of filming TV commercials, two well-intentioned Los Angeles "camera guys" decided to do their part for the environment by exposing the villains responsible for destroying the rainforest. They pack up their cameras and head to South America to look for the bad guys. Along the way they meet a range of paradoxical characters including poor people who cut down the forest to survive, environmentalists trying to import an "ecological" sawmill, timber companies campaigning for reforestation, and Hollywood producers who use rainforest plywood to build their sets. Humorous and irreverent, they capture some of the paradoxes involved in these complex issues. Environment Economics
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52 min. 1993
It Takes a Child
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It Takes a Child Craig Kielburger's Story, A Journey into Child Labour Judy Films
When Craig was 12 years old, he read an article about the murder of Iqbal Massih, a 12 year old liberated Pakistani carpet worker who had been speaking out about millions of other children who lived lives of virtual slavery. Craig wanted to learn everything he could about child labour, so he went on a seven week trip to South Asia. He spent time with children leased by their poverty-stricken parents to work as bonded labourers in brick kilns and carpet factories. Since then, he has been telling the stories of these children to the media, governments, labour groups, and business leaders. Along with friends, he founded "Free the Children", a group run by children which is determined to keep the issue of child labour on the international agenda. Children and Youth Activism
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25 min. 1995
A multi-cultural group of parents share the steps they went through in their efforts to accept their children as gay. From their early suspicions to outright confrontations these parents have learned the difficult lessons inherent in coming out of the closet. A moving look at the diversity of our social communities. Sexuality Children and Youth
28 min. 1994
In the act of honouring connection and dependency, which we have with the whole web of life, lies the possibility of deep and abiding communion. It is a mistake to view place only as a matter of land or geography. What is the appropriate relationship between humans and the whole living system? Authors, scientists, musicians and community organizers share their deeply held beliefs on these questions in this inspiring and Community Environment
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This video illustrates the significance and the adverse consequences of micronutrient malnutrition, a deficiency suffered by more than 2 billion people worldwide, the majority of them women. It provides information on the most common micronutrient deficiencies: iron, iodine and vitamin A deficiencies, and shows several examples of solutions that are being used around the world. 'All We Expect' calls for immediate action to end these preventable tragedies by public and private sectors. It emphasizes that we all have a role and highlights the need to take action through the roles we play in society, in order to make the world free from micronutrient malnutrition. Health
This film has been archived. To borrow this film,
Education
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This video is based on interviews conducted with 14 nature writers of prose and poetry during the time they were serving as faculty at the 'Art of the Wild' conference in Squaw Valley, California. In the film the writers express their background, philosophy and deep devotion to the land and all its inhabitants. Art and Culture Environment
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27 min. 1996
Campensinos
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This video demonstrates that a western development model is possible without destroying the ecosystem, as shown by some far-seeing farmers in Costa Rica. They have changed their farming practices to a more sustainable level by introducing reforestation, trout farming, tourist accommodation and tours, and vegetable gardening. These activities have replaced their traditional monoculture system, to produce both a profit and a future. The campesinos say that it is more important, however, to transmit these values to the children. Environment Agriculture
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
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Various creative non-traditional approaches to meeting the needs of communities are explored. In Langley, single suites are now allowed above garages, while other communities in Palo Alto and Vancouver have tried
to incorporate the street into the neighborhood. Who says all neighborhoods have to look the same? How can we find ways to get to know each other where we live? Community Environment
Access no.
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50 min. 1998
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Seed savers in India say the seed is the heirloom of the earth. Using poetry and seed rituals, Eternal Seed shows how ancient plant science is passed from generation to generation. This film depicts Indian womens struggle to use traditional farming practices instead of chemically based agriculture. As corporations declare the original breeders intruders, Indian farmers and activists such as Vandana Shiva resist the patenting of ancient grains. Agriculture Environment
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In 199?, 500 volunteers participated in the INFOMED-Pastors for Peace caravan to send medical supplies to Cuba. Four hundred computers to be used for INFOMED, Cuba's medical information computer system, were donated by people in nineteen western cities and Canada, however the caravan was stopped at the border, and the computers were seized by the U.S. government. In response to this action, five people from the U.S. and Canada began a fast at the U.S.-Mexico border, vowing not to eat until the computers were released. Health
This film has been archived. To borrow this film,
Human Rights
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21 min. 1998
Food poisoning cases in Canada have doubled over the past 16 years, and many point to the way animals are raised and slaughtered as a major reason for this increase. A former government inspector says that safety is compromised because of pressure to produce more meat at a faster pace. High rates of infection are complicated by a hardy new strain of E. coli bacteria. Slaughterhouse workers sound a wake-up call. Health Economics
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Access no.
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60 min. 1996
A groundbreaking documentary about B.C. forestry and the public relations battles that have shaped the hearts and minds of British Columbians. This video investigates the myths amid the confusion. Is it a question of "jobs vs. the environment", "forests forever", or "sharing B.C."? This program examines the links between the forestry issues that have rocked the province and the public relations campaigns that have tried to win over the public. Hosted by Dr. Wade Davis. Environment Economics
This film is damaged and has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250897- 0525.
Access no.
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51 min. 1996
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'The Future of a Nation' is the video dialogue between the staff, parents and children at twinned daycare centers: Samuel Calero Child Development Centre in San Marcos, Nicaragua, and Glebe Parents Daycare in Ottawa, Canada. The staff and parents at Glebe have been supporting the daycare in San Marcos with equipment, supplies, and money for the last twelve years. This film also focuses on the effect the Sandinista revolution of 1979, and the subsequent restoration of the former government in 1990 due to US blockades, had on the people, particularly the children, of Nicaragua. Development Children and Youth
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47 min. 1998
Good Wood takes us to four forestry-based regions in Honduras, Mexico, Canada and the United States to look at the issue of reconciling interests of the logging industry, the environment, and consumers. Value added and locally produced goods are manufactured with appropriate technology in creative projects. This program shows how sustainable solutions to forest management can benefit us all by keeping people employed and preserving forests. Environment Economics
This film is currently missing.
The people of Central America continue to struggle to rebuild shattered lives after the devastation of Hurricane Mitch in late 1998. This film explores how debt exacerbates any natural disaster. External debt repayment, which takes one third of the Nicaraguan budget, was a higher priority for the right wing Nicaraguan government than rapid response after the hurricane. The strings attached to new loans for rebuilding will continue to make the poor even poorer. A call to move from charity to justice. Economics Development
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When his leadership of MOSOP was judged to be effective by the military government of Nigeria, Ken SaroWiwa, a very well-known writer, was targeted to be silenced. He was hanged after a ridiculous kangaroo court found him guilty of the murder of several important local chiefs in a long-running series of skirmishes between the Ogomi people, the military government of Nigeria, and Shell Petroleum. One of Nigerias most lucrative oil field lies under Ogomi lands in the delta of the Niger, and Shell and the Nigerian government have been less than pleasant in their dealings with the locals, who find their lands polluted and uninhabitable due to the practices of the petroleum industry. When repeated appeals to fairness have gone unheeded, Saro-Wiwa and others led a popular campaign for redress. Its apparent success led to their day in court, where a rigged trial with biased judges led to the guilty verdict. The uproar that resulted when they were hanged led to Shells scramble to cover up its complicity. The Ogomi, even after years of misery, are still hopeful that justice will prevail. Human Rights Activism
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Through an examination of old growth ecosystems and their interactions with wildlife, rivers, and the marine environment, the viewer will understand the effects of clearcutting in this coastal region. Environment
struggling to protect their homelands from rich local landowners, the Mexican government, and international financial interests. The Zapatistas' struggle for self-determination and protection of their ancestral homelands has global implications, and this video educates society about these issues that are of paramount importance Aboriginal Peace and Conflict
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
In 1973 the world watched in horror as General Pinochets military rockets blasted La Moneda, the Chilean Presidential Palace where President Salvador Allende prepared to die. This brilliant and moving documentary, set in the final hours of his life and the aftermath of his death, takes viewers right into the eye of the crisis. Through gritty archival flashback footage and first-ever interviews with some of the colleagues and friends who were with Allende at the end, we experience the chaos, the tension and the profound sense of history Peace and Conflict History
Made in Denmark
Cheminova, a large Danish Chemical manufacturer exports parathion and methyl parathion to third world countries which, it assures us, have a responsible and well regulated agricultural production. This expose from Danish TV shows the grim reality for Nicaraguan peasants working with these pesticides. example of the power of investigative journalism. Environment Agriculture
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
In a world
where twenty million farm labourers are poisoned each year by chemicals, this video stands out as a great
Maybe We're Talking About a Different God Homosexuality and the Church John Ankele, Anne Mocksaud
The gigantic Mitsubishi-Alberta Pacific pulp mill in northern Alberta threatens to decimate the forest of the area. This video pleads for a change to more sensible forest practices, and an end to the poisoning of the Peace River. The impact of the industry on the people of the area is highlighted. Environment Community
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
This documentary tells the story of a municipal partnership between Hinton, a small town in Alberta, Canada, and Chegutu, a similar municipality in Zimbabwe, Africa. This story demonstrates how friendship and solidarity between two communities can inspire institutional cooperation of local governments that provides concrete benefits for elected officials, municipal staff and community groups from both municipalities. Community
This film has been archived. To borrow this film,
This documentary delves to the roots of the problem of the April 1993 decision of the BC government to allow clearcutting in 2/3 of Clayoquot Sound. It shows WCWCs campaign team protesting on the lawn of the BC Legislature, harassment of staff and volunteers at the Sutton Pass kiosk, trail builders at work, and the Kennedy River bridge blockades, with arrests of volunteers trying to halt the destruction of the old forest. Environment Activism
An animated visual autobiography of an artist who grew up in China during the upheavals of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Through a rich collage of original artwork and family and archival photographs, Shui-Bo Wang offers a personal perspective on the turbulent Cultural Revolution and the years that followed. With deft strokes, the filmmaker powerfully renders both the idealism and the intolerance of this historic period. Best Short Documentary, Academy Award Nomination Art and Culture History
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Hundreds of years ago, Tibetans voluntarily abandoned their warlike past to worship their ruler, the Dalai Lama. Isolated within the Himalayas, they developed a civilization unique to the world. They perceive the world as an endlessly repeating cycle of life, death, and rebirth. In this video, you will see aspects of this real-life ShangriLa meeting with the modern world. Spirituality History
Designed primarily for classroom use. This film is currently missing.
Turning Down the Heat The New Energy Revolution Jim Hamm
The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, which warms the atmosphere, leading to increased floods, droughts and hurricanes. This tape addresses the crisis of global warming and offers renewable energy conservation as economically viable solutions to climate change. Environment Economics
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
This inspiring video explores the sacred nature of this precious gift which is everywhere, surrounding us, enveloping our lives and those of every other living thing. In this program, six unique men and women share their experiences, poetry and insights about water. Compelling images of water in all its forms; rain, ice, snow, clouds, rivers, lakes and oceans, set to the music of David Foster. Environment
The deepening crisis in our food system is not only economic, social and political in nature. In its most radical form, it is an ethical and spiritual crisis that can only be overcome through a different way of thinking. There is an ever increasing awareness of the need to change our perceptions about how we grow our food and how we treat the land. This beautiful film features creative thinkers such as John Jeavons on the frontiers of this effort. Wes Jackson of the Land Institute says, "We treat soil like dirt: we don't recognize it as the source." Agriculture Environment
This film is currently missing.
For many individuals growing up with a facial birth defect, life is full of discrimination, harassment and loneliness. In this film, the filmmaker and three other remarkable individuals open up old, surgically sealed wounds to tell about the physical pain of corrective surgery and the psychological sting of ridicule and rejection. Through it all, four exceptional people have emerged, each with special strengths that have contributed to their success. Disabilities
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While images of Ethiopia are often bleak, farmers in the Gaho region have succeeded in growing a large selection of organic crops by using appropriate methods for their area. Unique land terracing to capture scarce water, composting, and interplanting have made the land productive. Music and dance are an integral part of living and working co-operatively together. Agriculture Environment
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Since the Roma people fled India in the 11th century, they have suffered almost a thousand years of persecution. From European slavery to the ethnocide during the Nazi Holocaust, the people who became known as the Gypsies have survived as a unique global culture. Almost 80,000 Roma call Canada home. Many hide their identity out of fear of reprisals. Others have become assimilated, leaving their traditions behind. This film celebrates the culture and tenacious struggle of Canadian Roma. Personal stories are woven together with the vibrant music and dance borne of centuries of exile. Community History
This film is the story of the tenacity of the human spirit. Everett Soop I a witty and philosophical Blackfoot political cartoonist who lives on the Blood Indian Reserve in Alberta. His survival tool shave been a sense of humour, artistic gifts and spiritual values taught to him by his grandparents. Despite having muscular dystrophy, Soop has produced a large body of published works and is the only Aboriginal artist represented in the National Archives of Canada. A story of hope and healing. Aboriginal Art and Culture
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Democracy and the Dictator The Real APEC Story Dawn Brett, Amy Lennon
A rare glimpse beyond the new headlines into one of Canada's most sensational political scandals, this film examines the political intrigue surrounding the infamous police crackdown on demonstrators during Vancouver's controversial Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Canada's image as the Boy Scout of the world loses its sheen after this journey behind the scenes reveals how Canadian officials surrendered to a foreign dictator in a high stakes game of diplomacy and trade. A sobering look at the depth of commitment of the Canadian government to the idea of globalization and its willingness to sacrifice our democratic right. Activism Globalization
Environment Economics
Women in Bangladesh are often isolated and subject to violence. Gems of Hope is a non-profit governmental organization which provides micro-credit loans to women to start small businesses and provides training in business, primary and family health, women's rights, leadership and empowerment. Economics Women
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
The 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee is remembered through poetry, art and the haunting beauty of the Dakota landscape. Filmed on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, this film documents a pivotal event in North American First Nations history and features the work of some of America's poets and Lakota artists. Aboriginal Art and Culture
Women war correspondents share their experiences in thought-provoking stories from Sarajevo, Afghanistan,
and other war-torn regions. The commonalities of personal sacrifices and the devotion to tell difficult and compelling stories have impacted on their won lives in ways they have not imagined. For instance, not one of these woman had a child. Especially moving is the intimate coverage of a family in Sarajevo, including 13 year old Zlata, whose war diaries have received much attention. Peace and Conflict Women
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Chico Mendes The People from the Amazon Rain Forest Raquel Couto, Edilson Martins
A chilling documentary about the life and work of Chico Mendes, the president of the Rural Workers Union in Brazil. Chico Medes was an herbalist who warned of mercury contamination from mining and fought against deforestation long before he organized hundreds of rural workers. His vision included an agricultural reserve where chestnuts and medicinal herbs could be sustainable harvested along with rubber. His Attempts to protect the rainforest brought him into conflict with corporations and some local landowners and ultimately led to his murder in 1988. Activism Environment
In a forest near Campbell River, a hunter takes aim at a black bear. Ruth Masters suddenly blows a whistle as hard as she can to frighten the bear away. "I'm afraid my good deportment just went all to hell," she explains. "I just can't sit and watch this happen." The directors of Genie award winner "Bones of the Forest" look at the battle of tourists who legally hunt bears and activists who insist on the bears right to exist. People come to blows in this morality play which leaves us to ponder some key philosophical questions. Environment
Activism
This film is an inside look at sentencing circles - an alternative approach to justice in the Yukon. Bringing together the perpetrator of a crime, his or her victims, peers and elders, sentencing circles focus on finding ways to heal the offender, the victim, and the community. For many Aboriginal men in the North, going to jail was a natural extension of attending residential schools. For some, sentencing circles are a way to reconnect with their spiritual traditions and break away from the circle of crime, court, and prison. Community Peace and Conflict
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
This is the story of survival of the Bribri people of Monjoncito, Costarica. In 1909 the United Fruit Company invaded their valley and forced the Bribri to flee to the mountains for three decades. In spite of several predictions that they would become extinct within twenty years, the Bribri finally forced the United Fruit Company out of their traditional territory and reclaimed their land. In the 1960's many of the Bribri adopted Baha'i principles such as unity, community service, respect for nature, and education. They have adapted to cash economy but fiercely protect their own cultural values and their language. The story of the Bribri illustrates the importance of projects which come from the community rather than being imposed from outside. Aboriginal Community
Dr. Jane Goodall says "I think that one of the really sad things is that's happening with increased urbanization is that children are growing up out of contact with nature. I don't know what that does to the development of
a child, but I'm quite sure it's not mentally healthy." She believes that it is essential that parents and other mentors of children guide them to make meaningful connections with the natural world. To help accomplish this, she has initiated a program called "Roots and Shoots", now in 29 countries. Inspiring. Children and Youth Environment
This documentary on post war Central America reveals the harsh reality: the injustices that led to war have increased, not decreased. The people who work in sweatshops, plantations, or struggle on the edge of the economy in El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua tell their stories of trying to cope with "peace" in the face of economic warfare. Peace and Conflict Economics
A Study Guide is available. This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Canadians drink 15 billion cups of coffee each year. At 4,000 beans per pound, that's a lot of backbreaking work for the underpaid campensinos who produce the crop. This video highlights the effort of a Nova Scotia coop to provide high quality coffee while paying a fair price to producers in Chiapas, Mexico. It takes us from the Los Altos region of Mexico where coffee has been cultivated since the 18th century to Canada where the fair trade movement is growing. Labour and Employment
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Economics
An inspiring look into the personal journey of a small group of British women whose work for peace finally led them to put their won lives at risk. After years of exhausting all of the traditional approaches such as petitions, leaflets, letters and protests, they intentionally disabled a hawk fighter jet which was destined for Indonesia to be used against the East Timorese. The women were tried and acquitted on the grounds that the crime they committed was the minimum necessary to prevent greater crime: genocide. Peace and Conflict Women
This is a hard hitting documentary about he United States Army School of Americas, and the human rights abuses carried out by some of its graduates, and the continuing efforts by hundreds of human rights activists to shut it down. Through the life and sometimes daring activities of Father Roy Bourgeois, it reveals the struggle for truth in the campaign to close the School of Americas. Narrated by Susan Sarandon, this is an updated version of the film nominated for an Academy Award in 1995. Some disturbing historical footage. Human Rights Activism
This film is currently missing.
When Canadian Marc LaChance went to Ethiopia in 1990 for a two year teaching position, he never imagined that his hobby as an amateur juggler would lead him to develop a world famous circus. Over 400 young people (including street kids) have become skilled acrobats, jugglers, and actors in the Ethiopian Circus which has links to our own Cirque du Soleil. Children and Youth Art and Culture
Today is a Good Day The Life and Times of Chief Dan George Loretta Todd
"It's not personal glory that I'm looking for, it is the tradition of our Indian people - parents - to teach their children by example. That's what our Indian people need, the example of a Native Indian doing what he is doing today." - Chief Dan George. Thus begins this engaging biography of a very unusual movie star who did not make it to Hollywood until he was 71 years old, but who transformed the way Native peoples were seen. He worked as a logger and longshoreman most of his adult life, but when an injury forced him to change occupations, he became a full-time entertainer. He went on to work on such classics as "Little Big Man" (1970) and "The Outlaw Josey Wales" (1976). In his 1967 Centennial speech he challenged all Canadians to walk hand-in-hand in love and peace for the next 100 years. His life set an example of how this can be Aboriginal History
On Jan. 1st, 1994, the indigenous Zapatista National Liberation Army took over five towns and five hundred ranches in southern Mexico. Three years later the Zapatistas and their Charismatic leader, guerrilla poet Subcomandante Marcos, are trapped in the Lacondona jungle. Surrounded by 30,000 Mexican army troops, they struggle to maintain a nervous ceasefire. Despite on-going peace talks, hundreds have been killed. Director Nettie Wild travels throughout the jungle canyons of Chiapas to capture the elusive and fragile life of revolution - a life threatened by right-wing , paramilitary death squads. Through eight months of filming, Wild takes the audience with her on a personal journey through fear, hope and illusion. This film captures the beauty and drama of a story that is surreal as it is powerful. Aboriginal Peace and Conflict
This film is currently missing.
High school students and teachers in BC give their perspectives on issues that include racism, gender equality, body image, sexuality, violence and assimilation, along with the role of the education system in these areas. Noam Chomsky, professor of Linguistics and Philosophy at MIT adds his comments to this insightful investigation of the education system and its role in social responsibility. Education
Discussion guide available.
Spirit of Tibet, The Journey to Enlightenment, The Life and World of Dilgo Mathew Ricard, Gabriella Martinelli, NFB
An intimate glimpse into the lie and world of one of Tibet's most revered 20th Century teachers: Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (1910 - 1991). A writer, poet and meditation master Khyentse Rinpoche was an inspiration to all who encountered him. His many students throughout the world included the Dalai Lama. This unique portrait tells his story from birth to death to rebirth - from his escape following China's invasion of Tibet to his determination to preserve and transmit Buddhist teachings far and wide. His life leads us on a journey revealing the wonders of Tibet's art, ritual, philosophy and sacred dance. Along with rarely photographed areas of Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal, this film features interviews with the Dalai Lama, who speaks candidly about his Spirituality History
This film is currently missing.
Women Environment
Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun is a modernist whose artistic influences come from his home in Vancouver, BC. His surrealist canvases deal with ozone depletion, land claims, Aboriginal rights, clear-cut logging and racism. His video starts at the Bisley Rifle Range in Surrey, England, where Yuxweluptun is shooting the Indian Act. It is a performance piece to protest the ongoing effects of the legislation on Aboriginal people. Back in Canada, "An Indian Shooting the Indian Act" opens at Vancouver's Grunt Gallery where framed copies, riddled with bullet holes are on display. Interviews with the artist, striking images of his paintings and a visit to virtual reality longhouse provide a glimpse into contemporary First Nations art making and the politics of the artist. Aboriginal Art and Culture
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Defying the Law Marta Nielsen Hastings, David Wesley, Michael Allder, NFB
On July 14, 1946, a group of set up pickets around the country's largest steel mill. Their action sparked one of the most important strikes in our country's history--a strike that many consider to be the birth of the modern Canadian labor movement. On the previous Friday, the steel industry had been put under government control and all employees were threatened with imprisonment. Defying the Law, an account of that long summer, charts this historic struggle for union recognition against a government and an industry. World War II had brought full employment to Canadian workers and a reluctant acceptance of unions on the part of management--an acceptance that no longer applied once peace was restored. Returning servicemen, along with the men and women who had worked on the home front, were determined not to go back to the exploitative labor conditions of the '30s. When the United Steel Workers of America set out to challenge Stelco and the government, fewer than twenty percent of the employees were paid union members, but more than half went on strike. The remainder, in exchange for triple pay, food and lodging, stayed on the job. The result was one of the most bitter strikes in Canadian history, with many Hamilton residents supporting the strikers, and other unions providing vital help. Acclaimed filmmaker Richard Nielsen was one of the strikers. He provides an account of the dramatic events which captured the attention of the entire nation--and which continue to resonate to this day. Labour and Employment History
Road Taken, The Selwyn Jacobs, Dale Philips, Jerry Krepakevich, NFB
A nostalgic ride through history, The Road Taken documents the experiences of Blacks who worked as sleeping-car porters on Canada's major railways from the early 1900s through the 1960s. There was a strong sense of pride among the porter--they were well respected by their community, and they had steady work and
were able to provide to their families. Yet, harsh working conditions were a bitter reality and there were no opportunities for promotion to other railway jobs. Finally, in 1955, porter Lee Williams charged the railway companies and the porter's union with discrimination under the Canada Fair Employment Act, and Blacks were able to work in other areas. Interviews, archival photos, and memorable film footage of train travel combine with the music of noted Toronto jazz musician Joe Sealy, whose father was a porter, to reconstruct a fascinating history that might otherwise have been forgotten. Labour and Employment History
In this experimental documentary, director Catherine Quinn meets four elderly women from Vancouver Island and asks, What's it like being old? "Exasperating beyond belief," answers Dorothy. "I haven't been down to see if the primroses are out." What's hard? " I'm lonely. All the private joke Colin and I shared have lost their point." Mildred also experiences loneliness but views the present as a good time of life: she's active politically and writes letters to the editor. Ellen, a Native elder, works as an addiction counselor and spiritual healer. She is a Setla, the Coast Salish word for grandmother, meaning wise woman. And Ida describes the hard years raising her children in the bush, but now enjoys reading westerns. These four very different women taught Quinn the importance standing still to savor the present. They enabled her to confront her own fears of aging. "I looked into their lives and fell into my own."
