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Using Nature's Blueprint

The film Elemental directed by Gayatri Roshan and Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee was released in 2012. This film paints us a portrait of three environmental activists. We follow their stories as they face challenges in trying to raise awareness on various environmental issues. I appreciated the three different stories in this film, and how each story was fighting for their own and unique passion. From designing a machine that uses natures blueprint to help in ending global warming, to getting down and dirty in a fight to keep the waters clean, this documentary shows that all it takes is one person. The one person that dares to speak up for what they believe in and spark that flame in others.

One thing that this film avoided was giving lots of statistics and data about global warming, water pollution, and how damaging tar sands are. This is often overdone by these types of documentaries and can have a negative effect on the viewer. I found it refreshing just following their stories without feeling like the documentary was trying to persuade me one way or another on the issue. It served more as an eye opener as well as an insight to what life is like for those extreme activist who make such radical changes possible. 

Overall this documentary really worked for me and I loved getting to know these three inspiring activists and realizing the struggles that they go through to fight for their passions and others. I also really enjoyed how beautiful all the shots were throughout the film, gorgeous landscapes and it really made you feel connected to the area that these folks are trying to protect.

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The end of running wild through corn fields?

  GMO OMG, directed by Jeremy Seifert, is a great film to open the worlds eyes to the negative sides of GMO's. Jeremy started out as nothing but a concerend father, curious about what effects the food his children are eating will have on them in the short term and long term. Early in his research he was trouble by how little were infact mentioned about GMO's. It shouldn't be such a struggle to find out what we putting inside ourselves.

Jeremy did an amazing job with the sequencing in this film and the main focal points he decided to stick with throughout the movie. I believe the role that his children play in this film are crucial to how powerful it is. The fact that he is just an average joe wanting answers for his children is something a lot of people can relate with.

I really enjoyed the corn field scene as well. It was pretty comical yet also powerful for the anti-GMO side of the argument. Jeremy and his kids dress up in these crazy suites to protect themselves from any harmful pesticides or other things that are now throughout cornfields. The fact that back when Jeremy was little, and there was no risk or need for those suites hits you.

Something I couldn't believe about this film was how secretive all the big corporations are about GMO information. The scene that really stuck out was when he finally made it to Monsanto. He walked into the lobby, someone was on the phone already ready to kick him out. What's the deal with that? It made me think, wow, they must really have something to hide from the public.

This film really got me thinking, and honestly worrying. Why are there still so many unanswered questions about GMO's? and why are corporations like Monsanto going to such great lengths to prevent these questions from being answered.

Will it soon be impossible to avoid GMO's? and what effects will this have on us.

  http://www.gmofilm.com/

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Open your eyes to the omg factors of GMO’s

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Pandora's Promise is revealed!

Pandora's Promise is a controversial new film about the potential for nuclear power to be a valid option. I really found this film interesting but I think it's sole purpose is to just get people thinking. With the time restraints of a movie there is only so much one person can cover about such a big topic and I feel that's where a lot of the criticism will come from sadly. 

With issues such as this people want the facts, the science. But, I saw this film more as provocative, just getting you to think about something in a new way without trying to throw all these hard facts at you. 

Reading a bit more into this film, all the people involved were said to be anti-nuclear power when they started out on this film, which adds a unique component to it. As the film went on they said they started to realize all they were taught to believe wasn't necessarily true. 

This film is a great start to investigating the option of nuclear power. Just opening the door to nuclear power seemed to be his goal, which I believe was accomplished. 

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Robert Stone's interview on his new film Pandora's Promise

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"But what if what I've been thinking all this time...is wrong?"

Stewart Brand

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Truth About Medical Care Brought to Light

Remote Area Medical was a powerful movie bringing to light those who have been left behind due to not being able to afford medical care. It is an issue that is not usually brought into light like this documentary accomplished. It was not only visually striking but it was emotionally striking. The fact that the director chose to follow only a couple stories and families closely really aided to the emotional response of the audience. 

I also enjoyed the background story and highlighting the one man that was in charge of creating this whole event, and why it is still continuing today. It was one man's vision that ends up helping thousands of people with every free clinic they host. 

This documentary really showed the potential of human beings. To help one another just for the pure joy of doing good, no monetary value added. It was powerful when the documentary added a look into the volunteers and how helping these people effected them. There was a female dentist that added how her everyday life was never this rewarding, with people crying tears of joy after almost every procedure she did. 

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Film: A Will for the Woods

I had never had my attention brought to the idea of a green burial before. I had no idea you could! I'm so happy we had this film to enlighten us on a much more green and possibly more satisfying way of dealing with burials. This story was absolutely beautiful, and brought tears to my eyes no matter how hard a tried to play it cool.

I loved how we got to follow Clarks story from the beginning to the end. We got to take witness to what goes on behind closed doors when a loved one comes down with a life threatening disease.

Clark leaves you with always wanting to keep a positive outlook on life, no matter how hard things may be. The film crew did a great job at not only finding this story but portraying Clark for the incredible man he seemed to be.

I also thought it was quite beautiful the way that Clark was the one creating the soundtrack to this movie about him. With every key he played you could feel that emotion just pouring out of him and I feel that was a great choice to highlight his piano playing the way they did.

http://www.awillforthewoods.com/

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Classy people at the Strand Theatre.

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Film: Expedition to the End of the World

By far my favorite film of the festival! It had me at the first scene of the man setting his own gun off after tripping up a hill. The director did a fantastic job of picking the characters for this film. That choice alone had a lot to do with how this film turned out. Their personalities gave a great sense of humor throughout, but also aided in some deep conversations about life's meaning.

One character in particular made this film for me, and that was Daniel Richter the "Artist". I really loved hearing his views and opinions on everything throughout. His personality stood out the most in the fact that everything this man said either made me laugh or think about something in a whole new way from what I knew.

http://expeditionthemovie.dk/

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New theme song to my life, thank you CIFF!

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Where's Allison?!

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Camden opera house! Oh yeah.

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At the park! Waiting for the last film.

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A Tale of Inspirational Protest

Film: Harlan County

This was a powerful tale of protest and it was very inspirational. Especially in the way that the women got involved with the protest alongside the men. They all showed strong leadership roles and i found that setting this film apart from others on similar issues.

I really enjoyed the footage as well, among other films this weekend, she got them to build trust within her so they could open up and expose what was truly happening in their town. Great inspirational film thats power has not faded over the years.

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Doesn't Everyone Want to be Big?

Film: Big Men

The ongoing quote was how everyone wants to be big. This quote seemed to apply well to oil companies. I appreciated her providing a documentary that seemed to try and observe this topic through a non-biased view.

She also acquired many shots in this film that I was impressed by. One of the scenes was when she was surrounded by gun fire. I couldn't believe she received so much trust from the big men. This added a raw and powerful element to the film.

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"It’s a movie about wanting to be big"

-Rachel Boynton, Big Men