Film Series for Political Change
BC filmmaker Zack Embree’s moving film Directly Affected reveals the deeply compromised review process that led to our provincial and federal governments approving the TransMountain Pipeline expansion, and the inspiring examples of individuals willing to put themselves in harm’s way to defend our coast and the planet.
This unusual film was sold out for festival showings in Vancouver, Whistler, and Squamish. With breathtaking cinematography, The Radicals follows four snowboarders and surfers driven to become social and environmental stewards through their connection with the environments in which they play.
By enjoying and appreciating their natural surroundings, these awakened athletes introduce us to some of the worlds most dedicated activists and game-changing wilderness initiatives that can actually change the world. The Radicals inspires us to shift our perspective, rise above the challenges of modern society and dig into our roots to create radical waves of change, while still enjoying the thrill of nature, gravity, and a sense of real purpose.
Free YouTube version launched in honour of Earth Day 2021:
A film about hope, Toad People is a touchingly sweet yet infuriating story about humans, owls and amphibians in Chilliwack, and the inspired community-led movement to save an endangered species. It’s also the story of many families and communities across BC who are taking action to save the wildlife in their backyard, whether it’s toads, mountain caribou, rattlesnakes or barn owls. See the trailer below.
Despite having some of the most diverse wildlife in North America – including 1,900 species at risk – British Columbia is one of only two provinces in Canada with no endangered species law!
A film about Andrew Weaver’s surprising and historic first election campaign in 2013 as he breaks through BC’s two-party stronghold to become our first Green MLA (followed in the next election by MLAs Adam Olsen and our current party leader, Sonia Furstenau). Fearing that BC’s climate leadership would fall by the wayside (which it did) Weaver decides to run for a party that had never won a seat in its 30 year history.
The film also explores how far scientists will go to warn of the dangers of runaway climate change, including SFU biologist Lynne Quarmby and former NASA climate scientist James Hansen, who was arrested outside the White House in 2011 protesting the Keystone XL pipeline from the Alberta tarsands. With science leading the way, Running on Climate highlights people acting locally to help prevent a global catastrophe.
This film is no longer available online.
This film is an impassioned plea by local filmmaker Jocelyn Demers to save birds everywhere from extinction. While this important film wasn’t part of our Greenflix film series, we chose to include it here since Demers lives in Tsawwassen and many of the scenes were shot at Boundary Bay and the Fraser River Estuary.
Hear the wisdom of ornithologists from here in Delta and around the world, and marvel at the visually stunning sites shown as prime examples of the increasing threats posed by unrestrained industrial development. (A frightening example close to home is the proposed Roberts Bank Terminal 2.)
This film can be seen in its entirety at no cost if you have a Library card and an account with film portal Kanopy. Click on the image above to watch the film.