Women
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
They are the sultans of spin. And in a media-driven age, they exert enormous power. Spin-doctors, lobbyists, flaks--they have become important and often reviled players in the shaping of public opinion. No major corporation or government body is without them. Truth Merchants enters the twilight world of public relations-part propaganda and part showbiz and advertising--and explores the symbiotic relationship between PR people and journalists. An executive gets lessons in public speaking from a communications consultant. NASA does damage control on an unsuccessful space mission involving dead lab animals. A PR agent for Starbucks receives an industry "oscar" for having carefully shepherded her client through a difficult period of public scrutiny. Truth Merchants provides a disturbing and intriguing and behind-the-scenes look at the growing influence of the PR professionals and the journalists they court--an "uneasy alliance." Media and Communication
Beach Critters Exploring Intertidal Life Through Quadrat Studies Terra Bohart, Georgia Strait Alliance, Shaw Cable 4 (Naniamo)
This video shows students engaging in studying the intertidal zone by the use of "quadrats" - simple gridwork frames which help to define areas of study. The quadrats guide students to record and explore the various organic and inorganic material found on the seashore, providing a focus leading to awareness and concern for what's uncovered. This video is designed for use as either a stand-alone or a companion piece to the "Straitkeepers Handbook" - and includes instructions on carrying out a quadrat study. Environment Science and Technology
Where the Alchemy Never Stop Estuaries of the Strait of Georgia and Puget Sound Jonathan Churcher, Georgia Strait Alliance, haw Cable 4 (Duncan)
This video examines the ecological importance of the estuaries in Georgia Strait and Puget Sound, and the threats facing them from human activities. It demonstrates the rich diversity of this special, nutrient-rich zone where fresh and salt water come together - showing the abundance of plants and animals which thrive in estuarine environment and why we need to protect them. A variety of estuaries are profiles along with their inhabitants. Interviews with scientists, activists, farmers and fishers highlight the range of issues that impact estuaries, such as sewage, logging, urban development, roads, recreational boat pollution, and agriculture.
Environment
Denman Islanders share their views on the logging of the forests in their community. This short film captures the profound impacts of the changes through a collage of images and personal stories. Environment Community
A video documentary on the people of the Philippines' struggle against APEC and imperialist globalization exemplified by the People's Conference Against Imperialist Globalization, and the People's Caravan Against APEC on November of 1996. Globalization
This film is currently missing.
In Kwazulu, South Africa over 80% of the people still visit traditional heals for health care. This video shows how traditional healers are coming to terms with "modern" scientific approaches to health care, agriculture, nutrition and other disciplines they have always practiced as they strive for recognition from the modern health care system. A Hopeful look at different types of traditional health care in the area, and prospects for the Health
Biodiversity or biological diversity, refers to the variety of natural organisms in the world. Over the past one hundred years, we humans have caused biodiversity to decline at a faster rate than the last 65 million years. Rainforests are rich reserves of biodiversity but they are being cut down or destroyed at the rate of over 46,000 square miles per year. This film shows how Costa Rica and other countries are taking measures to protect biodiversity. Biologists there say we must develop a new ethic in our relationship with Mother Nature. Environment Science and Technology
A letter written by a white woman who worked at the First Nations residential school in Port Simpson, BC is the basis of this powerful and moving video. The letter contains detailed accounts of abuses suffered by residents during her stay there, raising the question of the mistreatment of Native children in the residential school system. The video also details the shameful aftermath of her letter as church leaders hide the truth. Aboriginal
The green revolution is widely regarded as one of the most successful development strategies of the twentieth century, but this disturbing documentary from India asks the question, "Who has been the real beneficiary of this bio-tech package?" Exploring the damage done to the social structure and ecology of developing countries, this film reveals a darker side of the green revolution with the creation of a new serf class in India while the dramatic early yields begin to fall. Who is the real beneficiary? Agriculture Science and Technology
Balkan Journey, A
This is the story of women's resistance to the war in former Yugoslavia. A Canadian filmmaker visits Belgrade, Zagreb and Sarajevo to meet the women activists she has discovered on the internet. The result of the trip is an extraordinary moving documentary that examines how hope survives in the midst of a nightmare. Activism Women
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
This video traces the post WWII changes which leads to the present world economic order in which over 90% of the world's population live in countries trapped in multi-billion dollar loans with terms dictated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. The video looks at the World Bank imposed economic model as "a war on the poor" in three countries: Ghana, Brazil, and the Philippines, and asks if it is time for a new model. Discussion and study guide are available.
Economics Development
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Over half of the 8 million people of Lima, Peru, live in shanty towns with the constant threat of water-borne diseases. The World University Services of Canada is working with people from these marginalized communities to bring reliable, clean water to their communities. The video shows how creative development projects which work with the people can provide the benefits of community development and empowerment which go way beyond the provision of clean water. Health Development
Discussion and Study Guide is available.
Treaty Making in B.C. II 1) Unfinished Business B.C. Treaty Commission, Knowledge Network
In Unfinished Business, Dr. Paul Tennant of the Department of Political Sciences at UBC outlines the historical relationship between the federal and provincial governments and the First Nations of B.C. Key Questions contain highlights from a two-hour public forum held in 1995 to inform British Columbians about the current treaty-making process in B.C. It focuses on the major issues discussed in the forum: the content of the negotiations, the concerns of people not involved in negotiations, the pace of negotiations, and the possible costs and anticipated benefits of the process. Aboriginal
Human Race, The Part 3: The Gods of Our Fathers Gwynne Dyer, Anne Henderson, NFB
"Human nature" is not fixed. We can, and do, reshape ourselves every time we change our culture. Nor is there anything natural or innate in male domination. In ancient Egyptian villages along the Nile, this film explores the evolution of patriarchy as one effective way of organizing mass societies. The patriarchal order was not inevitable - it was merely functional. But the world is different now, and it's time to find alternatives to hierarchies and militarization. The Human Race is a four part series shot on location in India, South Africa, Egypt, the US, and Mexico, internationally renown historian and journalist Gwynne Dyer astutely weighs the implications of the way we live together, the way we organize societies, and our complex relationship with the Art and Culture History
This production attempts to break down the wall of silence surrounding the exploitation of child labour throughout the world. Neither a catalogue of horrors or a fairytale, it is a fable of despair and hope. Despair, because it unveils the intolerable situation of some of the worlds youngest and most vulnerable workers. Hope, because it brings to light the efforts of governments, representatives of civil society and private citizens working for the eradication of child labour worldwide. Through compelling images and moving personal stories, the viewer discovers the children at work in the fields and plantations of Kenya, in the streets and workshops
of Thailand, and in the charcoal yards of Brazil. To rescue them, to return their childhood to them, is a moral imperative for every humane society worthy of the name. "I am a child!" is meant as a contribution to that Children and Youth Labour and Employment
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Sulphur Passage was the site of the first logging blockade in 1988. Since then over 900 people were arrested for protesting the government's plan to log most of the Clayoquat wilderness. As a result of the blockade, the Clayoquat's pristine Megin River valley has been declared a park. This music video was made by 30 British Columbia musicians, filmmakers, writers and technicians. It is a call for help to stop the logging of Clayoquat Sound. Written and performed by Bob Bossin with Stephen Fearing, Roy Forbes, Veda Hille, Ann Mortifee, Raffi, Rick Scott, Valdy and Jennifer West. Environment Art and Culture
Delivered in an upbeat style, Connect celebrates the ability of young people to choose a lifestyle sensitive to the environment and to social justice issues. Meet young people such as Adam Werbach, 23-year-old president of the Sierra Club and Melissa Poe, who at age 16 sends a newsletter to three million readers. Hosted by Michel Stipe of REM, full of music and incredible nature footage, this film inspires and entertains. Children and Youth Environment
Tough Guise
Sut Jhally
A fast-paced video collage showing how masculinity is constructed in our society. Using imagery from popular culture, Tough Guise describes the narrowing confines of maleness. Strength, independence, toughness and violent masculinity have become the norm - a situation that is debilitating for men and dangerous for both men and women. Jackson Katz, a former football player and gender violence prevention trainer, argues that men have an essential role to play in the struggle for lasting social change. Katz has a gift for applying insights about gender and power to the real life experiences of boys and men. Media and Communication Sexuality
A struggle for the world food market is being waged by large corporations. Intense livestock production has been implemented to boost profits. Cattle are fattened in overcrowded feed lots, a situation which exposes them to disease. To combat this, they are systematically vaccinated, given antibiotics and pumped with growth hormones. Little regard is given to the potential health risks to consumers. This is a case study of the impact of large corporations like Cargill on small producers. Agriculture Health
This is the remarkable story of a small and determined group of Vancouver feminists who set out to create a permanent marker to name and remember the 14 women murdered on December 6, 1989 at LEcole Polytechnique in Montreal. Haunted by recurrent national controversy and criticism from other womens groups, this small group expanded their vision to create a monument to all women. The process of creating the monument was as important as the end product. Very moving Women
History
What is it like to grow up with gay or lesbian parents? In Our House, the sons and daughters of five diverse families talk frankly about their experiences of having a family that is viewed as different. Facing the usual highs and lows of growing up, they are also faced with varied reactions about their parents sexuality from relatives, classmates, teachers and neighbours. The role of schools in protecting students from bullying is an issue all parents should be involved in. This film challenges us to consider our own understanding of what makes a family and how we can support all the children growing up in our communities. Sexuality Children and Youth
Best Documentary, NY Lesbian & Gay Film Festival 2000
The Ad and the Ego is a comprehensive examination of advertisings impact on our culture of consumerism by creating a psychology of need. It shows how omnipresent advertising sells us values, identities and our sense of what is normal. You will never look at an ad the same way after viewing this film. Media and Communication
Curriculum Guide Available
Page 64
This deeply moving film follows Jennifer Harburys struggle to determine the truth about what happened to her husband Everardo, a Guatemalan rebel leader who was "disappeared" by the Guatemalan government. Her courage, determination, and willingness to risk everything - even her life - exposed disturbing truths about the CIA in Guatemala. Human Rights Activism
Ecopsychology Restoring the Earth, Healing the Self James, Wileta Burch
Ecopsychology is a new science that links psychology and ecology, nature and human consciousness, and our mental health and the health of the planet. The subject is explored in depth by author and historian Theodore Roszak, clinical psychologist Sarah Conn, and Carl Anthony, president of Earth Institute. Thought Environment Health
This film is currently missing.
Ads on school buses and in washrooms and corporate logos on computer screen savers are just a part of the corporate marketing in schools today. Why are our public schools opening the doors to corporations? What subliminal messages do students learn when their math textbooks have pictures of Nike shoes as part of a story problem? Education Media and Communication
Eco-conic is a farming co-operative in Nicaragua which supplies Oxfam Quebec with fairly traded, organic, shade-grown coffee. This film gives us a glimpse of the life of Maria Vichona and the positive impacts upon her family since she became a part of the co-op. Farming techniques, including organic methods of pest control, are shown. Buying fairly traded coffee is a concrete example of how consumers in the North can become socially responsible. Agriculture Environment
To the Roots depicts the journey of two Itza Maya elders from their village in northern Guatemala to meet, for the first time, their Lacandon Maya relatives deep in the rain forest of Chiapas, Mexico. This documentary deals with the complex issues of ethnic identity, cultural recuperation and indigenous knowledge among Maya peoples in an eloquent and aesthetically accurate film. Aboriginal Art and Culture
Agriculture
Forsaken Cries The Story of Rwanda Andrea Tonice, Amnesty International USA
In 1994 close to one million people were killed in a planned and systematic genocide in Rwanda. How did this carnage occur? Who was responsible? What role do we play as human rights advocates? This documentary provides the historical background of the colonial period when the Belgians arbitrarily divided the population of Rwanda into Tutsis, Hutus, and Twa based upon physical characteristics and/ or occupation. Rwanda is a case study for the human rights challenges of the 21st century. Peace and Conflict History
Force More Powerful, A South Africa: Freedom in Our Lifetime Steve York, Narrator: Ben Kingsley
In South Africa, many young blacks knew that they could never overthrow the apartheid regime using violent force. Instead, they organized at the grassroots - taking control of their townships and making their grievances known to the white population. In 1984, in the southern city of Port Elizabeth, 27 year old Mkhuseli Jack led a boycott of white businesses. This drove a wedge between the white business community and the apartheid regime and became a catalyst for other actions which eventually led to the end of apartheid. The story of how nonviolent power was used to overcome oppression in South Africa Human Rights Activism
Working Like Crazy is a fresh look at the struggles and victories of some former mental health patients who work in businesses owned and run by other psychiatric survivors. People share rare glimpses of their
experiences of tears and laughter, isolation and friendship, rejection and acceptance. Work is portrayed as the human process that rebuilds peoples connections with each other. This film is about hope. Disabilities Labour and Employment
Girls around the world play hopscotch. They also share common dreams of a better world. All too often, through poverty, perversion, ignorance or superstitions passed from one generation to the next, adults shatter these dreams by denying girls the right to an education, entering them into forced labour, subjecting them to mutilation, sexual abuse and other injustices. Girls in six countries speak of having much of their childhood stolen from them - because they are girls. Powerful stories. Children and Youth Human Rights
Best Social Documentary, Yorkton Short Film & Video Festival
ReInventing the World is for those who want to know the good news about how we can make the world work better for all of us. Des Kennedy hosts this thought-provoking program which looks at the challenge of devising a sustainable food system - one that is healthy, accessible, and affordable. Frances Moore Lappe and Joan Gussow are some of the innovative thinkers who are imagining ways of getting there from here. Creative ideas from Brazil,Vancouver, and other places offer hope and inspiration. Environment Health
On Hostile Ground
73 min. 2000
Join our music filled trip to Ometepe Island, Nicaragua where our fairly traded World Community organic coffee is grown in the shade. This is the story of a 13 year twinning relationship between the people of Bainbridge Island (near Seattle) and the people of Ometepe Island. Elementary school students on Bainbridge Island sell calendars every year to raise thousands of dollars toward various projects on Ometepe Island. The projects are decided upon by the local people who also provide the labour. A positive story of international friendship. Agriculture Economics
Awards: Big Muddy Film Festival and Equinox Environmental Film Festival
Narrated by Dennis Weaver, Subdivide and Conquer examines the consequences of suburban sprawl and the history of this automobile-centered pattern of development. It also suggests remedies, and takes us to places
where sound public policy and good land use planning have stemmed the tide of sprawl. When given a choice, most people want to live in distinct, well- designed neighbourhoods. Computer technology is used to show how neighbourhoods can be transformed - if the will is there. Environment Development
Best Environmental Program, MountainFilm
When filmmaker, Jari Osborne discovers the truth of her fathers involvement in World War II, she uncovers a legacy of discrimination and politically sanctioned racism against BCs Chinese-Canadian community. Sworn to secrecy for decades, Osbornes father and his war buddies now vividly recall their top- secret missions behind enemy lines in Southeast Asia. Theirs is a tale of young men proudly fighting for a country which had always mistreated them. A moving tribute to quiet heroism. Peace and Conflict History
Best History Documentary, Hot Docs! Festival
World Trade Organization: Seattle 1999. Anti-corporate sentiment filled the streets of Seattle in a united effort to stop the WTO from pursuing its agenda. Civil society organizations, labour unions, human rights activists, students, consumer groups and concerned citizens gathered together from around the world to participate in the Battle of Seattle and to bring the hidden agenda of the WTO out into the light. Globalization Activism
Jabiluka documents the struggle of Yvonne Margarula and the Mirrar people against the proposed uranium mine in Kakadu National Park, their traditional homeland. The film takes a hard look at what our society values while offering a breathtaking and heart-rendering glimpse of Australias most important world heritage listed area and the indigenous people who call it home. Environment Aboriginal
Metal of Dishonour Depleted Uranium, the Pentagons Secret weapon Ellen Andors
Metal of Dishonour is a stirring expose of the role of depleted uranium in the Gulf War. It takes us inside the burned out Iraqi tanks and into the hospitals where children are suffering from unknown diseases. Dr. Helen Caldicott and others speak eloquently about the effects of this new nuclear weapon of mass destruction which was used in such a way that even the Pentagons own troops were used as guinea pigs. (Some disturbing scenes) Health Peace and Conflict
For 100 million years, they have cruised the seas, travelling astounding distances every year. Today, every single species of sea turtle is either threatened or endangered. Peter Pritchard has worked for many years with the Arawak community in Guyana to ensure that young people grow up to love and respect turtles - and that the days when turtles are slaughtered for meat are gone forever. Pritchard believes the people are always the problem, and people are always the solution. Breathtaking underwater photography. Environment
Since the advent of NAFTA, illegal logging, militarization and repression have all increased in the rural regions of the state. Corporations like Boise Cascade have left deserts where virgin forests once stood. Campesino environmentalists organized and forced Boise Cascade to stop, but now they are targets of a government and army-sponsored campaign of repression to silence them. One of the co-founders of the environmental group is 1999 Goldman Environmental Prize Winner Rudolfo Montiel who was recently sentenced to seven years in prison on false charges of weapons and drug trafficking for his courageous activism in defence of the forests. Activism Environment
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Many of the foods on our supermarket shelves - including most of the corn, soy, and canola products - are genetically engineered. Scientists are crossing species that would never breed in nature, such as tomatoes and fish, or toads and potatoes. These foods are not being tested for safety or labelled to give us the right to freely choose what we eat. We already know the impacts these Frankenfoods have on butterflies and insects. This film is a call to action. Science and Technology Agriculture
Human genetic engineering offers promises for alleviating suffering, but what are the risks? This program looks at some of the problem areas: possible loss of privacy; discrimination in employment and insurance based on genetic tests; and loss of respect for people with disabilities as the public comes to view certain inherited conditions as avoidable and some call for restricting the reproductive rights of those who are genetically flawed. The dilemma of DNA testing requires public debate. Science and Technology
The entire organic coffee production process is beautifully traced: from seedling to transplant, from cultivation to the roasted bean. With care and sensitivity for surrounding eco-systems and the plants themselves, the 1000 members of the Mut Vitz Cooperative produce thousands of pounds of high quality, fairly traded, organic coffee each year. The film was produced by some of the coffee producers who are also part of the Chiapas Media Project. Agriculture Environment
Long Nights Journey Into Day South Africa's Search for Truth & Reconciliation Deborah Hoffmann, Frances Reid
When apartheid ended in South Africa, those who had enforced its rules for over forty years wanted amnesty for their crimes. Their victims wanted justice. As a compromise, the Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was formed. Now, as it investigates the crimes of apartheid, the TRC is bringing together victims and perpetrators to relive South Africas brutal history. The film follows several cases over a two-year period. By revealing the past instead of burying it, the TRC hopes to pave the way to a peaceful future. The stories underscore the universal themes of conflict, forgiveness, and renewal. Peace and Conflict
Best Documentary, Sundance Film Festival; Peace Film Award, Berlin Film Festival. Study Guide is available.
Eight million pounds of unnecessary toxic chemicals are used on tale grapes each year in California, pesticides that growers refuse to stop using. While governments side with politically powerful growers, the FDA is helpless and the EPA makes excuses. Cesar Chavez and farm workers urge consumers to join their struggle by joining the California grape boycott. Agriculture Environment
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Cancun, Mexico is seen very differently by the tourists who come there "to get away", the Mayans who farm the lands of their ancestors, the Mexicans employed in the tourist industry, and the global corporation looking for lucrative investment. When traditional and modern views of a region evolve and clash, political unrest can be the result. Peace and Conflict Economics
The threat posed by landmines is far removed from the conscious of most North Americans. While images of landmines and landmine victims appear on TV screens and magazine pages, many will still view landmines as weapons that harm people in distant lands. A lesser-know fact is that over the years landmines have injured numerous American citizens - tourists, soldiers, relief workers, and even exchange students. These are their stories. Contact www.cdi.org/landmines for backround info and viewing guides. Peace and Conflict Health
Almost 30 years after fleeing war-torn Mozambique, Joseph and Perpetua Alfazema returned to their homeland in 1995 only to discover a town's isolation and ruin, thousands of unexploded land mines, a lack of water and a demoralized people. In June 1999 the Mozambique Choir, founded by the Alfazema's in Victoria, B.C., and the city's Gettin' Higher Choir staged a benefit concert and raised $10,000. The couple immediately returned to Kapasseni for one week, along with four other Victorians. During that time, a school was built, a teacher hired, over 100 children and adults enrolled, and the first day of classes completed. More importantly,
connections between communities were forged. A joyful and music-filled journey. Activism Community
Study guide: www.kapasseni.org. This film is currently missing.
This timely, provocative video explores the politics of global food security -- a security threatened by the policies and practices of giant international food producers, trade and financial institutions, as well as governments here and abroad. The menu includes low-cost cash crops, genetically modified foods, short-term profits, animal cruelty, and environmental havoc. Globalization Agriculture
See: www.sustainableagriculture.net/ or www.foodfirst.org
Reinventing the World: Economics Dave Springbett, Heather McAndrew, hosted by Des Kennedy
The good news is that the study of economics can be both interesting and understandable. Questions raised
by protests in Quebec, Seattle, Genoa, and beyond get provocative responses from Maude Barlow, David Korten, Jim Green, Amory and Hunter Lovins, and others. At a time when corporate interests want us to believe that "we are what we own", this film takes a refreshing look at redefining progress. Economics Globalization
Second Prize, Earthvision 2001 Environmental Film and Video Competition
This dynamic expose about what really went on in Iraq, both before and after the Gulf War, includes the history of oil and arms deals in the region. Based upon newly released documents, Brohy and Ungerman shed light on the reasons the US left Saddam Hussein in power, the causes of Gulf War syndrome and much more. Former UN officials, Dennis Halliday and Scott Ritter speak out about the sanctions against Iraq, and US control of UN processes. Peace and Conflict Economics
Poverty Outlaw is the gripping story of hard choices posed by living in poverty without society's "safety net." It is told through the eyes of one woman in one neighbourhood in Philadelphia over a period of five years. Her life has led her on a perilous descent from middle-class security, to welfare, and finally to abject poverty. She joins with other women caught in the same web of poverty to form the Kensington Welfare Rights Union. In the wasteland of a city which has turned its back on them, they refuse to be invisible. They march, sit-in, lobby and protest to secure food, housing and clothing for themselves and their children Eventually the choices they must make put some of them on the wrong side of the law. They become "outlaws." This film is a must for anyone interested in poverty, women's issues, and community organizing. Inspiring! Economics
Activism
The debate over public vs. private ownership of water resources came to a head in Vancouver in 2001, as it has in other cities and countries. (See The Water is Ours, Damn it!') With perspectives from resource people such as celebrated ecological activist Vandana Shiva, Maude Barlow of the Council of Canadians, and CUPE President Judy Darcy, the film documents the successful organizing efforts to preserve the public water supply for people in the Greater Vancouver Regional District. For now - victory to the people! Economics Environment
The government of Bolivia signed a contract with California based Bechtel Corporation which allowed Bechtel to sell water to the residents of the city of Cochabamba. When the cost of water rose over 300%, many people could not afford it. This film documents the struggle of neighbourhood residents in poor areas of Bolivia to force the government to back out of the contract. People who cannot afford to buy water havenothing to lose as they engage in street confrontations to regain public control of their water supply. Inspiring. Economics Community
Crack in the Pavement: Growing Dreams, A Jane Churchill, Gwyn Basen, NFB
Some schoolyards across the country are paved and fenced...reminiscent of prisons. Innovative groups of teachers, students, and parents are creating school gardens which provide food for poor people, homes for the birds and butterflies, and peaceful rest and play areas for students. By planning and caring for a garden, students take control of their environment. Restoring a pond creates an outdoor classroom and a wildlife refuge. Education Environment
The Internationale draws on people's stories of the anthem of the socialist, communist and anarchist movements, to celebrate the relationship between music and social change. The film chronicles the history of the song written in 1871, at the fall of the Paris Commune. Using archival footage, the film traces the development and meanings of the song from the Russian Revolution, during the Great Depression in the US, and in Tiananmen Square. Performances and interviews with musicians and activists include Pete Seeger and Billy Bragg with his new version of the Internationale, as well as people from the US, Israel, the Philippines, China, and the Soviet Union. Stirring. History Art and Culture
Observations by the Inuvialuit of Sachs Harbour support what has long been predicted -- that climate change would be felt first in the Polar Regions. On Banks Island in Canada's High Arctic, the residents have witnessed dramatic changes to their landscape and their way of life. Exotic insects, fish and birds have arrived; the sea ice is thinner and farther from the community, carrying with it the seals depended upon for food; the permafrost is melting, causing the foundations of the community's buildings to shift and an inland lake to drain into the ocean. Thunder and lightning have been seen for the first time. An urgent warning of the negative impacts of climate change predicted to occur elsewhere in the world. Environment Aboriginal
Was at UN Framework Conference on Climate Change. http//www.iisd.org/casl/projects/inuitobs.htm, Final report available
Raiz Forte (Strong Roots) The Landless Workers' Movement in Brazil Aline Sasahara, Maria Luisa Mendoca
Pedro, Antonio, and Luis joined Brazil's Landless Workers' Movement (MST) in search of a piece of land, dignity in their lives, and justice in their society. The MST started in 1985 to correct the extremely unequal concentration of land in Brazil. 35 million Brazilians live in poverty while 1% of large landholders control 46% of agricultural land. Over the past 15 years, the movement has won 20 million hectares of land for 300,000 families and built thousands of food production cooperatives and schools. These land occupations are inspiring examples of the power of real grassroots development. Even though the occupations are risky, they bring new life to people who formerly had no hope. Activism Agriculture
Suits and Savages Why the World Bank Won't Save the World Dylan Howitt, Zoe Young
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) looks promising on paper - with $2.5 billion to spend on global green aid and an inclusive, democratic model of governance. But does it live up to its own rhetoric, or must it reflect the politics of the economists who run it from inside the World Bank? This film looks at the contradictions of an "ecodevelopment" project from the ground up - travelling between one remote tribe in India and another, just as remote but much more powerful , in Washington, D.C. This edifying film highlights the impact of phoney "green" aid and the perils of reform which ignores indigenous peoples. Environment Development World Community Development Education Society Page 82
Community Development
What is it like to grow up in the "wrong" body? Male - Female - Man - Woman. Rigid conventions accompany these labels. What happens when a person's inner sense of identity conflicts with society's expectations? Being harassed and assaulted are not uncommon experiences. Rejection by family and friends can lead to severe depression for many transgendered people. This film introduces us to four transgendered people who accept themselves and their inner sense of identity. They have each made a decision to go through the process of transitioning to a new body. We meet a member of the military, an engineer, and a retired police officer who were born men but are now living as women. We also meet Terry, a social worker who was born a woman and is now a man. These are stories of people in every community Sexuality
Nathaniel Kalluk is Inuit. His people have the exclusive right to hunt polar bears, traditionally a major source of food. But now, desperate for money and jobs, they're selling off some of their bear permits for as much as $20,000 apiece to wealthy, big-game hunters. As the guide and the trophy hunter set off across the tundra, we watch an ancient tradition adapt itself to the modern reality of the Polar Bear Safari. An emotion-packed journey which raises many questions about the nature of development. Aboriginal Economics
Ryan's Well
Lalita Krishna
When Ryan Hreljak (Kemptville, Ontario) was 7 years old, he came home from school and asked his mother for $70 to help build a well in Uganda. He did chores to raise the money and when he found out it would really cost $2000 just to dig the well, he enlisted friends, neighbours, and community members. He became a local activist speaking at schools and community events about water conservation, poverty, and global understanding. As Ryan turned 9, his neighbours made his dream to visit his Ugandan pen pal, Jimmy Akana, come true. This moving and heart-warming documentary takes us with Ryan to Uganda to see, for the first time, the difference he has made with the building of Ryan's Well. Children and Youth Activism
See: www.ryanswell.ca
The lives of Wenceslao Armira, a Mayan farmer, those of members of his community, and the lives of US aid and development workers and of the Canadian filmmakers have intersected over a 25 year period. Helping peasants grow more productive fields, or rebuilding after an earthquake is seen as "communism" by the Guatemalan and US governments. As a community leader, Wenceslao finds himself with no choice but to join the armed opposition. This richly textured film raises difficult questions about everyone's connections to human rights and social justice, how we choose to make a difference in the world, and the dangers and costs associated with our actions. Activism Human Rights
Original music: Bruce Cockburn
Selina, like most Bangladeshi women, was a child labourer, married at 12. Now, armed with a $60 loan from the Grameen Bank, Selina and 2.5 million other women are changing their lives. In a society where women are seen as property and are forbidden to speak in public, it is an act of courage to leave their houses and gather with other women who are challenging traditional social roles. Through the sixteen decisions, the social charter of the Grameen Bank, poor women are examining key issues such as dowry, birth control, education
Pulitzer Prize nominee, Kevin McKiernan, discovered a story the US national press would not touch-- a campaign of ethnic cleansing perpetrated against the Kurdish minorities by the Turkish military, using USmade weapons. McKiernan's independently produced film delves into the US government's complicity in this human rights disaster, indicting the mainstream news outlets that, by staying quiet, help perpetuate the violence. Good Kurds, Bad Kurds travels from Santa Barbara, home to a small Kurdish refugee community, to Washington D.C., where a lone activist struggles to gain the attention of lawmakers and the media, and to Turkey, where the anti-Kurd campaign continues. Human Rights Media and Communication
Best Documentary, Atlanta Film and Video Festival; Human Rights Prize, Santa Barbara International Film Festival
A stunning portrait of land use conflicts over Native American sacred sites on public and private lands in the US. Every year more sacred sites -- the land-based equivalent of the world's greatest cathedrals -- are being destroyed. Strip mining and development cause much of the destruction. But rock climbers, tourists, and New Age religious practitioners are part of the problem too. The biggest problem is ignorance. This beautifully crafted film is a wake-up call for everyone who cares about the environment and human rights. Lovely cinematography. Aboriginal Human Rights
Narration: Peter Coyote, Tantoo Cardinal. Honorable Mention, Columbus International Film & Video Festival
44 min. 2000
Benedita da Silva - shanty dweller, domestic worker, mother, organizer, poet, Senator. I Was Born a Black Woman recounts the remarkable life of the first Afro-Brazilian woman to be elected to Brazil's senate. Benedita was born to poverty, started working at age seven and gradually gained stature for herself and her community through education, faith in God, and community organizing. Filled with Afro-Brazilian music, poetry and dance, this film weaves a dynamic tale of black Brazil and one woman's victory over racism. Women History
At the WTO protests in Seattle, we had a collective vision. We saw people come together across political and cultural difference and stand up in a way that we have not seen for decades. Video footage shot by over 100 media activists captures the music, emotion, and sense of purpose shared by people in Seattle over several days of action. Young people in particular were willing to put their bodies on the line despite the risks of pepper spray, swinging batons, and jail time. Powerful and disturbing, this film portrays the concept of direct democracy against the often violent backdrop of the political mainstream while challenging the integrity of corporate owned media. A real inspiration! Activism Globalization
Narration: Susan Sarandon & Michael Franti
Meet an amazing group of Black Canadians who took racism to court. Viola Desmond kept her seat at a Halifax theatre in 1946 rather than moving to the section normally reserved for Blacks. Fred Christie, denied service at a Montreal tavern, appealed all the way to the Supreme Court in 1936. Others worked for fair accommodation practices in the 1940's and dedicated their lives to fair employment practices and immigration
policies. An insightful depiction of Canada's civil rights history. Human Rights History
User guide: www.nfb.ca/journeytojustice/
Scout's Honor traces the conflict between the anti-gay policies of the Boy Scouts of America and the broadbased movement by many of its members to overturn them. The story is told predominantly through the experiences of a 13-year old boy and a 70- year old man -- both straight, both dedicated to the Scouts, and determined to change the course of Scouting. Steven Cozza, a courageous 13-year old Scout, launches a grassroots campaign to overturn the ban on gays. Scouting for All is the movement built by Cozza with the help of a long-time Scout leader, community members, and his own family. A powerfully moving account of a modern-day civil rights movement. Human Rights Sexuality
Awards include Sundance Film Festival; Turin International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival; USA Film Festival.
Speaking Out Displaced Columbians Silent No More U.S. Committee for Refugees
This video focuses on the cause of displacement in Columbia, conditions for the displaced, the U.S. response, and displaced persons' effort to organize and make their voices heard. It features powerful interviews with children, grandmothers, women and others who have witnessed terrible violence, lost loved ones, and have been forced to flee their homes. Peace and Conflict Human Rights
This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Force More Powerful, A India: "Defying the Crown" Steve York, Narrator: Ben Kingsley
In 1930, Indian nationalists were impatient with the British foot-dragging on promises to move India toward selfrule, and appointed Mohandas Gandhi to lead "the final struggle for freedom." Gandhi relied on the nonviolent methods he developed in South Africa. His campaign of civil-disobedience - intentional law-breaking and imprisonment - swept the country, forcing the British Viceroy to admit his regime was losing control. Gandhi's actions shattered Indian consent to foreign rule and set his country on the road to independence, which came in 1947. To future generations, Gandhi gave the weapon on non-violent resistance, which is being continuously refined and developed. Activism History
Force More Poweful, A Chile: "Defeat of a Dictator" Steve York, Narrator: Ben Kingsley
General Augusto Pinochet seized power in a 1973 military coup. He banned political parties, closed newspapers, and spread fear through the country: political assassinations, disappearances, torture and imprisonment became common. In 1983, an economic crisis pushed many Chileans to dare oppose the dictatorship for the first time. Copper miners called for nonviolent national protest day against Pinochet, unleashing pent-up opposition n a wave of monthly protests. Mainstream opposition parties re-emerged after ten years underground, and supported by the church, staged frequent non-violent demonstrations. By 1987, the democratic opposition realized that the constitution Pinochet wrote in 1980 called for a plebiscite - a chance for people to vote yes or no on another eight years of military rule. Isolated and overconfident, Pinochet had always assumed he would win if people were given a choice. But after years of organizing, the opposition was prepared, and ran a bold, future-oriented "NO" campaign. On October 5, 1988, Pinochet was voted out. Activism History
In August, 1980, workers at the Gdansk shipyard went on strike. Their main demand, free trade unions, was unprecedented in a country where communist party supremacy did not allow the existence of any independent organizations. Lech Walesa, a wiley-37 year old electrician, was the chief negotiators for the workers, who avoided the mistakes of earlier strikes by maintaining strict non-violent discipline - and by occupying their shipyard, to deter a violent crackdown by authorities. The strike quickly spread to factories and workers throughout the country, magnifying their leverage. Their persistence paid off as government granted most of their demands. A new union was born, named "Solidarity." A year and a half later, the government imposed marshal law and banned the union. It continued its work underground until 1989, when the communist government asked Lech Walesa's help to settle a new wave of strikes and unrest. Solidarity re-emerged as a revitalized political force, and won decisively in Poland's first free parliamentary elections in 60 years, taking power as a ruling party. Activism History
Approach of Dawn Portraits of Maya Women Forging Peace in Guatamala Gayla Jamison
A story of Maya women of Guatemala and their role in the struggle for human rights. A 36 year civil war in Guatemala has left over 150,000 people, mostly Mayan, dead. One million others have been displaced from their ancestral lands. The film takes us into the communities of three women whose lives were shattered by the genocidal war. Adela, a widow, bravely sustains her refugee family. Justina tirelessly travels the countryside explaining the human rights movement. And Francesca, a Mayan priestess, reaffirms the cultural identity of her people. Beautiful photography evoking the Maya "Popul Vuh" Creation Story punctuate this moving celebration of these courageous women. Human Rights Activism
Study Guide available
group, and Desandann, a 10-member cappella choir that sings in Haitian Creole. Art and Culture
When an individual confronts the spectre of abuse, we consider it an act of courage. When an entire community attempts the same thing, we call it a miracle. More than a decade ago, members of a tiny Ojibway reserve set out to take justice into their own hands. Hollow Water, in Central Manitoba, is home to 450 people - many of them victims of sexual abuse. The offenders have left a legacy of pain and denial, addiction and suicide. By law, they were the responsibility of the Manitoba justice system. But jail had not stopped offenders in the past. "Punishing people and telling they needed to heal, didn't make sense." says one community counselor. Instead Hollow Water chose to bring the offenders home to face justice in a community healing and sentencing circle. Based on traditional practices, this unique model is reuniting families and healing both victims and their offenders. This film documents the moving journey of one family, torn apart by years of abuse, who struggle to confront their past. This is a powerful tribute to one community's ability to heal and change. Aboriginal Community
Middleclass homeowners, angry radicals, desperate drug addicts and people simply looking for a place to lay their head: all are players in a bitter struggle in the downtown Toronto neighbourhood of Dundas and Sherbourne. Angel, a prostitute and drug addict, dodges the law. Bed-and-breakfast owner Renee rails against the sex and drug trade. Community organizer John Clarke advocates direct action in defense of the poor. And at the eye of this storm is Reverend Jeannie Loughrey, whose drop-in centre provides much-needed help for the poor, yet homeowners accuse the centre are harbouring criminals and are lobbying to shut it down. By focusing on one part of one particular Toronto neighbourhood, the film reflects on issues affecting towns across the country, as our social safety net is eroded and the gap between the rich and the poor grows wider. Community Economics
This film is currently missing.
On November 22, 1998, over 7,000 students, church people, former military and activists met outside of the gates of Ft. Benning, Georgia, where the U.S. Army School of the Americas is located, in the largest protest
since the Vietnam War days. Led by actor Martin Sheen and Sister Jackie Doepker, 2,318 of them risked arrest and imprisonment by "crossing the line" onto the military base. Carrying coffins and thousands of crosses bearing the names of thousands of men, women and children assassinated by SOA graduates in Latin America, they demanded that the U.S. government end its policy of training foreign soldiers and close the SOA doors forever. Human Rights Activism
Narrated by Susan Saradon
The Peace-Athabasca River Delta is a stunning habitat. Rivers converge in a rich, marshy wetland before draining into the Slave River. But the Delta is in trouble. Since the building of the WAC Bennet Dam in 1967, annual floodwaters - once the ecosystem's lifeblood - have become a thing of the past. The Delta is drying up, and lakes and wetlands are being replaced by brush. Species like the muskrat are disappearing. This film explores the changes that have buffeted the region for several decades. Scientists, activists and Aboriginal people describe how lives have been fundamentally altered by the changes. And Satellite images show the dramatic pace of degradation. This production is essential viewing for anyone who cares about wetlands. It is a revealing account of the rapid change and environmental havoc humans can bring to a delicate ecosystem. Environment Development
Seven "Ads To Make You Think" produced for television broadcast by the same people who bring you "Ad Busters" magazine. Media and Communication
This film is currently missing.
The energy centres of the body from the ancient Ayuverdic as seen through western eyes. Where does your consciousness hang out? Get in touch with your feelings. Get insight into your present your reality. Gain an understanding of the energy centres of your body. Learn to recognize a path. Learn where to find your true love. Warning - This tape will amaze, outrage, charm, inform and entertain you. Spirituality Health
Interpreted by Tolling Jennings. This film is currently missing.
The media has a powerful influence in shaping Columbia's international image. But camoflaged by it's fascination with drug violence are massive human rights violations the media has chosen to ignore. The reality of Columbia's hidden war is revealed in The Hidden Story through powerful images and equally powerful testimony of men and women who risk their lives each day to build peace with social justice in Columbia. The Hidden Story analyses the root s of the conflict, the role of the US-sponsored Plan Columbia and the so called "war on drugs", as well as Canada's connection to the worsening crisis. The documentary also explores what's needed to bring peace and justice to Columbia. It ends with a peoples call for international support. Media and Communication Human Rights
discussion guide
This personal documentary chronicles the journey of Canadian filmmaker Colleen Leung as she delves into a startling family secret. Her grandfather, a Chinese immigrant who became a successful businessman and raised a large family on Vancouver Island, was also a husband and father to a second family in China. He supported his overseas wife and children his entire life but kept them a secret from his grandchildren in Canada. Shocked to discover the existence of this family of strangers, Leung travels to china to unravel an astonishing story. Through photos, letters and poignant memories of relatives on both sides of the ocean, she brings to light the economics, politics and circumstances that led to two wives living a continent apart. Against the historical backdrop of China's Cultural revolution and Canada's Exclusion Act, Leung's extraordinary personal Art and Culture
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Rural communities in India, Nepal and Bangladesh bring us a story of tremendous biological wealth in the form of divers crop varieties and uncultivated food plants in fields, seed stores, household patios and common areas. Distinguished scientists and outstanding policy activists leading the Using Agricultural Diversity Awards Program support grassroots research that helps us see the science behind people's actions and the need for policy change. The film focuses on three studies done in South Asia by three Using Diversity programme partners : Li Bird in Nepal, UBINIG in Bangladesh and Deccan Development Society in India. Three South Asian communities walk us through the analysis and celebration of the diversity that gives food sovereignty to the poor and protects the environment. The Hills of Nepal, the flood plains of Bangladesh, the drylands of Deccan. The message is loud and clear: enlightened science and policy making can enhance the wise use of diversity. To do so, it must create interactive and reciprocal relationships between the community and its knowledge on the one hand and the external environment and its knowledge on the other. Development Agriculture
Bacon The Film The Pork Industry in Quebec Hugo Latulippe, Andre Gladu
In the 1990s, large-scale hog producers and their political allies in Quebec City decided to branch out into international markets. The result was a huge growth in hog farms, but bacon, like everything else, has its price in an era of globalization. This film explores the social and environmental impact. Each year the equivalent of 300,000 tanker truckloads of liquid hog manure are spread over the land, with alarming consequences. The soil is showing signs of sterility, rivers are being contaminated, and in some communities, water has become a hazard. Director Hugo Latulippe spent a year crisscrossing the province to interview the major players in Quebec's hog industry as well as opponents of unchecked development. We meet a citizens' group dedicated to defending their rural way of life and to keeping society on a human scale. Abandoned by the government, they are making their voices heard and taking back democracy. Agriculture Environment
Abridged version, some subtitles, widescreen format.
Film Club takes us back to the '70s and Trudeau's new policy of multiculturalism. When a Grade 8 teacher, eager to pass along his love of cinema, organized an after-school film club, it attracted a handful of immigrant kids eager to embrace their new country. Stimulating and creative, and unlike anything they had experienced before, the club was a haven from schoolyard taunts and the harsh world around them. Now grown, the film club members speak candidly about their struggles to fit in at school and the legacy of the club. Their personal, often touching, stories - from joining the French Foreign Legion and a rock band to converting to Christianity - reveal the surprising drama contained within apparently ordinary lives. Art and Culture
Winner of the 2000 Reel Diversity Ontario Competition
and Afghanistan, always in extremely hazardous conditions. What impels women and men like Dr. Picard to leave their easy lives behind and go off to do what little they can to alleviate human suffering? Whatever the motivation, the doctors are in the field, providing medical care and helping to draw attention to distant places often forgotten by the world's media. Places like Harper, a small town in Liberia devastated by a decade of civil war. This is where we follow Dr. Picard on her rounds. With her halting English, her comforting presence and a few scarce drugs, she sometimes manages to do the impossible. But not always. Health Development
Bioregionalism: Maps With Teeth Ways We Live: Exploring Community Series (10 programs) Asterisk Productions, Vision TV, and British Columbia Film
Just where is "here"? Mapping is an ingenious way to communicate visually a sense of place, be it rural or uban, by the people who live in and care for that place. The process of creating bioregional maps creates the potential for change and a sustainable future. Community Environment
Magic Lantern Video Collection. This film is currently missing.
Activism
In the Flesh in the heart in the mind Gordon McLennan, Joe MacDonald
Male. Female. Man. Woman. In this provocative documentary, director Gordon McLennan challenges the rigid conventions that accompany these labels. Introducing us to four very different people who are transsexuals, he explores traditional assumptions about gender and what happens when a person's inner sense of identity conflicts with society's expectations. Rose, Mirha, Peter and Chris speak frankly about sexuality, relationships, family and self. They also discuss the need for social support for transsexuals and for tolerance and equality. Most importantly, they talk about healing. This film is an inspiring look at how these individuals are trying to gain control of their lives in all aspects: in the mind, in the heart and in the flesh. Sexuality
Warning: Contains nudity and coarse language
WTO and the Global War System, The Steve Staples and Working TV
The WTO and the Global War System was organized by American and Canadian peace groups as part of civil society activities surrounding the Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade Organization in Seattle in November, 1999. The forum examined the links between economic globalization, the WTO and militarism. It looked at
how the WTO's promotion of economic globalization undermines security, creates conflict and promotes Globalization Peace and Conflict
This film is currently missing.
This is the first video in Canada to provide a real glimpse of the emerging movement against corporate rule. From teach-ins to sit-ins, students and youth are working with others to target and expose the corporate players behind government cutbacks and the private take-over of our public institutions and social programs. Based on the Global Teach-in held in Toronto in November, 1997, Beyond McWorld will help equip you and your organization to fight corporate rule. The is video is the first of many materials to come from Operation 2000, a program designed to equip student and youth activists with the tools necessary to tackle the issues of economic justice and environmental sustainability in this era of globalization and corporate rule. Activism Globalization
Broadcast in association with Deep Dish Satellite Network, Free Speech TV and Manhattan Neighborhood Network's youth Initiated channel Access orbit compiles five hours of youth produced video from around the country. This collection showcases different genres and styles of diverse work that analyzes, expresses, and celebrates our communities and
perspectives. Identity, community, independence, creative culture, experimental film and video, social justice, global issues, media criticism and activism are covered through segments of nationally-produced short-format work. Access Orbit is the first-ever television series produced by youth. It puts youth producers at the helm of a national video initiative and helps foster a national network of youth producers. To create this series, Paper Tiger surveyed the thriving community of youth media for young makers, blurring boundaries of geography. In order to decide content, Youth Coordinators and Collective Members at Paper Tiger Television asked young people around the world what issues matter most to them. Each hour contains a different theme that represents a national perspective on youth issues. Don't hate the media, make the media. Children and Youth Media and Communication
Two tapes. This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-8970525.
With english subtitles. This film has been archived. To borrow this film, please contact Ed Carswell at 250-897- 0525.
Booker Prizewinner Arundhati Roys bold and controversial campaign against the Narmada Dam Project in India which led to her conviction for criminal contempt in Indias Supreme Court is chronicled in this politically pointed film. "I suddenly realized I command the space to raise a dissenting voice," explains Roy, "and if I dont do it, its as political as doing it. To stay quiet is as political an act as speaking out." The film traces the events that led to her imprisonment. Since 1985, a popular movement of thousands of poor rural people has grown: against the dam, against submergence, in favour of peoples rights to the natural resources they depend upon to survive.
In 1989 the people of the Pacific Island of Bougainville closed one of the worlds largest copper mines that was destroying their land. In response, a blockade was imposed around the island. This is a film about a people who survived for 9 years without assistance from the outside world. They built their own schools and colleges, and turned to their traditional bush medicines. Without communications they charged batteries using solar power to run satellite telephones and 2 way radios and they generated their own electricity by harnessing water energy. They even used fermented coconut oil as a substitute for diesel fuel. An inspiring story of courage, creativity and survival. Community
The Vancouver Island Compassion Society was established to provide affordable, medical-grade cannabis to local patients. But all this changed when the police raided the Societys shop and confiscated its medicine. This dramatic story is fueled by the commitment and passion of the Societys operators, the anxiety and desperate need of its patients, heated debate within the medical community, and exasperation of the police who are asking for clarity as they attempt to enforce unenforceable laws. This film includes a look inside a medical marijuana grow-operation, an interview with former Health Minister Alan Rock, and also examines the impact of the United States government on our current drug legislation.
Health
Canadians eat over 3 billion bananas a year even though the nearest plantation is 5000 kilometers away, but the fruit also provides a lifeline for poor communities in Asia, Africa and Latin America. We travel to Honduras, the first of the "Banana Republics" where the companies got rich at the expense of the local people. This film introduces some of the reasons we should pause to think about who is producing our food and what they are being paid to do so. Entertaining and informative. See: www.globalexchange.org Globalization Agriculture
In 1992 a young Iranian student hanged himself from a tree in a small Ontario town. Having escaped the Ayatollahs regime and found a new home in Canada, he could not escape his past. Troubled by the suicide, Masoud Raouf assembles a group of Iranians--all former political prisoners like himself, active in the Iranian democratic movement. Blending their haunting stories with historical footage and original artwork, he honours the memory of the dead and celebrates the resilience of the living. Art and Culture History
Best Social Documentary, Yorkton Film Festival; Silver Award for Best Canadian Documentary, 2002 Hot Docs
The Friendship Village tells the story of George Mizos journey from war hero to peace activist. Badly wounded at Que Son in January 1968, Mizo discovered later that his entire platoon had been wiped out in combat. He returned home filled with anger, which he poured into protest against the war. As the years passed, his commitment to the peace movement increased. The film focuses on his efforts to help found a village for Vietnamese children and adults suffering from illnesses related to Agent Orange. Among his colleagues on the project: Sr. Lt-General Tran Van Quang, the same man who planned and led the Vietnamese assault at Que Son. This is a remarkable story of reconciliation and healing. Activism Peace and Conflict
mail-order bride industry. Say I Do chronicles the stories of three brides from the Philippines and two women seeking Canadian husbands. Faced with an uncertain future, these women opt to gamble with their lives to escape poverty and support their families. Ultimately, these relationships emerge from the inequalities of global capitalism but are also based in a sincere desire for companionship. Although some of the women find stability, they all share a sense of isolation as they face the consequences of their risky decision. Women
In Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia, the US "War on Drugs" is exposed as a fraud. This documentary brings us the stories of coca-growing peasants, anti-narcotic patrols, US lawmakers and Colombian FARC rebels. In Colombia, fumigation planes poison food crops and people as well as coca plants. Farmers cannot afford to send their children to school when their crops are destroyed. Ironically, sometimes the only alternative left for them is to switch to growing coca. Human Rights
Certificate for Creative Excellence, US Film and Video Festival, Chicago
Award-winning journalist and filmmaker, John Pilger returns to the West Bank of the Jordan and Gaza, and to Israel, to ask why the Palestinians, whose right of return was affirmed by the UN more than half a century ago, are still caught in a terrible limbo, refugees in their own land. In a series of extraordinary interviews, Pilger weaves together the issues of Palestine. He speaks to the families of suicide bombers and their victims; he sees the humiliation of Palestinians imposed on them at myriad checkpoints and with a permit system not dissimilar to apartheid. This is a film about a nation of people, traumatized, humiliated and yet resilient. (Some disturbing scenes) Peace and Conflict Human Rights
Writer/ Presenter: John Pilger
Rise: Revolutionary Women Re-envisioning Afghanistan RAWA (Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan)
Members of RAWA used a regular camera and hidden cameras to document the lives of Afghans following the American-led military campaign. RAWA members interview refugees, victims of factional fighting and Taliban abuse as well as residents who witnessed the bombings of civilian homes. RAWA spokeswomen call for gender equality, democracy, freedom, and an end to foreign military intervention. Peace and Conflict Women
Books Not Bars documents the inspiring youth-led movement against the massive prison industry in the US. The film reveals misperceptions about the criminalization of youth, particularly youth of colour, and highlights the relationship between increases in prison spending and decreases in education spending. Inspiring examples of peer activism, youth organizing and successful mobilizing around prison issues. Children and Youth Activism
Third Prize, San Francisco Black Film Festival
The legendary Zapotec women of southern Oaxaca, Mexico have been described as "guardians of men, distributors of food." Artist Frida Kahlo celebrated their beauty and intelligence. Blossoms of Fire shows
them in all their brightly coloured, opinionated glory as they run their own businesses, embroider their signature fiery blossoms on clothing and comment with angry humour on articles in the foreign press that inaccurately depict them as a promiscuous matriarchy. A history of resisting aggressors has resulted in fierce independence and progressive politics. Their acceptance of alternative gender roles is an example of refusing to conform to a macho cultural standard. Fiestas are celebrations which build community. Women Art and Culture
Award for Excellence, American Anthropological Association; Best of Festival, Sunnyside of the Doc Film Market, Marseilles
War has a dirty secret; it never really ends. Archival images and personal stories are woven into a portrait of lingering devastation. Filmed on location in Russia, France, Bosnia and Vietnam, the documentary features accounts of individuals involved in the cleanup of war: de-miners who risk their lives on a daily basis, psychologists working with distraught soldiers in Bosnia, a treasure hunter turned archeologist in Stalingrad, and scientists and doctors struggling with the contamination of dioxin used during the Vietnam War. A powerful plea for peace. (Some scenes contain graphic images) Peace and Conflict History
During the 1980s, the US supported a series of loathsome regimes in El Salvador. Over 80,000 Salvadorians were "disappeared" and thousands more tortured. Maria Guardado was one of the survivors who is still fighting back. Maria came to Los Angeles in 1983 as a refugee bearing the scars of brutality. She had fled El Salvador three years earlier after being kidnapped, tortured, and left for dead by military authorities some with American accents. Guardado makes the links between the struggles against repression in Central America and the grassroots efforts in the US on behalf of immigrants, low-income wage earners, minorities and others. Best Documentary, 2002 New York International Latino film Festival. (Some disturbing scenes) Human Rights Activism
A patron at Bishops, one of Vancouvers top restaurants, asks renowned Canadian chef John Bishop whether or not his foods are "GM" (genetically modified.) Embarrassed, he admits that he doesnt know the answer. Although he uses mostly organically grown produce in his recipes, he realizes that he knows absolutely nothing about genetically modified foods. With a hearty appetite for both food and information, chef Bishop explores the politics, economics and ethics of eating. His journey around the world takes viewers on an eyeopening and engaging adventure into the billion-dollar battle to control global food production, unraveling fact from fiction. The results are startling, unexpected and thought-provoking. Health Agriculture
Between March and October 2000, Millions of people took to the streets to denounce poverty and violence against women. The historic World March of Women, a bold initiative of the Quebec Federation of Women, was a turning point in global solidarity with 161 countries participating. Filmmakers from several countries present innovative projects being developed by women on all five continents. In Australia, we see the Womens Circus started by survivors of sexual assault. Brave Colombian women marched to FARC headquarters to demand to be heard in the peace process. Their goal? To change the world! Women Activism
"People arent poor; they are impoverished." This film shows how poor people subsidize others and how modern agriculture undermines food security in rural Bangladesh. We learn about the work of Inter Pares, a Canadian non-governmental organization and its partner group in Bangladesh, UBINIG (Policy Research for
Development Alternatives.) The collaborative work of these groups involves 90,000 farming families who reject chemical farming. Their methods also use less fossil fuels. Women share traditional knowledge of seed saving and are active in the "new" agricultural movement. Development Agriculture
Over 27 million men, women and children live in slavery around the world today. This film looks at ordinary men and women in four different countries who are the new abolitionists. In Sudan and Mali, Canadians are working to free slaves and reunite them with their families. In Victoria, former sex-trade worker Cherry Kingsley helps young people enslaved in prostitution re-integrate into society. And in the brickyards of India, the Pandits free and rehabilitate slaves from bonded labour while they re-educate the slave-owners. Responsible solutions are explored. See: www.antislavery.org Human Rights
From the first days under the colonial powers of Portugal, through occupation by Indonesia, to their last days under UN rule, we chart the agonizing battle for freedom in this troubled nation. Falintil is an elite corps of guerilla fighters dedicated to freeing East Timor. In the lead up to the referendum for independence, the Indonesian army planned to use local militia to smoke the guerrillas out of the mountains, but when Falintil discovered the plot, they confined all soldiers to camp. Under tremendous pressure to fight, they proved that "to win without fighting is the best strategy of all." Using exclusive footage of pivotal events, this is a compelling look at the last years of East Timors 24 year long struggle for independence. Peace and Conflict
Human Rights
Since unhitching its peso to the US dollar, Argentina has suffered a spectacular economic collapse. When the government froze all bank accounts, angry citizens took to the streets banging pots and pans to protest and "picaterros" blockaded roads. At least 40% of Argentinas once predominantly middle-class population now lives in poverty. But new forms of organizing are emerging. At least 20% of the population now regularly use barter clubs. Goods and services from lab tests and x-rays to airline flights are available with this new Economics Activism
Fed Up! features interviews with Vandana Shiva, noted author, activist and scientist, Peter Rosset and Anuradha Mittal of Food First, Marc Lappe and Britt Bailey of the Center for Ethics and Toxics, and others. Using these interviews and hilarious and shocking archival footage, Fed Up! paints a picture of a food system driven out of control by the quest for corporate profits to the detriment of small farmers and consumers everywhere. Find out about the origins of chemical agriculture, the "Green Revolution", the negative impacts of industrial farming practices on the environment and people's health as well as how ordinary folks can take back control over the very foundation of life, the food we eat. www.foodfirst.org Agriculture Activism
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An ironic and engaging short on how worries of an impending economic downturn following the events of September 11th have caused corporations to cut their budgets. Blending documentary with narrative, the true priorities of the airline industry are exposed. Economics Peace and Conflict
Fairview Gardens is an urban farm located in Goleta, California, right in the middle of some of the most expensive real estate in the U.S. Managed for the past two decades by visionary farmer/photographer/author, Michael Ableman, this 12-acre organic farm has become a model of sustainable food production and community involvement, as well as an inspiration for thousands of people all over the world. Ableman traveled around the world learning from the best examples of traditional agriculture. He became an outspoken critic of large-scale commercial agriculture, with its reliance on vast inputs of fossil fuels, water, pesticides and other chemicals. Beautifully photographed. Agriculture Community
strike back. Pranksters and subversive artists are causing a bit of brand damage to corporate "mindshare." Jammers, cultural commentators, and a constitutional lawyer take us on a wild ride through San Francisco, Toronto and New Yorks Times Square. Join followers of Reverend Billy from the Church of Stop Shopping at his revival meeting in the Disney store. This film asks "Is it civil disobedience, vandalism, drive-by cultural criticism, or the only form of self-defense left?" Enjoy the ride. Art and Culture Media and Communication
This production is a thoughtful retrospective on the four year struggle to preserve Macdonald Wood on the edge of the town of Comox, BC. The wooded ten acre waterfront parcel of land had been purchased by a developer with the intent of logging it and building condominiums. Key figures in the intense debate include various politicians, citizens opposed to paying increased taxes to preserve the area, and a committed group of individuals who put enormous efforts into saving what they believe to be a very special place. As environmentalist Ruth Masters says " when all else fails, get out there and stand." This is the story of a small triumph for the spirit of activism. Narration: Des Kennedy Activism Environment
San Bushmen of the Kalahari lived a nomadic life for over 30,000 years without any concept of land ownership. As European settlers arrived, the San were forced off their traditional territories and were themselves hunted. With their traditions threatened by the encroachment of land ownership and economic pressures, the San people of the central Kalahari gather for an outdoor screening of The Great Dance and share in a renewed appreciation of the importance of their hunting traditions. Renewed hope and pride in being San is critical in their struggle for land claims and reclaiming their heritage. Aboriginal
spiritual and physical reality of life under apartheid and to the joyous celebration when Nelson Mandela was set free. Audience Award and Freedom of Expression Award at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival Human Rights Art and Culture
May not be available due to permission pending.
Canada to the US, Mexico, France, Brazil and India to explore the consequences of corporations voracious appetite for profits. Commentary by Maude Barlow, Percy Schmeiser, Vandana Shiva, Jeremy Rifkin and others who are challenging the corporate agenda. Globalization
Community
Breaking the Silence Truth and Lies in the War on Terror John Pilger
Award-winning filmmaker and journalist, John Pilger investigates George W. Bushs "war on terror" and the real motives behind it. In "liberated" Afghanistan, America has its military base and pipeline access, while the people still have the warlords who are, says one woman, "in many ways worse than the Taliban." Interviews include senior Bush officials and former intelligence officers. A former senior CIA official tells Pilger that the whole issue of weapons of mass destruction was "95% charade." Filmed in Afghanistan and the US with previously unseen material acquired from Iraq. Peace and Conflict Globalization
This film is currently missing.
Dove Days Journeys With Pakistan's Insan Street Theatre Barrie Kohen
Dove Days documents the poignant exchange between Pakistans phenomenal Insan Street Theatre troupe and Canadian high school teens. The Insan Foundation is dedicated to eliminating child rights violations. The Street Theatre troupe is comprised of former child labourers. Since Sept 11, 2001, the troupe has focussed on peace issues - even taking risks to perform in areas of Pakistan where they expected hostile audiences. Sharing the stories that motivated them to get involved in working creatively for social change, they inspire and motivate young Canadians. Art and Culture Human Rights
The Road to Hope documents the tragedy and hope of the people of Nicaragua, from the Contra war and Hurricane Mitch to current economic injustices. Through the images and stories of Nicaraguan potters, this documentary details the training and informational exchange between Nicaraguan potters and the organization Potters for Peace. Potters for Peace has assisted in the design and production of ceramic water filters as well as developing international markets for Nicaraguan pottery. Creative alternatives are improving peoples lives. Inspiring! Development Community
Decades of poor fisheries management and habitat loss have decimated many wild salmon runs in the Pacific Northwest. Now there's a new way to produce fish - raising them in giant underwater cages known as "net pens." Net Loss contends that fish farms have become a serious new threat to the survival of wild salmon. Filmed in Chile, Washington, and British Columbia, Net Loss assesses the risks and benefits of salmon farming through interviews with government and industry spokesmen, who make the case for salmon farming, and the fishers, native people, and scientists who warn of the dangers it poses and the damage it has already done. Environment Science and Technology
This award-winning documentary follows Stephen Lewis on his incredible journey - a personal voyage that led him from hope to despair to hope again. In 2001, Kofi Annan had declared a war on AIDS and established a UN Global Fund to fight the disease. But then came September 11, and the worlds attention turned elsewhere. With promises of aid to Africa broken, Lewiss optimism turned to disbelief. More than six thousand people die of AIDS every day, leaving 11 million orphans under the age of 15. In Africa, life-prolonging drugs are available to only a fraction of the people who need them. In 2003, the momentum is finally re-ignited. Endless disputes about how countries with health crises can overthrow the patents held by big pharmaceutical companies in order to access cheaper generics have been settled. The World Health Organization has pledged to have three million people on anti-AIDS drugs by 2005. That will amount to a staggering six million pills every day. It was the sheer volume of drugs needed that led Lewis and some Canadian aid agencies to challenge the Canadian government to pass legislation allowing patents to be put aside so cheaper generics can be produced. If the legislation passes, it will make history. Health Development
End of Suburbia, The Oil Depletion and the End of the American Dream Post Carbon Institute
Since World War II North Americans have invested much in suburbia with its promised sense of space, affordability, family life and upward mobility. Serious questions are now being raised about the sustainability of this way of life. With brutal honesty and a touch of irony, this film explores the "American Way of Life" and its prospects as the global demand for fossil fuels outstrips the supply. Some scientists argue that world "Oil Peak" and the inevitable decline in fossil fuels are upon us now. The consequences of inaction in the face of this global crisis are enormous. What can be done now, individually and collectively to change the way we live in community? Environment Community
"I know we're poor, but it's what we are not who we are." Shot in an intimate, cinema verite style, No Place Called Home follows the Rice Family over the course of a year as they move in search of affordable housing. Kay Rice has just moved with husband, Karl, and her six children to a small, run-down rental house. Just as the family's circumstances are looking slightly better, things turn sour with the landlord who threatens eviction. Kay, worried that a veiled threat in a letter may mean losing her children, decides to take her landlord to court. With a photojournalist's eye, director Craig Chivers infuses No Place Called Home with humanity and stark realism as he illustrates the desperate struggle faced by the Rices and a growing number of working poor families across Canada. Labour and Employment Children and Youth
After the revolution of 1959 and the US embargo that followed, the people of Cuba were left to fend for themselves. Deprived of some of the most basic goods, they scavenge the alleys and scrap heaps, giving new vitality to the discarded. Their recycled products are often remarkably ingenious and creative. Nothing can crush the spirit nor quash the desire to forge a better life for themselves and their families. Shot entirely in Cuba, Sin Embargo is a look into the hearts and dreams of struggling peoples and a tribute to their optimistic and resourceful determination to survive. Best Documentary, Festival de Cine de Granada, Spain 2003 Development Economics
Wild Horses, Unconquered People explores the intriguing relationship between the Xeni Gwetin, a tiny band of Tsilhqotin Indians, and hundreds of wild horses that mysteriously roam B.C.s rugged Nemiah Valley described as Canadas Nepal. For what is arguably North Americas last true horse culture, the untamed spirits are an economic and spiritual resource - a powerful icon in a century-old fight with the government and
Genetic Matrix, The The Schmeiser Case and the Fight for the Future of Life Council of Canadians & Dead Crow Productions
In 1996, Monsanto released genetically engineered herbicide tolerant canola in Canada. Farmers Percy & Louise Schmeiser were sued in 1998 by Monsanto for infringing a gene patent on this canola. Monsanto vs Schmeiser was the first case in the world arguing that a patent over a lifeform had been violated. Schmeiser was forced to turn over his entire crop and the seeds he and his wife spent 50 years cultivating. The six year "David vs. Goliath" court battle raised issues of life patents while the public discourse continues to focus on issues of food safety and labelling. Percy received the Mahatma Gandhi award for his non-violent service to humanity in 2000. See: www.percyschmeiser.com www.canadians.org www.vshiva.net Agriculture Activism
A Benign Presence portrays in vivid cinematography the life history of the Trumpeter Swan, including the Comox Valley community's involvement in the conservation of this species. The film also conveys a sense of wonder and delight in the natural world, which gives us a sense of hope that our society can be transformed from one that is having a disruptive influence on the earth to one that will have a benign presence. Environment Community
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A miracle treatment for obesity - the scourge of modern society - has been discovered on the lands of a stoneage tribe of San Bushmen, living on the edge of civilisation in Southern Africa. If the 'miracle molecule' inside the Hoodia cactus can be transformed into a bestselling anti-fat pill by Pfizer, the pharmaceutical giant responsible for Viagra, the San Bushmen stand to make millions of dollars in royalties. Tom Mangold talks to the elusive San leaders as they debate how they should spend their windfall, and tracks the plant pirates from the First World who are trying to steal the precious Hoodia. Globalization Human Rights
Orwell Rolls in His Grave is a searingly insightful documentary on the political threat posed by a corporate media aligned with a radical right wing White House. Pappas, on a bare bones budget, assembles the "Ateam" roster of media critics and then weaves their comments together with music, reflections, and documentary footage that keeps you mesmerized with its brilliant insight. This is a must see, a wake-up call that we have already entered an Orwellian world when history, context, and language are redefined daily by the government, as the media broadcasts the new version of the "truth" without question. Media and Communication
Search for Freedom traces the dramatic social and political history of Afghanistan from the 1920s to the present through the stories of four remarkable women: Princess Shafiqa Saroj, sister of the beloved progressive King Amanullah (1919-1929); Mairman Parveen, the first woman to sing on Afghan radio; Moshina, a war widow and survivor of a Taliban massacre; and Sohaila, an exiled medical student who ran underground schools for RAWA (Revolutionary Association of Afghan Women) during the Taliban regime. Archival footage from the early 20th century captures a time of remarkable progress and freedom for women. Defying and clarifying the image of Afghan women as mere victims, Search for Freedom offers a nuanced portrait of women who find choices where none are offered, who continue to find hope in the face of exile and isolation. Women History
politics and education. A fiery national debate ensued between academic and conservative forces. Through These Eyes looks back at the high stakes of this controversial curriculum, as two cultures came into contact with people and traditions distinct from their own. Decades later, as US influence continues to affect cultures worldwide, the story of MACOS resonates strongly. Aboriginal Education
When all of Bush's pro-war arguments have been proven wrong, is it a coincidence that Iraq sits on the 2nd largest oil reserves in the world? Is it also a coincidence that Afghanistan is key to controlling the oil reserves of Central Asia at a time when the world's oil supply is dwindling? The Oil Factor: Behind the War on Terror examines the link between oil interests and U.S. military interventions. It includes original footage shot over a four-month period in Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan as well as many interviews with a large array of personalities including Bush administration officials. The documentary explores the various underlying motives behind the so-called "war-on-terror" and offers insights into why global terrorism is thriving and why the world is becoming a more and more unsafe place. "The Oil Factor" also makes a clear assessment of today's global oil situation with sky-rocketing consumption and declining production. Peace and Conflict Economics
Colombian filmmakers Trujillo and Castao turn the cameras on themselves to portray the tough realities of civil life in the violent, war-ravaged country of Colombia. Partners in an independent media company, they struggle to balance their family, business and political lives: reporting from dangerous parts of the country; managing their company; parenting young children amid threats of violence and kidnapping; and rethinking their political views as war moves closer to the city. The film provides insight and historical background. Powerfully intimate and sometimes humorous, their chronicle reveals how life goes on in Colombia - however surreal - against the terrifying backdrop of war. Human Rights Watch Film Festival Peace and Conflict Development
Is water part of a shared "commons", a human right for all people? Or is it a commodity to be bought, sold, and traded in a global marketplace? Thirst tells the stories of communities in Bolivia, India, and the United States that are asking these fundamental questions, as water becomes the most valuable global resource of the 21st Century. A character-driven documentary, Thirst reveals how the debate over water rights between communities and corporations can serve as a catalyst for explosive and steadfast resistance to globalization. Globalization Human Rights
Earth + Air + Fire + Water = Life. In a time when people are thirsty for honesty, inspiration, meaning and global change, Dr. David Suzuki delivers the most important message of his career: what it means to be fully human in our interconnected universe. The film's stunning motion graphics weave a tapestry that transforms Dr. Suzuki's wisdom into a complete sensory experience, literally creating new worlds and new ways of seeing. Suzuki Speaks will leave you feeling renewed, challenged and alive. "Weve framed the environmental problem the wrong way. Theres no environment "out there" for us to interact with. We are the environment, because we are the Earth." (David Suzuki) Environment
In a world teetering on the edge of self-destruction, award-winning filmmaker Velcrow Ripper sets out on a unique pilgrimage. Visiting the Ground Zeros of the planet, he asks if its possible to find hope in the darkest moments of human history. Ripper travels to the minefields of Cambodia; war-torn Afghanistan; the toxic wasteland of Bhopal; post-9/11 New York; Bosnia; Hiroshima; Israel and Palestine. This unflinching documentary captures his five-year odyssey to discover if humanity can transform the 'scared' into the 'sacred.' Confronting horror and heartbreak around the world, Ripper meets those who have suffered first-hand. And in each place, he unearths unforgettable stories of survival, ritual, resilience and recovery. Scared Sacred brings together powerful stories, deftly weaving haunting and luminous footage with words, memories, and an evocative soundscape. Featuring an engaging, first-person narrative, this film is an exquisite portrait of a search for meaning in times of turmoil. Special Jury Prize at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival Spirituality Peace and Conflict
Revolution Will Not Be Televised, The Hugo Chavez: Inside the Coup Kim Bartley & Donnacha O'Brian
Hugo Chavez, elected president of Venezuela in 1998, is a colourful folk hero, beloved by his nation's working class and a tough-as-nails, quixotic opponent to the power structure that would see him deposed. Two independent filmmakers were inside the presidential palace on April 11, 2002, when he was forcibly removed from office and they were still there 48 hours later when Chavez returned to power amid cheering aides. The energy and pace of this documentary, combined with remarkable insider footage, make it a thrilling experience for the viewer. A combination of intelligence, passion, and humour illuminates this controversial tale of big oil, international intrigue, charismatic leadership, class struggle, revolution and ultimately, the hopes of people for real democracy. In spite of suppression in the USA, the film has won numerous awards including: Best Documentary: International Documentary Awards (USA);3 Continents Film Festival (South Africa); Malaga Int'l Film Festival (Spain) Peace and Conflict Media and Communication
Millions of children in Africa have lost their parents to AIDS. Filmed over a seven-month period, 'Their Brothers Keepers' goes inside Chazanga Compound, a shantytown in Lusaka, Zambia. The crew focuses on two families headed by children, and their ongoing struggle for food, water, schooling and health care. Local community and aid workers offer support but lack any real resources. Throughout the film, excerpts from speeches by Stephen Lewis fill in the broader social context. Stunning photography and an exquisite musical score contrast sharply with the surreal lives of these heroic children. Their Brothers' Keepers powerfully conveys the sense of hope grounded in the human spirit to survive. Many Awards: Best Social/Political Documentary, Yorkton Film & Video Festival Children and Youth Health
Two Worlds Colliding chronicles the painful story of what came to be known as Saskatoon's infamous "freezing deaths," and the schism between a fearful, mistrustful Aboriginal community and a police force that must come to terms with a shocking secret. One frigid night in January 2000, a Native man, Darrell Night, finds himself dumped by two police officers in 20 C temperatures in a barren field on the city outskirts and finds shelter at a nearby power station. When Night comes forward with his story, he sets into motion a chain of events: a major RCMP investigation into several suspicious deaths, the conviction of the two constables who abandoned him and the reopening of an old case, leading to a judicial inquiry. It remains to be seen whether the gulf between the two worlds can be bridged.
Follow the searing, emotional journey of Canadian Lt-General Romo Dallaire, who commanded the UN peacekeeping troops in Rwanda in 1994. It was during this mission that 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered during the Rwanda genocide. This experience led to Dallaire's own life tragedies as he dealt with the psychological fallout of witnessing a genocide he was powerless to stop. Filmed during General Dallaire's first return to Rwanda, in April 2004, Shake Hands with the Devil is based in part on his bestselling book of the same name.. Awards include: Sundance Audience Award, World Cinema Documentary; Canadas Top Ten of 2004, Toronto International Film Festival Peace and Conflict
Disturbing images
Hijacking Catastrophe 9/11, Fear and the Selling of the American Empire Jeremy Earp and Sut Jhally
This documentary examines how a radical fringe of the Republican Party has used the trauma of the 9/11 attacks to advance a pre-existing agenda to radically transform American foreign policy while rolling back civil liberties and social programs at home. Hijacking Catastrophe places the Bush Administration's false justifications for war in Iraq within the larger context of a two-decade struggle by neoconservatives to dramatically increase military spending in the wake of the Cold War, and to expand American power globally by means of military force. The documentary argues that the Bush Administration has sold this radical and controversial plan by deliberately manipulating intelligence, political imagery, and the fears of the American people. Peace and Conflict Media and Communication
Nelofer Pazira, the star of the movie Kandahar, returns to Afghanistan to seek out her childhood friend Dyana, whose story inspired that film. Landing in Kabul 13 years after her family left Russian-occupied Afghanistan, Nelofer unravels her past and the history of her country while searching for Dyana. The epic journey takes her to Kabul, Kandahar and Masir-e-Sharif, where Dyana's uncle last had contact with her family. Nelofer journeys across a broken land smashed by war with the Russians, years of anarchy under the Northern Alliance, the Taliban, and now by America's "war on terror." Incisively weaving Nelofer's personal story with that of Afghanistan itself, the film shows a country once again in the grip of warlords. Numerous International awards including: Gemini; Best International Documentary Peace and Conflict Women
Twenty-five films in twenty-five minutes. This scratch video culture jam samples twenty-five Hollywood feature films creating a subversive, sometimes hilarious, deep ecology riff using the language of the masses. In a vertically integrated media environment a little editing software can be a powerful tool.
For over 20 years, global economic forces have been dismantling public education in Mexico, but always in the constant shadow of popular resistance. Granito de Arena is the story of that resistance, the story of hundreds of thousands of public schoolteachers whose grassroots, non-violent movement took Mexico by surprise, and who have endured brutal repression in their 25-year struggle to defend public education. Interviews with internationally-recognized figures, such as Eduardo Galeano and Maude Barlow, place the Mexican teachers struggle in a global context, clearly spelling out the relationship between economic globalization and the worldwide public education crisis. Nominee- International Documentary Associations 2005 Pare Lorentz Award. Globalization Education
Michelle Dumaresq is one of B.C.'s top competitive downhill mountain bike racers. So why is there an effort afoot to oust her from the competition? Because Michelle used to be Michael and several of her competitors think that gives her an unfair advantage. 100% Woman follows Michelle from the 2002 B.C. Cup, her first pro race, to the World Championships in Austria. Reactions range from racing superstar Missy Giove's words of support to talk of a boycott from some of the other racers. Michelle's grace, humour and passion for racing hold steadfast in the face of lost friendships and an outspoken opposition to her presence in the competition. Thought-provoking. Sexuality Women
and emcee, Knaan, the Dusty Foot Philosopher. Now living in Toronto, this is Knaans first trip back to Africa since he escaped the war in Somalia in 1991. He returns to film his first music video for his song "Soobax" a protest song that speaks directly to the warlords of Somalia. Meet local hero, Salim Mohamed, who takes us to his community, Kibera, the largest slum in East Africa where Salim runs a medical clinic and a community development sports program involving over 5,000 young people. The film crew also connects with Kenyas vibrant hip-hop scene. (www.DirectCurrentMedia.com) Development Peace and Conflict
The girl sits at the piano and plays the opening bars of Fr Elise. Daniel Mergler has heard the Beethoven bagatelle countless times over the decades, but this is different. He listens with surprise, and delight lights up the old man's eyes. The young pianist is Xin Ben, the 9-year-old daughter of Chinese immigrants. Fate has brought her to Mr Mergler, a music teacher whose career is drawing to a close. Mr Mergler's Gift is the moving account of a student and her mentor, and a lyrical homage to the transcendent power of music. Xin Ben illuminates Mr. Merglers final months with her youthful talent, and in return he lovingly guides her towards a life in music. Oscar-winning filmmaker Berverly Shaffer crafts a film of elegant simplicity and deep emotion, gracefully documenting a dying man's dedication to his young prodigy. Art and Culture Spirituality
Disabilities Community
For home video sales, contact: info@welcomechange.org. A portion of proceeds go to Larrys trust fund.
This film explores some of the concerns surrounding salmon aquaculture in BC and the importance of wild salmon to coastal communities. 18 new fish farms are planned for the pristine waters surrounding the Skeena River, one of the largest wild salmon producing rivers in Canada. Roscovich takes us underwater to catch glimpses of what is happening to the marine life in areas around fish farms. First Nations spokespeople, researchers, sports and commercial fishers point to changes they are witnessing since the introduction of industrial salmon farming to their area. Beautiful cinematography. Environment Agriculture
The Future of Food offers an in-depth investigation into the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled U.S. grocery store shelves for the past decade. From Saskatchewan to the fields of Oaxaca, Mexico, this film gives a voice to farmers whose lives and livelihoods have been negatively impacted by this new technology. The health implications, government policies and push towards globalization are all part of the reason many people are alarmed by the introduction of genetically altered crops into our food supply. A complex web of market and political forces are changing what we eat. Alternatives such as organic and sustainable agriculture offer real solutions to the farm crisis today. Agriculture Science and Technology
Sunset Story is a funny and intimate documentary that will make you think differently about growing old. Set against the backdrop of a retirement home in Los Angeles for "free-thinking elderly", the film follows Irja (81) and Lucille (95), whose feisty engagement with life draws them together inextricably. Irja and Lucille explode familiar stereotypes of doddering "old ladies." Sharp-witted, up-to-date, and often provocative, the two are not afraid to weigh in with opinions on men, sex, gender roles, and social attitudes toward the elderly. They operate as an odd couple, with Irja the eternal idealist and Lucille, the irreverent irreverent sceptic, cracking ironic dry jokes. Special Jury Award: 2003 Tribeca Film Festival
Women
Che Guevaras daughter Aleida interviews Hugo Chavez in Venezuelas revolutionary terrain after April 2002 when Chavez survived a coup attempt instigated by the United States. Chavez describes his fiercely nationalist vision for Venezuela and his personal political formation. Jorge Garcia Carneiro, newly appointed head of the Venezuelan Armed Forces adds his perspective on the role of the Armed Forces in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. This film affords a rare glimpse through the blockade of information imposed by the United States and into a country rich with hope, dreams andoil. Media and Communication Development
From a sixth generation Israeli and director of My Terrorist comes this courageous and provocative personal essay in which Gerstel questions her own decision to return and raise her family in war-torn Israel, while
challenging the myths of Zionism. As she wonders about the future that awaits her daughters in a country embroiled in continuous war, she stretches a connecting thread from the Holocaust to the War of Independence to the rise in settlements and the condition of Palestinian refugees in Israel today. Gerstel goes straight to the heart of Israeli national identity as she grapples with the questions what is the price of freedom, and at whose expense? Compelling. Peace and Conflict History
Mission against Terror is an Irish/Cuban co-production that exposes the facts about the decades-long struggle against terror launched from the shores of the United States against the peoples of Cuba. As the title implies, the story articulates the heroic actions of those who risked all to defend the peoples of both countries against acts of terrorism. Five of those patriots of justice languish in Federal prisons throughout the United States, convicted in political show trials of trumped-up charges ranging from conspiracy to commit espionage to conspiracy to commit murder. History Human Rights
Oil on Ice is a vivid, compelling and comprehensive documentary connecting the fate of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to decisions America makes about energy policy, transportation choices, and other matters. Caught in the balance are the culture and livelihood of the Gwich'in Athabascan Indians and Inupiat Eskimos and the migratory wildlife in this fragile ecosystem. Oil on Ice exposes the risks of oil extraction in this extreme environment. It also dramatizes the choice between technologies based on fossil fuels and those that draw upon renewable, efficient, and non-polluting energy resources. Stunning cinematography. Awards include: Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival; Arctic Film Festival; Big Sky Documentary Film Festival; Pare Lorentz Award, International Documentary Association Environment Science and Technology
Featuring voices from the streets of Havana and the Cuban countryside, Bloqueo (or blockade) lets Cubans speak for themselves about how they have been affected by the blockade, and what it means to live in Cuba today. The documentary also features analysis from activists traveling with the Pastors for Peace Caravan, an annual journey calling attention to this controversial policy. Bloqueo looks at the successes that have made Cuba a model in healthcare, environmental stewardship, and other arenas that forge an alternative, and ultimately more sustainable, system. History Development
Set in the West African countries of Ghana and Benin, "Thirsty Planet" reveals the surprising potential of solar ovens. With temperatures often near 40 degrees Celsius, these equatorial regions hold great promise for using the sun to cook food and pasteurize water. In northern Ghana local doctors learn how solar ovens can be used to eradicate parasites from contaminated water. Following these successes, Canada World Youth participants start up their own solar oven projects in Northern Ghana and the Republic of Benin. Locals, who normally walk two or three kilometers to find firewood, are delighted to learn of an alternative method to
pasteurize water. Saving on fuel costs, they are also preserving their forests by using the limitless energy of Environment Development
"Peaceable Kingdom" explores the relationships of farm animals, former farmers, and animal rescuers struggling against industrial agriculture. In doing so, "Peaceable Kingdom" weaves together the themes of respect, forgiveness, commitment and healing, and offers a vision of a more peaceful world. Agriculture Community
This film is not available.
Aftermath: Unanswered Questions from 9/11 Stephen Marshall and Ian Inaba
"Aftermath" addresses 11 unanswered questions regarding the events surrounding 9/11. The responses question the US government's official story. Among those interviewed are George Soros, the billionaire philanthropist and Mike Ruppert Media and Communication Peace and Conflict
Prestegard takes the viewer to the heart of the matter surrounding the imminent decline in world oil production. This documentary explains the concept of Peak Oil and describes the possible consequences of reduced oil production. Colin Campbell, a geologist, investment banker Matthew Simmons, financial risk analyst Richard Webb, journalist Michael Ruppert, and others lay out the issues and the path ahead. Economics Science and Technology
Leanne Allison and Karsten Heuer travel across 1,500 km of arctic wilderness in the company of 120,000 caribou in order to raise the profile of the caribou and the challenges to their survival. Their gruelling 5 month journey reveals the beauty of the arctic and the threat to arctic wildlife, especially the caribou, that oil and gas development in Alaska's National Wildlife Refuge poses. Environment
began as a modest program to expose rural youth to music as a means of personal and social development has become an amazing phenomenon. Teaching musical harmony is also a means of educating people in human harmony, building community and spirit. This inspiring film weaves together impressive performances and interviews with renowned musicians such as Placido Domingo who reflect on the impact of this remarkable social project. Today the program is expanding to include youth with disabilities, including hearing impaired youth. Tocar Y Luchar is an inspirational story of courage, determination, ambition, and love showing us that only those who dream can achieve the impossible. Children and Youth Community
Opening Night Film
Featuring world renowned scientist Dr. Charles Keeling, The Venus Theory is an invaluable tool for clearly explaining the science behind global warming. This film explores the possibility of the Earth's temperature one day equaling the temperature on the planet Venus. Leading scientists from around the world clearly explain the science behind climate change. Also outlined are projections of our atmosphere's warming in the coming century, and what consequences this holds for our planet, various species, and humankind. Environment Science and Technology
Special Jury Award, Best Documentary: 21st International TV Science Programme Festival
Rocked is a grippingly honest and unscripted account of an African country in turmoil as seen through the eyes of acclaimed rock band, Sum 41. The war in Congo has been characterized as one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises and the most deadly war ever documented in Africa. The film crew follows the musical group, Sum 41, as they meet Congolese children and youth caught in the crossfire, including child soldiers and victims of assault. Sum 41's harrowing experience is caught on film as they witness firsthand what it is like to struggle for survival in a country where, since 1998, more than three million people have been killed and war has been more prevalent than peace. Peace and Conflict Children and Youth
Frankensteer is a disturbing documentary that reveals how the ordinary cow has been turned into an antibioticdependent, hormone-laced, potential carrier of toxic bacteria, all in the name of cheaper food. This benign, grazing herbivore has undergone a transformation in how it's raised, fed and slaughtered. Consumers, by and
large, are totally unaware of the dangers lurking in their beef. According to Mike McBane of the Canadian Health Coalition, "When you bring a package of hamburger home from a supermarket, you have to treat it as toxic material." Recent changes in inspection rules have shifted the responsibility for food safety from government inspectors to the workers who do the slaughtering and packing. Science and Technology Agriculture
Bombay Calling dives into a bustling world of late nights, long hours and hard partying to chronicle the rise of a new force in Indian society - the telemarketers. This new generation of call-centre employees works late into the night, trying to perfect their English and American accents, in order to sell to clients half a world away. For their efforts, they are paid more money than their parents ever dreamed of earning. Fast-paced, gritty and fun, the film is a compelling inside look at youth culture in India and the emerging and already conflicted middle-class. Its quite a feat to get the audience to sympathize with telemarketers. Labour and Employment Globalization
Grand Jury Prize Best Documentary at the Indian Film Festival of LA
Independent Intervention: Breaking Silence Tonje Hessen Schei & David Bee
Independent Intervention is an award-winning documentary about the importance of independent media in times of war and corporate control of the media. It contrasts the mass medias coverage of the invasion of Iraq with non-embedded independent investigative reporting and shows the brutal realities of war. As the major US networks remove human suffering from their presentation of war, Operation Iraqi Freedom is portrayed as a success for the spread of democracy and freedom. This film shows the absolutely critical role of the independent media, which, in a culture dominated by corporate wealth, gives us hope for democracy. Media and Communication Peace and Conflict
Goodbye Baby offers a rare, penetrating glimpse into controversial adoption issues, in this case within Guatemala. It examines a process that touches millions of lives and thoughtfully explores its complexities. What adoptive parents see as an act of love, others may view with deep suspicion. Goudvis is the mother of two children adopted from Guatemala, where she's lived on and off during the past 25 years. Informed by the filmmaker's own experiences, Goodbye Baby provides an insightful look into the dramatic and sometimes difficult world of intercountry and intercultural adoption. Children and Youth Women
Digital Dump, The Exporting Re-Use & Abuse to Africa Jim Puckett
This photo-documentary report exposes the ugly underbelly of what is thought to be an escalating global trade in toxic, obsolete, discarded computers and other e-scrap collected in North America and Europe and sent to developing countries by waste brokers and so-called recyclers. In Lagos, while there is a legitimate robust market and an ability to repair and refurbish old electronic equipment, of the estimated 500 40-foot containers of imports shipped to Lagos each month, as much as 75% is "junk." Consequently, this hazardous e-waste is being discarded and routinely burned in what environmentalists call yet "another cyber-age nightmare now landing on the shores of developing countries." Environment Globalization
The British Honours system originated in the 14th century and is a series of different awards given for exceptional achievement or service. The Order of the British Empire or OBE is one of these awards. Benjamin
Zephaniah is a Jamaican born British poet, writer and musician. He is best known for his works for children and also his vociferous left of centre approach to political and social issues. When the Queen and British Prime Minister Tony Blair added him to the Honours list to be awarded an OBE for services to the Arts, Zephaniahs response was "Me? OBE me? Up yours." I thought "No way, Mr. Blair. No way, Mrs. Queen." Activism
THIS FILM IS ON THE SAME DVD AS DRUG WAR REALITY TOUR (#444).
Michael Franti, world-renowned musician and human rights worker, travels to Iraq, Palestine and Israel to explore the human cost of war with a group of friends, some video cameras and his guitar. A compelling soundtrack, visual and musical montages and Franti's intimate commentary make this film appeal to a multigenerational audience. This is an opportunity to hear the voices of everyday people living, creating and surviving under the harsh conditions of war and occupation. With its guerrilla style footage captured in active war zones, the documentary is unlike the many academic and politically driven pieces provided by the mainstream media. I Know Im Not Alone is an antidote to despair. Peace and Conflict Art and Culture
Favela Rising documents a man and a movement, a city divided and a favela united. A favela is a Brazilian squatter settlement. Haunted by the murders of family and friends, Anderson Sa, a former drug-trafficker, turns to music to rally his community to oppose the violent oppression of the drug armies and corrupt police. Just as Andersons grassroots Afro Reggae movement is at the height of its success, a tragic accident threatens to silence the movement. Favela Rising celebrates the strength of the human spirit to assert itself in the face of human rights violations, social injustice, and unexpected adversity. Gritty and inspiring. Numerous awards including: Film of the Year, International Documentary Association; Best Emerging Documentary Filmmaker, Tribeca Film Festival Activism Community
The Devils Miner is the story of 14-year-old Basilio Vargas and his 12-year-old brother Bernardino, who work in the dangerous Cerro Rico silver mines of Bolivia. Raised without a father and living in extreme poverty, the boys assume many adult responsibilities. The Vargas boys chew coca leaves to stave off hunger and keep their wits about them during their long hours in the mines, where they also present offerings to El To, the malevolent spirit of the mines. According to local legend, El To is a miners only hope of salvation in this heavily Catholic region where the people believe that the spirit of God does not exist in the hellish underworld inside the mountain. A moving portrait of a world where children risk their lives daily in hopes of an eventual Children and Youth Labour and Employment
Film Critics Award: Hot Docs Festival; Best Documentary: Chicago Intl Film Festival
Acclaimed director Robert Greenwald (Wall-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price and Outfoxed) takes you inside the lives of soldiers, truck drivers, widows and children who have been changed forever as a result of profiteering in the "reconstruction" of Iraq. Iraq For Sale uncovers the connections between private corporations making a killing in Iraq and the decision makers who allow them to do so. Labour and Employment Peace and Conflict
An estimated 4,500 illegal border-crossers venture into the treacherous Arizona desert every day. Most are men in search of work, but women and children are also seeking to reunite with their families. This influx of migrants and the attendant rising death toll have elicited complicated feelings about human rights, culture, class, labour and national security. Frustrated ranchers repair cut fences while humanitarian groups place water stations in the desert in an attempt to save lives. Political activists rally against anti-migrant ballot
initiatives and try to counter rampant fear mongering. Farmers who depend on the illegal work force fear that they may lose their workers to a border patrol sweep. Crossing Arizona reveals the surprising political positions people take when immigration and border policy fails everyone. Human Rights Economics
Screened at Sundance2005
The Four Seasons Mosaic unveils a remarkable and bold musical endeavour, the reinvention of Antonio Vivaldi's beloved masterpiece, The Four Seasons, for our global village. Filmed in Nunavut, India, China, and Toronto, the documentary explores how different world cultures have responded to the seasons through music, and asks the question, "What if they all came together?" This film explores how four different world cultures respond to the seasons through music. "An absolute joy to watch and hear!" (The Globe and Mail.) Art and Culture
2005 Gemini nominations for Best Performing Arts Program, Best Photography and Best Editing
Traditional foods are at risk of disappearing forever, as a speed-obsessed world turns increasingly to fast foods. To counter this trend, there is an international gastro-economic movement known as Slow Food. Its aim is to protect traditional culture, the environment and biodiversity by encouraging regional food production. The movement is now active in 45 countries. Towns, like Orvieto, Italy have declared themselves to be "slow cities", free of fast food outlets, neon and noise. Beautifully photographed around the globe, Slow Food Revolution is a celebration of the sustainability, seasonality and quality of the earth's bounty. Art and Culture Community
Filmmaker German Gutirrez got a call from Colombia informing him there had just been an assassination attempt on his older brother Oscar, a political activist hated by the establishment but adored by the disenfranchised. German Gutirrez, recounts his quest to find the hired gunmen who tried to kill Oscar, and also to expose the roots of the violence that has taken hold of his native country. This beautifully filmed political documentary takes a courageous look at what Colombia has become, a lawless, neo-liberal Far West run by a corrupt middle class, where Americans are the puppet-masters pulling the strings while drug traffickers, guerrillas, and paramilitaries engage in all-out combat with each other as the "war on drugs" rages Peace and Conflict Activism
Power of Community, The How Cuba Survived Peak Oil Faith Morgan & Pat Murphy
After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1990, Cuba lost over half of its oil imports and survived. During the difficult "Special Period", Cuba was undergoing a transition from a highly industrial society to a sustainable one, from large farms or plantations and reliance on fossil fuel-based pesticides and fertilizers, to small organic farms and urban gardens. Cuba became a living example of how a country can successfully traverse what we all will have to deal with sooner or later, the reduction and loss of finite fossil fuel resources. It's a story of their dedication to independence and triumph over adversity, and a story of cooperation and hope. Agriculture Community
See: www.communitysolutions.org.
Pax Chingawale pedals his bicycle over 20 km per day, visiting his neighbours from house to house. His travels take him to twenty villages in southern Malawi to battle AIDS at the grassroots. Pax works with traditional healers who are influential at the local level yet often contribute unwittingly to the spread of the disease. He bikes around in search of the abandoned and the ill while monitoring the progress of those whose lives are being saved by ARVs (Anti Retro-Virals), a life extending drug treatment. Pax is not a doctor or nurse. Hes an HIV-positive retired government auditor who volunteers with Canadas Dignitas International, helping to create a model for making ARV drugs accessible to the worlds most vulnerable, those who live far from hospitals and any formal medical care. Health Community
This is a closing night film.
Sierra Leones Refugee All Stars tells the story of a group of six Sierra Leonean musicians who came together to form a band while living as refugees in the Republic of Guinea. Forced from their homes in Sierra Leone, the members of the band represent the thousands of untold stories that exist amongst the survivors of the Sierra Leonean civil war. Sierra Leones Refugee All Stars is an inspiring story of survival and rebirth in the wake of the horrors of war and a triumphant testament to the power of music. Art and Culture Peace and Conflict
waste and conformity? Gimme Green is a humourous look at the American obsession with the residential lawn and the effects it has on our environment, our wallets, and our outlook on life. From the subdivisions of Florida to sod farms in the arid southwest, Gimme Green peers behind the curtain of the $40 billion industry that fuels the USs largest irrigated crop - the lawn. Environment Agriculture
Best Documentary: Beverly Hills Shorts Festival; Jurors Citation: Big Muddy Film Festival
"Make art not war" is Jimmy Mirikitani's motto. This 85-year-old Japanese American artist was born in Sacramento and raised in Hiroshima, but by 2001 he is living on the streets of New York with the twin towers of the World Trade Center still ominously anchoring the horizon behind him. How did Mirikitani end up on the streets? The answer is in his art. As tourists and shoppers hurry past, he sits alone on a windy corner in Soho drawing whimsical cats, bleak internment camps, and the angry red flames of the atomic bomb. When a neighbouring filmmaker stops to ask about Mirikitani's art, a friendship begins that will change both their lives. The Cats of Mirikitani is an intimate exploration of the lingering wounds of war and the healing power of art. A heart-warming affirmation of humanity that will appeal to all lovers of peace, art, Peace and Conflict Art and Culture
Audience Award: Tribeca Film Festival
'The outcome of the battle for agricultural control in India may just dictate the future of the earth.' 78 year old Peter Proctor is quietly determined to save the world. Peter is known as the father of modern biodynamic farming, a form of organic agriculture. Biodynamic agriculture is changing the landscape, releasing entire communities from the debt cycles and destroyed lands of chemical farming and the bio colonialism of multinational corporations. One Man, One Cow, One Planet reveals the hidden battle of marginal farmers to own seeds, to grow diverse crops, to feed themselves and their communities. Agriculture Globalization
Health Environment
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country whose record of human rights violations is among the highest in the world, the journalists at Radio Okapi constantly risk their lives in order to denounce the extreme abuses of power to which the civilian population is subjected. Shot under dangerous conditions, with the rebellion as backdrop, Shock Waves follows these reporters investigations. In a land where silence is imposed at gunpoint, Shock Waves provides eloquent testimony to the struggle for freedom of expression and democracy in a war-torn nation. Human Rights Peace and Conflict
In December 2004, the Ontario Hospital Association had their first team of health care workers on the ground in Lesotho, operating out of Tsepong Clinic (the place of hope in Sesotho, the local language.) As part of a three-year partnership with the Lesotho Ministry of Health, they help with the wide-spread distribution of affordable life-saving antiretroviral drugs (ARVs.) Doctors, pharmacists and a single nurse provide instructions and ongoing coaching to patients under extraordinary working conditions. Health
War Made Easy How Presidents & Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death
More than 30 years after political prisoner Flix Mora suffered under Chile's cruel 1973 and inhumane dictatorship, he relives the shocking details of the human rights abuses he escaped from and the challenges he faced as an exile in Italy and Canada. Flix's heartbreaking memories are shared with his friend Jorge Aro, another political prisoner who was also held in the Stadium at the tender age of 15. Exile was meant to silence those who fought the regime. For Flix, exile became a catalyst to fight for freedom and democracy. Can he ever repatriate to his birthplace and belong to Chile again, or has this experience changed him - and his country - to a point of no return? This inspirational film where terror and injustice are overcome by courage
and determination is a testament to the lives of many Chilean exiles. Human Rights History
This film is currently missing.
Weaving together natural history and biography, A Life Among Whales is a fascinating exploration into the life and work of whale biologist and activist Roger Payne. Paynes electrifying discovery in the early 1970s that whales sing "songs" helped ignite the modern day environmental movement. With beautiful and haunting images, Payne challenges us to become the greatest generation of all. Saving earths largest creatures would open the door to humanitys recognition of our true role in the biosphere. (Images of whaling may disturb some people.) Environment Science and Technology
Earthwatch Film Award; Best Film & Video: MountainFilm, Telluride; Marine Conservation Award
King Corn is a feature documentary about two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food industry. In King Corn, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis, best friends from college on the east coast, move to the US heartland to learn where their food comes from. With the help of friendly neighbours, genetically modified seeds, and powerful herbicides, they plant and grow a bumper crop of Americas most productive, most-subsidized grain on one acre of Iowa soil. But when they try to follow their pile of corn into the food system, what they find raises troubling questions about how we eatand how we farm. Entertaining and enlightening Agriculture Environment
Filmmakers: Everythings Cool is a film about America finally "getting" global warming in the wake of the most dangerous chasm ever to emerge between scientific understanding and political action. While industry funded nay-sayers sing what just might be their swan song of pseudo- scientific deception, a group of climate change messengers are on a high stakes quest to find the iconic image, the magic language, the points of leverage that will finally create the political will to move the US from its reliance on fossil fuels to a new earth-friendly economy - and fast! Environment Science and Technology
Imagine that you are first in line at a potluck supper that includes not only food and water, but all the materials needed to sustain life. How do you know how much to take? How much must you leave for your neighbours behind you - not just more than 6 billion human beings, but our fellow creatures and future generations? In the face of looming ecological disaster, many people feel the need to change their own lifestyle as a necessary step in transforming our unsustainable way of life. Engineer and author Jim Merkel demonstrates that a radically simple lifestyle is both possible and satisfying. Environment
This film is currently missing.
Activism
Refugees of the Blue Planet, The Hlne Choquette & Jean-Philippe Duval
Each year, millions of people the world over are driven to forced displacement. From the Maldives to Brazil, and even closer to home in Canada, the disturbing accounts of people who have been uprooted are amazingly similar. The enormous pressure placed on rural populations as a result of the degradation of their lifesupporting environment is driving them increasingly further from their way of life. The Refugees of the Blue Planet sheds light on the desperate plight of individuals who are suffering the repercussions of this reality: environmental refugees. They are constantly growing in number and often have no legal status, even though their right to a clean and sustainable environment has been violated. Environment Human Rights
For the last twenty years, Northern Uganda has been at war with a rebel force, the Lords Resistance Army (L.R.A.) The L.R.A has a chillingly effective process to fill its ranks: abducting the boys to become soldiers and the girls into sexual slavery. But amidst the grief and violence, voices are heard - childrens voices, singing strong, without fear. Across the country, Ugandan children are getting ready for the biggest event of the year: the annual Kampala Music Festival. War Dance follows the courageous efforts of Patongo Elementary School students as they pour their hearts into this years competition. They dance to the rhythms of their ancestors, they dance about their future, they dance to be children - and they dance to win. Inspirational. Children and Youth Art and Culture
Documentary Directing Award; Sundance 2007
When the people of Oaxaca decided they'd had enough of bad government, they didn't take their story to the media...they TOOK the media. In the summer of 2006, a broad-based, non-violent, popular uprising exploded in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. Some compared it to the Paris Commune, but it was the peoples use of the media that truly made history in Oaxaca. This documentary captures the unprecedented media phenomenon that emerged when tens of thousands of school teachers, housewives, indigenous communities, health workers, farmers, and students took 14 radio stations and one TV station into their own hands, using them to organize, mobilize, and ultimately defend their grassroots struggle for social, cultural, and economic justice. Media and Communication Human Rights
Cotton is the main material for our textiles, especially those we wear directly on the skin. During cotton production, huge quantities of pesticides are used, including poisons used as chemical weapons. Many of these pesticides are banned in other countries but still used in India. In the cotton belt of India, hundreds of farmers caught in the vicious cycle of debt have committed suicide by drinking pesticides. Hundreds more die of the poisons during the spraying season or from handling the contaminated cotton during processing. The residues of the poisons also enter the bodies of consumers as they wear the clothing made from contaminated cotton. Environment Agriculture
Brazil Environmental Film Festival: First Place
Intag region in Ecuador is one of the worlds ten most threatened biodiversity hotspots. On the border of the Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve, Ascendant Copper Corporation proposes to construct an open-pit copper mine. After a fierce battle in the 1990s between local people and mining corporations, the local government declared the whole of Cotacachi an "Ecological County", and banned mining activities in the region. Despite this, in August 2002, two mining concessions in the Intag were secretly auctioned off by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Energy and Mines to a private trafficker in mining concessions. These rights were subsequently sold in 2004 and then transferred to Ascendant Copper Corporation (ACX), based in Vancouver. The communities of Cotacachi have continued to resist the encroachment of Ascendant Copper on their lands and have gained the support of international organizations including Friends of the Earth, Mining Watch Canada and Rainforest Concern. Environment Globalization
With dramatic action footage, still photographs, lively interviews with unforgettable characters, Greenpeace: Making a Stand explores what inspires people to risk their lives for their beliefs - to sail a ship into a nuclear test zone, to get between a pod of whales and an explosive harpoon, or to block bulldozers mowing down a forest. This compelling documentary looks at the 35 year evolution of Greenpeace from the early days of the environmental movement in the 1970s, to the front lines of a potentially dangerous campaign in Argentinas Pizarro Reserve. As a result of the attention that Greenpeace and the documentary crew brought to this struggle, the Wichi people won title to the Reserve. Activism Environment
This hard-hitting film exposes the tragedy taking place in Darfur as seen through the eyes of former Marine Captain, Brian Steidle. His photographs and testimony take us on an emotionally charged journey into the heart of Darfur, Sudan where an Arab run government is systematically executing a plan to rid the province of its black African citizens. As an official military observer, Steidle was unprepared for what he would witness and experience including being unable to intervene to save lives. Frustrated by the inaction of the international community, he resigned and returned to the US to expose the images and stories of lives destroyed and to work to stop the carnage. Disturbing images. Peace and Conflict Activism
In November 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Court issued a historic decision that made the state the first in the US to legalize same-sex marriage. Instead of representing a final victory for the movement, it was just the beginning of the fight that would stretch through two state Constitutional Conventions and an election and is still in process today. Saving Marriage chronicles the events spawned by the initial court decision. Interviews with lobbyists, activists, and politicians give an inside look at the strategies and efforts employed to preserve the right for gays and lesbians to marry. A gripping drama. Human Rights Sexuality
Many audience awards
Salud! looks at the curious case of Cuba, a cash-strapped country with what the BBC calls one of the worlds best health systems. From the shores of Africa to the Americas, Salud! hits the road with some of the 28,000 Cuban health professionals serving in 68 countries. They take with them the experience and philosophy of their own community-oriented, preventive and universal health care model, a model fundamentally at odds with a global wave of healthcare privatization. International medical students in Cuba now number 30,000, including nearly 100 from the USA. Their stories plus testimony from experts around the world bring home the competing agendas that mark the battle for global health - and the complex realities
confronting the movement to make healthcare everyones birth right. Health Development
Filmmaker Stewart debunks historical stereotypes of sharks as bloodthirsty monsters and reveals the reality of sharks as pillars in the evolution of the seas. Sharkwater exposes the exploitation and corruption surrounding the worlds shark populations in the marine reserves of Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. In an effort to protect sharks, Stewart teams up with Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Their battle with shark poachers in Guatemala results in pirate boat rammings, gunboat chases, mafia espionage and attempted murder charges, forcing them to flee for their lives. Stewarts remarkable journey of courage and determination changes from a mission to save the worlds sharks, into a fight for his life, and that of humankind. Gripping and visually stunning. Best Documentary: Directors Guild of Canada Environment Activism
www.sharkwater.com
This powerful documentary examines the explosive forces that have set in motion a groundswell of conflict between the coal industry and residents of West Virginia. Confronted by an emerging coal-based US energy policy, local activists watch CEOs and politicians praise "clean coal" without regard to the devastation caused by its extraction. Faced with toxic ground water, the obliteration of 1.4 million acres of mountains, and a government that appeases industry, our heroes demonstrate a strength of purpose and character in their improbable fight to arouse help in protecting their mountains, saving their families, and preserving their way of life. Clarion Award, the UKs highest environmental film award: Pare Lorentz Environmental Award Environment Community
Suncookers follows activist Margaret Owino on a journey across Kenya, visiting solar projects in Kakuma refugee camp and the community of Nyakach. In refugee camps, when fuel rations are depleted, women and children often must walk for miles, risking abduction and rape. Solar cooking can reduce firewood needs by up to 40% and solar water pasteurization can improve health dramatically. A positive example of small scale appropriate technology involving local communities. Community Development
If you could help get one person off the street, would you? Could you? Devil Plays Hardball is a radical interventionist documentary that seeks to answer this question. Four well-established Vancouver residents have 10 months to mentor homeless individuals who have the desire but not necessarily the means to re-enter mainstream society. The camera intimately follows each pair as they explore what it takes to get the homeless participants off the streets. The results - heartwarming, heartbreaking and complicated - raise
important issues around very profound questions: can one person really make a difference? Community Education
One Water is a stunning film that celebrates the myriad ways that water affects lives around the globe. Is water a human right or a commodity? Filmed in 15 countries, the film combines stirring visual sequences, compelling expert commentary, and an original musical score to immerse audiences in a direct and exhilarating experience of the meaning of water. The audience bears witness to the threat to the planet's fresh water tables, the inequitable access to water in some of the world's poorest regions and the role--physical and spiritual--water plays in cultures around the globe. One Water's poetic simplicity makes these issues come alive with an urgency no verbal discussion ever could. Environment Globalization
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Tar Sands Canada for Sale Peter Raymont & Tom Radford
Washington lobbyists, pipefitters from Newfoundland, Chinese investors and Norwegian Industrialists descend on tar-soaked Fort McMurray where rents are sky rocketing and cocaine abuse is four times the provincial average. This "environmental sacrifice zone" has become Canadas contribution to US energy security. Yet, for many, the tar sands are a global warming disaster. Cancer rates skyrocket downstream of Fort McMurray while Rocky Mountain glaciers melt and disappear. All the while, Alberta crude goes south to US markets while Eastern Canada pays ever more for Middle East oil. How much is Canada willing to sacrifice for a stake in this energy bonanza? Environment Globalization
Our industrial system of agriculture literally runs on oil, from fertilizers and pesticides, to the trucks and planes that transport food. And the source of our food - seeds - is being hijacked by a handful of corporations from the farmers who have for millennia, grown and saved them. The film looks at the increasingly fragile base of our North American industrial food system in order to bring all of us consumers of food to a better understanding of just whats at stake with our daily bread. It asks us to question the wisdom of a system precariously based on oil and corporate seeds while were at the same time witnessing the impact of climate change. Agriculture Globalization
45 min. 2007
With operations in 46 countries, Monsanto is the world leader in genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Since its founding in 1901, the multinational has faced many legal challenges due to the toxicity of its products. Today, it is reinventing itself as a "life sciences" company converted to "sustainable development." Using unpublished documents and first-hand accounts by victims, scientists and politicians, the film exposes hidden aspects of this industrial giant. Thanks in part to lies, collusion with the US government, pressure tactics and corruption, Monsanto has been spreading GM crops worldwide with no real monitoring of their effects on nature or human health. Science and Technology Agriculture
49 Megawatts looks at the future of BCs rivers after the issuing of hundreds of private water licenses for power production. In an attempt to uncover the backroom politics behind the approval of the Ashlu Creek Hydro Project, Bryan Smith reveals how the government of BC is fast tracking hydro projects under the name of "green power" without efforts to curb power demand, adequately assess the environmental impacts of "run of river" hydro projects, or consider the input of local communities and governments. 49 Megawatts has been acclaimed for its amazing kayaking footage and for exposing the controversy over these energy projects. Science and Technology Environment
The artificial sweetener, aspartame, is the bedrock of the diet industry. Found in everything from fizzy drinks to vitamin pills and marketed under a variety of different names, it is difficult to detect and even harder to avoid. But how safe is it? Does it really cause brain tumours, blindness and other serious illnesses? This shocking documentary investigates how the US Federal Drug Agency came to approve such a potentially dangerous product. A year after aspartame was added to diet drinks; diabetes rates jumped 30% in the United States and incidents of an unusual type of brain tumour jumped 60%. Look for one of the most notorious Bush era "villains" in this "whodunit" of corporate rule.
You, Me and the SPP Trading Democracy for Corporate Rule Paul Manly
This film examines the Security Prosperity Partnership (SPP) and the Trade Investment. Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA), trade agreements which are undermining, eroding and eliminating standards, civil liberties, regulatory systems and institutions put in place over generations through the democratic process. Proponents of these agreements argue that they are needed to improve trade by removing barriers which impede the free flow of goods and services both inter-provincially and between the NAFTA countries. Opponents equate them to a corporate coup d'etat that is weakening the democratic authority of the citizens of North America and the sovereignty of Canada. Globalization Labour and Employment
Under threat of social upheaval and pollution from oil operations in their pristine Amazon rain forest, the
indigenous Achuar people have relied on their dreams for guidance. Following those dreams, the Achuar are reaching out for alliances in the developed world--the very world that has destroyed so many cultures like theirs. A creative blending of modern activism and technology in partnership with Indigenous wisdom and Aboriginal Human Rights
The Real Dirt on Farmer John is the story of third-generation American farmer, John Peterson, on a journey of success, tribulation, failure and rebirth. This film takes us through his childhood in the 50s to the farm-crisis in the80s, culminating in his creation of a biodynamic, organic CSA farm serving 1500 families in the Chicago area with fresh produce. Equal parts performance artist, philosopher of the soil, and farmer, Peterson has been known to wear a feather boa with his overalls. This is the story of the transformation of an individual and his community. It is the story of the terrors of non-conformity in a traditional insular society with its resistance to change and diversity, and the necessity for innovation and risk in response to changing circumstances. Numerous awards including: Audience Award; Slamdance Festival: Grand Jury Award; San Francisco Intl Film Festival Agriculture Activism
Archeology of Memory: Villa Grimaldi is a beautifully crafted film about music and the power of art to heal, and about the Chilean exile community. The film follows exiled musician Quique Cruz from the San Francisco area to Chile as he unlocks painful memories to create a multimedia installation and musical suite to heal his wounds inflicted by state-sponsored torture at Villa Grimaldi during the Pinochet regime. To help tell the story, he searches for artist friends who were incarcerated with him. Poets, painters, writers, playwrights, musicians have collectively created a narrative in which they explore the contradictions of terror and aesthetics, the notion of pain and beauty and how to convert darkness into light. The film culminates with the performance of the tremendously moving musical suite. Audience Top Ten; Vancouver Intl Film Festival: Best Documentary; Mill Valley Film Festival Art and Culture Peace and Conflict
The U.S. and Us is a romp through the changing landscape of Canada-U.S. relations. Featuring interviews with Canadas most popular activist Maude Barlow and best-selling political authors Linda McQuaig and Mel Hurtig, the film documents growing Canadian concerns over everything from the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to the fine print of the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP). Vignettes of Quinns performance art humourously illustrate mounting tensions over serious issues of energy, water and national security to question the future of Canadian sovereignty when American interests are at stake. Globalization Activism
From Under the Bushy Trees Jan Padgett & Moira Simpson
We journey with Gerri Graber from Powell River, BC to Chad. Here, Gerri teams up with Bartholomew Mokuh and together they work with the villagers of Manda to begin construction of a school. The people of Powell River become involved in raising money for the school and for a family of seven AIDS orphans that Gerri and Mokuh have befriended. At the heart of the film are the women of Chad who struggle to survive ongoing oppression. Despite everyones best intentions and efforts, problems develop. The film offers insight into the
challenges of bringing aid to Africa and the positive impact a few dedicated activists can have. Development Women
Island On the Edge Director: Nick Versteeg Co-Producers: Don Genova & Jason
Food security is an issue that affects everyone. This film looks at the history of food production on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands and what would happen to our food supply if the islands were suddenly cut off from the rest of the world. It also chronicles the efforts of several crusaders who grow crops, raise animals and craft artisan food products in the face of growing competition from imports and rising costs. These visionaries imagine a world in which eating and growing food is accessible to all and is part of a healthy community, economy and planet. Finally, the film shows why people need to get involved with supporting the local food movement. The films producers and Minister of Agriculture Stan Hagen are featured in the film. Agriculture Activism
March Point Annie Silverstein, Tracy Rector, Cody Cayou, Nick Clark, Travis Tom
March Point follows Cody, Nick and Travis, three teens from the Swinomish Indian Tribe who participated in a community justice diversion program. They originally wanted to make a gangster movie but found themselves using video cameras to investigate the impact of two oil refineries on their tribal community. Over time, the presence of the refineries has negatively affected the health of the water and land and the very fabric of cultural tradition itself. March Point follows their journey as they come to understand themselves, the environment and the threat their people face. Ambivalent environmental ambassadors at the onset, the boys grapple with their assignment through humour, sarcasm and a candid self-knowledge. Making the film transforms them in ways they could not have imagined. ImagineNATIVE Film & Media Arts Festival; Best Documentary Aboriginal Environment
Longhouse Media/ Native Lens
Julie Ivanova
Meet four gay men who have always wanted to be dads and discover the challenges they face as they realize their dreams of becoming parents. Fatherhood Dreams invites people into the day-to-day lives of gay dads Scott, Steve, Randy and Drew, who are fathers through adoption, co-parenting, and surrogacy. Their private journey through fatherhood forces them to deal with much larger issues that affect gay fathers in Canada, including the legal aspects of surrogacy, the complexity of "open adoption", and the human rights battles concerning the official recognition of LGBT and multi-parent families. This is a film about the power of love in fulfilling dreams. Human Rights Children and Youth
www.fatherhooddreams.com
Written by Jordan Roberts and narrated by Morgan Freeman, Where the Water Meets the Sky tells the inspiring story of a group of women in a remote region of Northern Zambia who achieve the unimaginable: they learn how to make a film as a way to speak out about their lives, raising an issue that no one will discuss - the plight of young women orphaned by AIDS. In a community where women are rarely given the chance to speak up, the inspiring voices at the core of this moving documentary ring loud and clear. What begins as a workshop in filmmaking becomes a journey in empowerment as the women rise to the challenge of pressing their community to change. Women Community
Underneath the woods and the muskeg of northern Canada lies roughly two trillion barrels of oil, fifteen percent of the worlds known reserves. Land of Oil and Water follows the journey of Warren Cariou, a Mtis writer from northern Saskatchewan, who learns that the oil companies from Alberta are expanding into his homeland. Cariou talks to people in the area about their hopes and fears about the development. Aboriginal communities who have experienced the development in Alberta continue the struggle to preserve their traditional way of life in the midst of the largest and most destructive oil recovery operation the world has ever known. Its time to count the true cost of development and listen to the Mtis and First Nations people who call this place home Aboriginal Human Rights
In Albertas pristine boreal forests, the process of oil sands extraction uses up to 4 barrels of fresh water to produce only one barrel of crude oil. H2Oil follows a voyage of discovery, heartbreak and politicization in the stories of those attempting to defend water in Alberta against tar sands expansion. Unlikely alliances are built and lives are changed as they come up against the largest industrial project in human history. Ultimately we ask what is more important, oil or water. And what will be our response? With hope and courage H2Oil tells the story of one of the most significant, and destructive projects of our time. Environment Community
Loaded Pictures
Filmed over four years, Garbage Dreams follows three teenage boys born into the trash trade in the worlds largest garbage village, a ghetto on the outskirts of Cairo. For generations, the residents of Cairo have depended on the Zaballeen to collect their trash, paying them only a minimal amount for their services. These workers recycle 80% of all the garbage they collect. When the city suddenly decides to replace the Zaballeen with multinational garbage disposal companies, the community finds itself at a crossroads. Faced with the globalization of their trade, each of the teenage boys is forced to make choices that will impact his future and the survival of his community. Short Listed for Best Documentary, 2010 Academy Awards; Best Cinematography; Rhode Island Intl Film Festival Children and Youth Globalization
Working Films
The 3rd Antarctic Campaign undertaken by the controversial Sea Shepherd Conservation Society was arguably "the perfect combination of imperfections" and the actions taken to stop a Japanese whaling fleet were astonishingly reckless and admirable. The under-trained international volunteer crew has developed a combination of bizarre and brilliant tactics to stop the whalers. But first they must find them in the vast expanse of the Ross Sea. With one ship (The Farley Mowat) too slow to chase down the whaling fleet and their second ship (The Robert Hunter) unsuited for Antarctic ice conditions, the situation becomes increasingly desperate in this real-life David-vs.-Goliath adventure. Numerous awards include: Haskell Wexler Award for
Best Cinematography, Woodstock Film Festival; Best Documentary, Monaco International Film Festival; Environmental Film Audience Award, 2009Vancouver Intl Film Festival Environment Activism
Wealth Effect Media
As few as 10 years ago Bogot, Colombia was characterized by drug cartels, senseless violence and a 30year civil war. Every three hours someone was kidnapped. Every 15 minutes someone was murdered. Today as you move around the city youll see mega-libraries, greenways, 1,000 parks, over 70,000 trees and a stateof-the art transportation system called the TransMilenio. People from all walks of life are out of their cars, enjoying their city space- parents strolling with their kids, neighbours meeting and talking with one another. This remarkable transition came out of the vision that Enrique Pealosa, Mayor of Bogot from 1997 through 2000, had for his city. Pealosa believed that cities should encourage walking and biking, which would promote community and make the streets safer for everyone. Environment Peace and Conflict
Green Planet Films
Despite crippling obstacles, Dr. Venkataswamy restored the sight of over 100,000 people with his own hands. Thirty years ago, at the age of 58, he started an 11-bed eye clinic in an old temple-city, and with his team, turned Aravind Eye Care System into the largest and most productive eye care facility in the world. Taking its compassionate services to the doorstep of rural India, Aravind's stunningly effective strategies have created a self-sustaining system that now treats over 1.4 million patients each year, two-thirds of them for free. This award winning documentary tells the inspired story of what made Dr. V's leadership, and spiritually grounded vision so compelling. Health Development
www.friendsofaravind.org
Be the Media examines the state of Canada's highly concentrated, deregulated and privatized media industry while showcasing the vital role of local independent citizen journalism and media production in the mid Vancouver Island region. Featuring interviews with a diverse cast of inspired citizens, Be the Media offers a unique and proactive approach to democratizing the media. Original music by Tongue & Groove and Peter Bowles Media and Communication Activism
Reel Rising Productions
From 1971 to 1981 John Perkins was a prominent member of the top-secret team of "economic hit men" who used fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections, payoffs, extortion, military coups and murder to help create the global American empire. Working as an economist for consulting firm, Chas T Main, his job was to structure huge loans to Indonesia, Panama and Saudi Arabia -- loans for massive construction projects that would funnel the money back to US contractors, at the cost of national self-sufficiency, independence and endemic poverty for the vast majority of the local population. Economics--not Intelligence--is where the real cloak-and-dagger stuff happens. Economics Globalization
Moxie Films
Mirage of El Dorado leads us into the mountains of northern Chile, where the devastating operations of Canadian mining companies, Barrick Gold and Noranda, threaten a fragile ecosystem of glacier-fed rivers in one of the driest parts of the globe. The film exposes the hypocrisy of the Canadian government towards its own mining companies which corrupt foreign governments and weaken the process of environmental assessments. With a backdrop of breathtaking images and eloquent testimonials, Mirage of El Dorado defies the powers that would have us believe their divine mission is to extract wealth no matter where it lies, purportedly to save local communities from endemic poverty. Globalization Human Rights
Productions Multi-Monde
From Styrofoam cups to artificial organs, plastics are perhaps the most ubiquitous and versatile material ever invented. No ecosystem or segment of human activity has escaped the shrink-wrapped grasp of plastic. Addicted to Plastic is a global journey to investigate what we really know about the material of a thousand uses and why there's so darn much of it. On the way, we discover a toxic legacy and the men and women dedicated to cleaning it up. We travel to 12 countries on 5 continents, including two trips to the middle of the Pacific Ocean where plastic debris accumulates. The film provides a wealth of expert interviews on practical and cutting edge solutions to recycling, toxicity and biodegradability. Environment Science and Technology
McNabb/ Connolly
Pray the Devil Back to Hell Abigail E. Disney & Gini Reticker
Filmmakers: Pray the Devil Back to Hell chronicles the remarkable story of the courageous Liberian women who came together to end a bloody civil war and bring peace to their shattered country. Thousands of ordinary women, both Christian and Muslim, came together to pray for peace and then staged a silent protest outside the presidential palace. Armed only with white T-shirts and the courage of their convictions, they took on the warlords and non-violently forced a resolution to the stalled peace talks. This is the inspiring story of how grassroots activism can alter the history of nations. Many awards include: Best Documentary, Tribeca Film Festival Peace and Conflict Women
Fork Films
Something remarkable is happening in the fields and orchards of the Pacific Northwest. After leaving the land for decades, family farmers are making a comeback. They are growing much healthier food, and more food per acre, while using less energy and water than factory farms. And most of this food is organic. For decades Northwest agriculture was focused on a few big crops for export. But climate change and the end of cheap energy mean that each region needs to produce more of its own food and to grow it more sustainably. Good Food visits farmers, farmers' markets, distributors, stores, restaurants and public officials who are developing a more sustainable food system for all. Agriculture Labour and Employment
McNabb/Connolly
Roadsworth: Crossing the Line details a Montreal stencil artists clandestine campaign to make his mark on the city streets. Hailed as an "artist's artist" by Wooster Collective, Roadsworth began to play with the language of the streets, overlaying city asphalt markings with his own images: a crosswalk becomes a giant boot print, vines choked up traffic dividers, and electrical plugs filled parking spots. Each piece begged the question, Who owns public space? As he is prosecuted at home and celebrated abroad, Roadsworth struggles to defend his work, define himself as an artist and address difficult questions about art and freedom of expression. Music by Mitchell Akiyama, Miracle Fortress, and Broken Social Scene. Art and Culture
Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy directed by Academy Award nominee Alice Elliott (The Collector of Bedford Street), is a rare look at an unusual relationship between two people some would call profoundly disabled. Two remarkable advocates for people with disabilities, Diana Braun who has Down syndrome and Kathy Conour who has cerebral palsy, met three decades ago and vowed to fight to live independent lives. Fearful of being shut away in a nursing home or forced into a state run institution, Diana and Kathy broke the rules, escaped the system, and modeled a grand experiment in independent living. This is a story of a profound, creative friendship and about making a difference. Disabilities Activism
New Day Films
A young girl and her father leave everything familiar behind when they move to Canada from China. The only piece of home they bring with them is a Chinese violin. As they face the huge challenges of starting new lives in a new place, the music of the violin connects them to the life they left behind - and guides the girl to a musical future. The Chinese Violin is part of the NFB's Talespinners collection which uses vibrant animation to bring popular stories from a wide range of cultural communities to the screen. Children and Youth Art and Culture
NFB
Magic Lion, The African Rhythms: Animated Stories for Children Charles Githinji NFB
The Magic Lion: An African boy goes on a quest to save his gravely ill grandfather. He must find a mysterious village where healers create medicine with special properties. On his way, the boy meets a strange lion caught in a trap. Freeing the lion is risky but he trusts that things will work out if he shows kindness. (2004, 6 min 52 sec) The Cora Player: A young couple from Burkina Faso fall in love, but because they are from different social classes, they must defy tradition to be together. This film is based on Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child, which upholds the right to love freely, blind to convention and social class. (1996, 7min 5 sec) Jump-Up: Caribbean Carnival in Canada: This film centres on the friendship of Lisa, a newly arrived girl from the West Indies, and Sophie, her Canadian neighbour. Together they help make a costume for the Jump-Up parade, an annual festivity celebrated in many communities with roots in the Caribbean. (1995, 10 min 45 Children and Youth Health
This DVD includes three short films: The Magic Lion, The Cora Player, and Jump-Up: Caribbean Carnaival in Canada
"It's Not Cool to be Cruel" is the theme song in Apples and Oranges, a film for Grades 4-8 that addresses name-calling, homophobia and stereotyping. In this fun and thought-provoking video, children's paintings magically transform into two animated adventures of Anta, Habib and Jeroux as they deal with homophobia and bullying at school.Woven into these short animated stories are film clips of an actual class discussion between an equity educator and elementary school students. In a lively talk about why names are bad and hurtful, stereotypes about gays and lesbians are dismantled and new views are put into place by the children themselves. Apples and Oranges challenges young viewers to think about their responses to people and families different from their own. Children and Youth Sexuality
Our Land, My People: The Struggle of the Lubicon Cree Lisle Turner and Lisle Turner
The film follows Lubicon councillors, elders, and band members as they share with Amnesty International the impact of resource exploitation on their way of life and traditional economy. Over $14B has been extracted from Lubicon land; the Lubicon have seen not a penny. Since the late 1970s, the Lubicon Cree, an Indigenous people in Alberta, Canada, have seen the land on which they depend transformed by logging and large-scale oil and gas extraction. Despite a 1990 decision by the United Nations Human Rights Committee that the human rights of the Lubicon Cree are being violated by the impact of natural resource extraction, the Canadian authorities have failed to bring about a fair resolution of the long standing land dispute. Aboriginal Environment
Environment
This is a screwball true story that follows two daring and imaginative political activists, Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno, as they infiltrate the world of big business and pull off outrageous pranks that highlight how corporate greed is destroying the planet. Armed with nothing but thrift-store suits, the Yes Men lie their way into business conferences and parody their corporate targets in ever more extreme ways, basically doing everything that they can to wake up their audiences to the danger of letting greed run the world. "Hilarious, therapeutic, inspiring. The Yes Men are geniuses." Naomi Klein. Economics Activism
The People Speak is a beautiful and moving film inspired by Howard Zinns book, A Peoples History of the United State. The film features the actual words (in letters, songs, poems, speeches, and manifestos) or rebels, dissenters, and visionaries from our past and present, including Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, Bob Dylan, Langston Hughes, Chief Joseph, Muhammad Ali, and unknown veterans, union workers, abolitionists, and many others. Their voices are brought to life by a group of remarkable musicians and actors such as Bruce Springsteen, Danny Glover, Pink, Ry Cooder, Sandra Oh, John Legend and others. History Activism
Soundtrack for a Revolution tells the story of the American civil rights movement through its powerful music, the freedom songs protesters sang on picket lines, in mass meetings, in paddy wagons and in jail cells as they fought for justice and equality. The film features new performances of the freedom songs by top artists, including John Legend, Joss Stone, Wyclef Jean, and The Roots; riveting archival footage; and interviews with civil rights foot soldiers and leaders, including Congressman John Lewis, Harry Belafonte, Julian Bond, and Ambassador Andrew Young. The infectious energy of the songs swept people up and empowered them to fight for their rights as they faced down brutal aggression with dignity and non-violence. Soundtrack for a Revolution celebrates the vitality of this music. A vibrant blend of heart-wrenching interviews, dramatic images, and thrilling contemporary performances. Numerous awards include: Peoples Choice Award; Vancouver Intl Film Fest / Peoples Choice Award; Toronto Intl Film Festival / Shortlisted for Academy Award Human Rights Art and Culture
Water on The Table is a character-driven, social-issue documentary that explores Canadas relationship to its freshwater, arguably its most precious natural resource. The film asks the question; is water a commercial good like running shoes or Coca-Cola? Or, is water a human right like air? Water On The Table features Maude Barlow of the Council of Canadians, who is considered an "international water-warrior" for her crusade to have water declared a human right. "Water must be declared a public trust and a human right that belongs to the people, the ecosystem and the future, and preserved for all time and practice in law. Clean water must be delivered as a public service, not a profitable commodity." Best Canadian Feature Film Award; Planet in Environment Globalization
Even as the government of Guatemala was signing the 1996 Peace Accords, it was, unbeknownst to the Guatemalan population, giving out hundreds of mining concessions to international (mainly Canadian) mining companies. Since the early 2000s, serious conflicts have broken out in Guatemala and elsewhere in Central America, due to the environmental and health effects and violations of human and indigenous rights caused by Canadian mining companies. "The Business of Gold in Guatemala" documents one struggle, the resistance of the Mayan-Mam people of San Miguel Ixtahuacan against the Canadian company Goldcorp Inc. Human Rights Environment
Environment
Her name is Green; she is alone in a world that doesnt belong to her. She is an orangutan, victim of deforestation and resource exploitation. This film is an emotional journey with Green in her final days. With no narration, it is a visual ride presenting the devastating impacts of logging and land clearing for palm oil plantations, the choking haze created by rainforest fires and the tragic end of rainforest biodiversity. We watch the effects of consumerism and are faced with our personal accountability in the loss of the worlds rainforest treasures. Golden Panda Award; Wildscreen 2010/ Grand Teton Award; Jackson Hole International Wildlife Film Festival 2009 Environment Globalization
Dark Side of Chocolate, The Directors: Miki Mistrati and U. Roberto Romano
Is the chocolate we eat produced by trafficked children? Award winning Danish journalist, Miki Mistrati hunts for answers in Mali, West Africa where hidden camera footage reveals illegal trafficking of young children to the cocoa fields in neighbouring Ivory Coast. Children as young as 7 years old work illegally in the plantations doing the dangerous job of cutting cocoa pods and carrying heavy loads. Some are victims of trafficking and most are never paid. Ivory Coast produces 40% of the worlds cocoa. Companies like Nestle, Hersheys, and Mars signed the Cocoa Protocol in 2001 promising to work toward the eradication of child labour in the cocoa sector by 2008, but little has changed. Does your favourite chocolate bar have a bitter taste? Children and Youth Human Rights
Honeybees have been mysteriously disappearing across the planet, literally vanishing from their hives. Known as Colony Collapse Disorder, this phenomenon has brought beekeepers to crisis in an industry responsible for producing apples, broccoli, watermelon, onions, cherries and a hundred other fruits and vegetables. Commercial honeybee operations pollinate crops that make up one out of every three bites of food on our tables. Vanishing of the Bees follows commercial beekeepers as they strive to keep their bees healthy and fulfill pollination contracts across the U.S. Filming across the US, in Europe, Australia and Asia, this documentary examines the alarming disappearance of honeybees and the greater meaning it holds about the relationship between humankind and mother earth. As scientists puzzle over the cause, organic beekeepers discuss possible alternative reasons for this tragic loss. Conflicting opinions abound and after years of research, a definitive answer has not been found to this mystery. The bees have a message . . . but are we listening?
Environment
www.vanishingbees.com
Fresh is a fresh look at the problems and consequences of our current industrialized food system, something that affects us all. But more than just a critique of the ills that accompany mass production on the farm and mass marketing in the food chain, Fresh focuses on the farmers, thinkers, and business people who are reinventing food production. Visionaries such as Will Allen and Joel Salatin are creating new approaches that address environmental, health, and economic challenges throughout the food chain. Fresh illustrates how farmers are eschewing artificial inputs like chemical fertilizers, antibiotics, and pesticides to grow healthier livestock and produce for consumers, and, at the same time, creating a better way of life for everyone. Agriculture Health
This is the story of the construction of the Unocal/Total oil pipeline in Burma and of two western corporations making business deals with a junta infamous for human rights abuses. It is also the story of one man, Ka Hsaw Wa, wanted by the law both in Burma and in Thailand. The film shines a light on the common practice of slave labour in Burma, a country controlled by a military dictatorship. An unprecedented legal battle unfolds in a US courtroom, shocking the world with its revelations. Fifteen plaintiffs, who've never left the Burmese jungle, battle head-to-head with two corporate giants. The outcome of this struggle will profoundly affect the actions of corporations worldwide. Vaclav Havel Award for Human Rights; One World Festival Prague Human Rights Globalization
www.totaldenialfilm.com/
Floods, drought, climate change, and even war are all directly related to the fate of humble dirt. Made from the same elements as stars, plants, and human beings, dirt is very much alive. One teaspoon of dirt contains a billion organisms working in balance to sustain a series of complex, thriving communities that are invisibly a part of our daily lives. Four billion years of evolution have created the dirt that recycles our water, gives us food, and provides us with shelter. But humanity has endangered this vital living resource with destructive methods of agriculture, mining practices, and urban development, with catastrophic results. The filmmakers travel around the world to capture the stories of global visionaries who are discovering new ways to repair humanitys relationship with soil and suggesting ways we can create new possibilities for all life on Earth. Best Film for Our Future; Mendocino Film Festival / Best Green Documentary; Maui Film Festival Environment Agriculture
Narrator: Jamie Lee Curtis
A Thousand Suns tells the story of the Gamo Highlands of the African Rift Valley and the unique worldview held by the people of the region. This isolated area has remained remarkably intact both biologically and culturally. It is one of the most densely populated rural regions of Africa yet its people have been farming sustainably for 10,000 years. Shot in Ethiopia, New York and Kenya, the film explores the modern world's untenable sense of separation from and superiority over nature and how the interconnected worldview of the Gamo people is fundamental in achieving long-term sustainability, both in the region and beyond. Community Agriculture
After 30 years of war and Taliban rule, Pop Idol has come to Afghanistan. Millions are watching the TV series Afghan Star and voting for their favourite singers by mobile phone. But in this troubled country, even music is dangerously controversial. Many of those taking part are literally risking their lives. For many, this is their first encounter with any kind of voting. This timely film follows the dramatic stories of four contestants as they risk
all to become the nation's favourite singer. But will they attain the freedom they hope for in this vulnerable and deeply conservative nation? World Cinema Audience Award & World Cinema Director Award; Sundance 2009 Art and Culture Human Rights
www.afghanstardocumentary.com
When his own baby daughter begins laughing at him, Nerenberg makes a surprising discovery, that essentially he doesnt laugh. That sets him off on a dramatic journey around the planet to discover real laughter and cutting-edge neuroscience. Laughology reveals the first laugh, a huge African laughter epidemic and the man with the most contagious laugh in the world. The film attempts to find the reason why we laugh, and especially why were wired to laugh together, whether its in a pub, at a movie, or in the face of danger. Science is discovering the incredible health benefits of laughing. And amazingly, a London study has now proven that laughter is one of the most contagious human behaviors of all. Laughology exposes the sudden arrival of the global laughter trend at a crucial time when the world probably needs a good laugh. Science and Technology Community
One of the most significant attractions and natural features in the Comox Valley is the Courtenay River Estuary. The estuary has been ranked Class 1 status; only eight out of the 442 estuaries on the coast of BC have been given this ranking. It is also currently in the process of achieving National Historic Status designation. The estuary is truly an ecological and historical jewel. Project Watershed and its partners are committed to involving and connecting all to this extremely important zone of teaming life and biodiversity. Environment Community
In the early hours of March 24th 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil supertanker runs aground in Alaska. It discharges millions of gallons of crude oil. The incident becomes the biggest environmental catastrophe in North American history. For twenty years, Riki Ott and the fishermen of the little town of Cordova, Alaska have waged the longest legal battle in U.S. history against the worlds most powerful oil company, ExxonMobil. They tell us all about the environmental, social and economic consequences of the black wave that changed their lives forever. With the prospects of pipelines and greatly increased tanker traffic in our waters, this legacy of the Exxon Valdez is a cautionary tale for us today. Best Direction in a Documentary; 2009 Gemini Environment Economics
NOT FOR SCHOOL SCREENINGS
From the creator of the award winning film, Garbage! The Revolution Starts at Home, comes a shocking tale about the products we use to clean our homes and bodies. Chemerical explores the life cycle of everyday household cleaners and hygiene products to prove that, thanks to our clean obsession, we are drowning in a sea of toxicity. The film is at once humorous, as we watch the Goode family try to turn over a new leaf by creating and living in a toxic-free home, and informative, as director Nisker works with many experts to give audiences the tools and inspiration to live toxic-free. Chemerical tackles the "toxic debate" in a truly informative and entertaining way, not only by raising awareness, but most importantly, by providing simple Environment Science and Technology
www.chemicalnation.com/
In this inspirational film,Velcrow Ripper captures the vibrancy of the epic Occupy Oakland general strike. Acclaimed spoken word artist, Drew Dellinger, recites his powerful poem 'Occupy Wall Street' as he moves through the crowd of dedicated activists. Dellinger says, "Our communities need us. We are all leaders. How could we ask for anything less than the future?" The poem is set to the hauntingly beautiful music from the 'Saracen' album by Jef Stott. Activism Art and Culture
Permaculture: The Growing Edge The Growing Edge Donna Read & Starhawk
Permaculture: The Growing Edge is an antidote to environmental despair, a hopeful and practical look at a path to a viable, flourishing future. The film introduces us to inspiring projects; visiting David Holmgrens homestead, sheet mulching an inner-city garden, transforming an intersection into a gathering place with City Repair and joining mycologist Paul Stamets as he uses mushrooms to clean up an oil spill. We meet some of the key figures in the permaculture movement including Australians, Bill Mollison and David Holmgren who started this movement in the 1970s. The film gives us a glimpse into this worldwide network of skilled ecological designers, teachers, food growers, natural builders, environmental activists and visionaries. Environment Activism
California is the state of new beginnings, dreams and movie stars, of surfers and a wonderful climate. But the Golden State is bankrupt and the city of Los Angeles is running out of cash. Public services are being cut and unemployment keeps rising. At the same time, optimism, entrepreneurship and the belief in the American dream are stronger than ever. In Los Angeles, we meet five people who are going through a transformation in their lives during this crisis. Justin and Christine lost their jobs and are now living in a van with their two young sons. Charles is out of prison after fourteen years. Mizuko prepares her children for the future by making them at ease in virtual reality. Laura has taken advantage of the crisis by buying land cheaply and starting an urban farm, and the artists' collective, Fallen Fruit, maps the abundant free 'public fruit' available in the city. Who are the pioneers who are reinventing the new America and how do they see the future? Community Labour and Employment
http://tegenlicht.vpro.nl
Within our lifetime over half of the world's population will be living without access to safe water and sanitation. Eight year old Vanessa and her parents walk almost a mile down the cliffs of El Alto in Bolivia to collect water from an unreliable well every day. Yet they live just a few hundred metres from their city's main water treatment plant and can see millions of gallons just beyond the barbed wire fence. They are victims of increasing water commodification. The struggle for this precious resource is explored through compelling stories of families living in Bolivia, Detroit, Dar Es Salaam and Rajestan. Human Rights Globalization
In Scotland, a town has been polluted by oil and chemical companies since the 1940s. In Brazil, water and land is being swallowed up by destructive monoculture eucalyptus tree plantations. Both communities now share a new threat, carbon trading. As part of the deal to reduce greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, major polluters can now buy carbon credits to reduce emissions elsewhere instead of cutting their own pollution. What this means for those living next to the oil industry in Scotland is the continuation of pollution caused by their toxic neighbours. Meanwhile, in Brazil, the carbon credit market gives an injection of cash for more planting of damaging eucalyptus trees. The film follows two groups of people from each community who used video cameras to tell their stories. From mental health issues in Scotland to the loss of medicinal plants in Environment Community
Adventurous pioneers transform Peru's harsh northern desert into a fertile valley of mango and lime orchards. But all they have worked for is threatened when gold is discovered under their land. Fear, violence and murder rock their once quiet community. In the midst of chaos, a martyr's vision unites the farmers and leads them down a revolutionary path of non-violent resistance. These brave men and women take on corrupt politicians and a Canadian mining company in an epic tale of ordinary people rising to heroic deeds in times of great crisis. In the community of Tambogrande, united action leads to victory. Community Activism
This film is based on first-hand stories of workers who organized early unions and fought for the rights of working people in British Columbia. Their voices are combined with historic images. These along with labour songs and linking narration, provide a window into the 100 year struggle for union recognition in BC. Hear the stories from the people who lived the history and participated in important battles for a more equitable society. Labour and Employment Activism
Granito; How to Nail a Dictator Pamela Yates, Peter Kinoy, Paco de Onis
Granito is a story of Guatemala, its turbulent history, and how documentary film footage is being used as courtroom evidence to bring a measure of justice for crimes committed decades ago. In Granito, our characters sift for clues buried in archives, seeking to uncover a narrative that could unlock the past and settle matters of life and death in the present. Each of the five main characters whose paths cross in Granito are connected by the Guatemala of 1982 where a genocidal "scorched earth" campaign by the military exterminated nearly 200,000 Mayan people. Our characters become integral to the overarching narrative of wrongs done and justice sought that they have pieced together, each adding their granito, their tiny grain of
A Chemical Reaction tells the story of one of the most powerful and effective community initiatives in the history of North America. It started with one lone voice in 1984. Dr. June Irwin, a quirky dermatologist, noticed a connection between her patients health conditions and their exposure to chemical pesticides and herbicides. With relentless persistence, she brought her concerns to town meetings to warn her fellow citizens that the chemicals they were putting on their lawns posed severe health risks. Dr. Irwins persuasive arguments and data to back her findings eventually led the town of Hudson, Quebec to enact a by-law that banned the use of all chemical pesticides and herbicides. The mighty chemical companies mounted a legal challenge to the town and eventually the case made it to the Supreme Court of Canada. The towns right to protect its citizens was upheld, and other municipalities followed suit. The movement spread so far and wide that the entire province of Quebec enacted a ban and Home Depot stopped selling these products. This is an inspiring film about citizen activism. Health Environment
www.safelawns.org
This provocative documentary looks back at the notorious 1967 Third Wave project. Originally designed by California high school teacher, Ron Jones, to teach his well-heeled Palo Alto pupils (including a teenaged Neel) about the roots of fascism, the experiment proved to be more successful than anyone could have anticipated - or feared. The films narrative explores the five days of the experience, in which the students started out as a cooperative until informers were assigned by Jones. As members were recruited and trials were held, even non-informants quickly turned on other members in their quest to ace the assignment. Over the decades, the experience would inspire articles, movies, and a novel that has become required reading in schools in several countries. Education Children and Youth
Cine Golden Eagle Award
Consuming Kids The Commercialization of Childhood Writer & Director: Adriana Barbaro & Jeremy Earp
Consuming Kids throws desperately needed light on the practices of a relentless multi-billion dollar marketing machine that now sells kids and their parents everything from junk food and violent video games to bogus educational products and the family car. Drawing on the insights of health care professionals, children's advocates, and industry insiders, the film focuses on the explosive growth of child marketing in the wake of deregulation, showing how marketers have used the latest advances in psychology, anthropology, and neuroscience to transform children into one of the most powerful and profitable consumer demographics in the world. Consuming Kids pushes back against the wholesale commercialization of childhood, raising urgent questions about the ethics of children's marketing and its impact on the health and well-being of our children. Children and Youth Health
In the Fall of 2009 a group of US veterans and war resisters traveled to Israel/Palestine to meet with their Israeli counterparts in an effort to strengthen connections and share experiences. Occupation Has No Future uses this trip as a lens to examine the occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, and explore the work of Israelis and Palestinians organizing against militarism and occupation. Through conversations with Israeli conscientious objectors, former soldiers, and Palestinians living under occupation, Occupation Has No Future creates a survey of the atmosphere in the State of Israel and the West Bank. This documentary looks at the partnership of the Israeli anti-militarist movement with a growing grassroots Palestinian campaign of civil disobedience, to defeat the occupation. Honest about the extremely daunting challenges, Occupation Has No Future ultimately tracks the hope of a growing number of Israelis and Palestinians to live together, free from occupation, in peace and with justice. Peace and Conflict Human Rights
Is it possible to live completely waste free? Partners Jen and Grant go head to head in a competition to see who can swear off consumerism and produce the least landfill garbage in an entire year. Their light-hearted competition is set against an examination of the sobering problem of waste in North American society. Even as Grant and Jen start to garner interest in their project, they struggle to find meaning in their seemingly minuscule influence on the large-scale environmental impacts of our "throw-away society." Featuring interviews with renowned artist, Chris Jordan and marine pollution expert, Captain Charles Moore, The Clean Bin Project presents the serious topic of waste reduction with optimism, humour, and inspiration for individual action. Environment Community
Best Canadian Documentary, Projecting Change Film Festival
Riddle in a Bottle is an award-winning film which shares how life on earth is connected through moving water. With a generous grant form the Save Our Seas Foundation, Sisbro Studios was able to purchase underwater camera equipment, and they spent a total of two years capturing beautiful aquatic footage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans (and lakes and rivers in-between). Filled with music, humour and wonderful cinematography, the film is suitable for family viewing. Children and Youth Education
Over 20 awards!
Maq and the Spirit of the Woods is the story of Maq, a Mi'gmaq boy who realises his potential with the help of inconspicuous mentors. When an elder in the community offers him a small piece of pipestone, Maq carves a little person out of it. Proud of his work, the boy wants to impress his grandfather and journeys through the woods to find him. Along the path, Maq meets a curious traveller named MI'gmwesu. Together, they share stories, medicine, laughter and song. Maq begins to care less about making a good impression and more about sharing the knowledge and spirit he has found through his creation. It is only when Maq joins his grandfather that he understands who Mi'gmwesu really is.
The International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP) teamed up with EP Films to create a documentary that tells the story of the threats facing the Great Bear Rainforest and the continued efforts of the First Nations communities and conservation groups to protect this wild landscape. SpOil follows the Great Bear Rainforest Rapid Assessment Visual Expedition (RAVE) that sent a swat team of photographers and filmmakers to the Great Bear Rainforest to document the beauty and the threats to this wild landscape. Stunning cinematography! Best Environmental Film,Vancouver International Film Festival; Nominated for the Moving Mountains Award,Telluride Mountain Film Festival Environment Globalization
One generation from now most people in the North will have spent more time in the virtual world than in nature. New media technologies have improved our lives in countless ways. But what are we missing when we are behind screens? And how will this impact our children, our society, and eventually, our planet? This emotionally moving and humorous film follows six teenagers who spend five to fifteen hours a day behind screens. Play Again takes them on their first wilderness adventure - no electricity, no cell phone coverage, no virtual reality. Through the voices of children and leading experts Play Again investigates the consequences of a childhood removed from nature and encourages action for a sustainable future. Children and Youth Science and Technology
Best of Fest, Colorado Environmental Film Festival; Audience Award, Portland Oregon Women's Film Festival
Reflections: Art for an Oil-Free Coast shares the story of an expedition of fifty artists into the truly stunning and remote landscape of British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest, a landscape they feel is threatened by Enbridge's proposed Northern Gateway pipeline and supertanker project. As these artists worked among pristine estuaries and alongside bears, they created an amazing collection of art to share with the world. Canadian icon Robert Bateman summarizes the crux of the matter stating, "The real problems facing this planet are not economic, and they are not technical. They are philosophical. So we need to get our philosophy right. What way do we want to go forward? We need a critical mass of people who care deeply in their hearts about nature. And that's partly what we're all about here." Art and Culture
www.raincoast.org
Environment
On April 20th, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded off the Gulf of Mexico taking the lives of 11 workers, pouring millions of barrels of oil into the ocean and creating one of the worst environmental disasters in history. Dirty Energy tells the personal story of those directly affected by the spill who are now struggling to rebuild their lives amidst economic devastation and long-term health risks. This is a story too often glossed over by the mainstream media and ignored by those sent to Washington to represent the will of the people. The fate of the Gulf region and its inhabitants is largely unknown. The systematic failures of BP and the federal government to properly confront this environmental calamity with honesty and integrity has powerful consequences, but sadly the human cost has been greatly underestimated and hidden from the public. Still today, the people of the Gulf are fighting to preserve their endangered way of life. This is their story. Social Justice Award, Santa Barbara International Film Festival Human Rights Labour and Employment
www.dirtyenergymovie.com
How do we become a sustainable civilization? This film takes a unique approach among environmental documentaries. Rather than dispensing facts about climate change, peak energy, and other critical issues, it examines the cultural barriers that prevent us from acting rationally. It asks why population conversations are so difficult to have, and why a roaring economy is more important to us than a survivable planet. It explores our obsession with community growth and economic growth. Hooked on Growth holds up a mirror encouraging us to examine the beliefs and behaviours we must leave behind, and the values we need to embrace, in order that our children can survive and thrive. Education Economics
www.growthbusters.org
All Me: The Life & Times of Winfred Rembert Vivian Ducat
With his intensely autobiographical paintings depicting the day-to-day existence of African Americans in the segregated South, Winfred Rembert has preserved an important, if often disturbing, chapter of American history. His indelible images of toiling in the cotton fields, singing in church, dancing in juke joints, or working on a chain gang are especially powerful because he lived every moment, and because he experienced so much injustice and bigotry. Now in his sixties, Rembert has developed a growing following among art collectors and connoisseurs, and enjoyed a number of tributes and exhibitions of his work. In All Me: The Life and Times of Winfred Rembert, the artist relives his turbulent life, abundantly visualized by his extensive paintings and, in a series of intimate reminiscences, shows us how even the most painful memories can be transformed into something meaningful and beautiful. This music-filled film is a glowing portrait of how an artist is made. Cine Golden Eagle Award Human Rights Art and Culture
www.allmethemovie.com
Drawing from ancient knowledge and cutting edge science, Symphony of the Soil is an artistic exploration of the miraculous substance, soil. By understanding the elaborate relationships and mutuality between soil, water, the atmosphere, plants and animals, we come to appreciate the complex and dynamic nature of this precious resource. The film also examines our human relationship with soil, the use and misuse of soil in agriculture, deforestation and development, and the latest scientific research on soils key role in ameliorating the most challenging environmental issues of our time. Filmed on four continents, featuring esteemed scientists and working farmers and ranchers, Symphony of the Soil is an intriguing presentation that highlights possibilities of healthy soil creating healthy plants creating healthy humans living on a healthy planet. Beautiful cinematography and musical score. Agriculture Environment
www.symphonyofthe soil.com
What price would you pay for paradise? And who would you be willing to take it from? The pristine archipelago of Bocas del Toro, Panama attracts retirees and developers from the U.S. with its crystal-clear waters and its island culture. In Paraiso for Sale, filmmaker, Anayansi Prado, returns to her homeland to document the effects the fast-growing migration is having on the local community. This engaging and revealing documentary tells the personal stories of the people who call this area home and would like to keep it that way. From an American couple whove invested in their home and in their Panamanian community, to a local businessman turned political hopeful and an indigenous leader fighting for his land, the characters and stories in Paraiso for Sale speak to the larger global issue of communities, new and old, under siege from faceless corporations. Paraiso for Sale explores issues of modern day colonialism, residential tourism, and global gentrification. Globalization Community
www.paraisoforsale.impactofilms.com
Why has the death rate from heart disease and cancer exploded in recent times? Why are the ice caps melting, the oceans dying and the forests being cut down as we produce the food necessary to support our burgeoning populations? Against a backdrop of colourful and delicious food grown by organic farmers and prepared in the kitchens of world-famous chefs, Planeat brings together the ground-breaking studies of three prominent scientists who have done important research to answer these questions. Dr. T. Colin Campbell in China explores the link between diet and disease; Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn uses nutrition to treat chronically ill heart disease patients; and Professor Gidon Eshel investigates how our food choices contribute to global warming, wasteful land use and lifeless oceans. Planeat inspires you to make better food choices: choices that can dramatically reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, protect our environment and make our planet sustainable while celebrating the joys of food. Agriculture Health
www.mcnabbconnolly.ca
African hip hop pioneer Didier Awadi is on a quest to craft an album that pays tribute to the great black revolutionary leaders and their struggle to realize a dream, a united and independent Africa. In this epic musical and political journey, Awadi visits some 40 countries to collaborate with hip hop activist artists, including Smockey (Burkina Faso), M-1 of Dead Prez (United States) and ZuluBoy (South Africa). Featuring a score by Ghislain Poirier, as well as Awadis own songs, United States of Africa draws the viewer into one artists profound meditation on the power of music and the impact of political engagement, both individual and collective. A hopeful and compelling film. Art and Culture Activism
www.onf-nfb.gc.ca
Sing Your Song surveys the life and times of singer/actor/activist Harry Belafonte. This inspirational biographical film begins with Belafonte's birth into poverty in Harlem in 1927, and his childhood years in Jamaica. Director, Susanne Rostock takes the viewer through his discovery of theater and his training as an actor, and on to his career and success as a singer. The film includes clips of his career but also reveals the compelling story is his activism for social justice. Belafonte is a tenacious hands-on activist, who worked intimately with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., mobilized celebrities for social justice, participated in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, and took action to counter gang violence and the incarceration of youth. He continues to work in the prison rights movement. Despite his high profile, he has never been afraid to spend time in the trenches even when it involved taking enormous personal risks. Most Popular Nonfiction Film Award, Vancouver Int'l Film Festival Activism Human Rights
www.singyoursongthemovie.com
In the years since the World Trade Organization forced India to open its markets to genetically modified seeds such as Monsanto's BT Cotton, farmers have been forced into untenable debt in order to buy the more expensive seeds and the fertilizers and pesticides required to make them grow. Every 30 minutes a farmer in India kills himself in despair because he can no longer provide for his family. Will Ramkrishna be next? A cotton farmer at the epicenter of the suicide crisis region, he is struggling to keep his land. Manjusha, the neighbours daughter, is determined to overcome village traditions and become a journalist. Ramkrishnas plight becomes her first assignment. A deeply affecting, character-driven film, Bitter Seeds masterfully weaves a rich tapestry of compelling human stories and subplots, that allows you to enter a world that is both personal and profound. Oxfam Global Justice Award & Winner Green Screen competition at IDFA; Jury Award, Green Agriculture Human Rights
www.teddybearfilms.com
The Navajo territory of "Four Corners" has often been characterized as an "energy sacrifice zone" where people from California, Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico have flipped their switches in complete ignorance of the devastating consequences of their choices. The list of staggering impacts from coal-fired electricity is long, and includes cancers, heart and lung disease and rampant asthma. This is especially true among the elderly and young. Rising levels of dangerous smog also impact visibility, and negatively affect traditional ceremonies and agriculture. These impacts from coal impose unacceptable costs. Navajo communities are moving to new sources of energy including solar power that can displace coal and uranium, create new jobs and build enduring pathways out of poverty. Environment Health
www.newenergyeconomy.org
In Canada, when we think of "temporary foreign workers," the image that comes to mind are the seasonal agricultural workers who have been working in our fields for the past 40 years, or the live-in nannies and maids from the Philippines. But these days, temporary foreign workers are found in all sectors: fast food, service stations, city bus drivers. Canada appears to be taking its cue from places like Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia that run on temporary foreign workers. The documentary uncovers a trend which is having a profound impact on the society in which we live, where there will be citizens with full rights, and "rent-a-workers" with few or none. Is this the kind of society we want to build? Labour and Employment Globalization
www.diffusionmultimonde.com
Breast cancer has become the poster child of cause-related marketing campaigns. Countless people walk, run and shop for the cure. Each year, millions of dollars are raised in the name of breast cancer, but where does this money go and what does it actually achieve? Pink Ribbons, Inc. is a feature documentary from the National Film Board of Canada that shows how the devastating reality of breast cancer, which marketing experts have labeled a "dream cause," has become obfuscated by a shiny, pink story of success. The film challenges the pink-themed campaign promotion of a quick-fix mentality, focusing too much on early screening and achieving a "cure" for the disease, instead of researching causes and protection from environmental contaminants. Health Women
www.onf-nfb.gc.ca
Throughout history the lasting psychological effects of war have taken a terrible toll on soldiers and their families, but until the1980s, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was unrecognized as a treatable injury. Today there has been some positive change, but the startlingly high number of military suicides indicate that there is much work to be done. In an intimate and candid interview Senator and Retired General Romo Dallaire elaborates on his own experience of PTSD. This compassionate film takes us to witness sessions of a unique therapeutic program which promises great hope for effective treatment. Silver Chris Award Columbus Int'l Film &Video Festival Peace and Conflict Health
We Are Wisconsin chronicles the incredible events that transpired in Wisconsin in 2011. When Republican Governor Scott Walker tries to introduce a budget bill that threatens to eliminate worker rights and prevent public debate, public opposition is swift and powerful. The film follows an unlikely group of six local citizens: a police officer, a nurse, a high school teacher, a union electrician, a county social worker and a student leader who are actively involved in the take-over of the Capitol building. In less than a month, the local population unites in a way they had never done before and support comes from around the world. We Are Wisconsin puts a different face to the stereotypes of activism as the protestors we encounter are from all walks of life, united by a common goal of protecting their democratic rights. These six characters reveal the motives that inspire ordinary citizens to act, showing us how social movements are sparked. Top 10 Audience Choice, Hot Docs; Nominated for Int'l Documentary Assoc. Award Labour and Employment Community
An old box turtle (named Shirley) meets a raccoon (named Fernando Hernandafandavez) who is totally lost in the forest. Shirley helps Fernando discover the magic of spring, as well as the tale of a newborn fawn in the springtime woods. All the animals think the fawn is lost, but is he? The movie includes several original songs including a beautiful lullaby sung by the mother doe to her fawn, before she leaves her fawn alone in the grasses. Numerous awards including 2006 Wildscreen Panda Award for Best Children's Wildlife Film Worldwide Children and Youth
This hilarious Oscar-nominated animation is based on the century-old folk song of the same name. Old Mr. Johnson makes increasingly manic attempts to rid himself of a little yellow cat that just won't stay away... 1989 Genie Award for best animated short film
Bearly Alike parallels a day in the life of the Alaskan brown bears with a day in the life of a young man named George. Watch George and the bears wake up in the morning . . . and fall right back to sleep. Watch George protect his sandwich from a dog, while bears protect fish from a wolf. Watch George and the bears eat, drink, yawn, itch, fish and more. Is George so different from the bears that live far away? With live action and original music, the video is perfect for anyone young at heart. Children and Youth