Cinema Verde's Director Discussions

Cinema Verde presents an interview with Director Malini Schueller about her film "In His Own Home" in which heavily armed officers of the University of Florida police department in Gainesville, FL, responding to a 911 call from a neighbor who heard screams, break into the campus apartment of Ghanaian graduate student, Kofi Adu-Brempong. Clad in SWAT gear and ready to attack, they see the disabled doctoral student, sitting with a metal table leg in his hand and within a minute of entry, shoot the unarmed man in the face. Adu-Brempong, who because of childhood polio, needed a cane to walk, and had been suffering from mental illness, now has severe facial injuries, and is charged with resisting arrest. He is guarded outside his hospital door, his legs shackled together when going to the bathroom. The officer who shoots Kofi, and who had previously been caught cruising through town throwing eggs at residents of a Black neighborhood, is not suspended or fired. Student protests lead the administration to drop charges but calls for revoking SWAT-like teams on campus go unheard. Kofi’s shooting is not an isolated incident but part of an ongoing pattern of police brutality against Blacks and a stark reminder of the dangers of increasingly militarized campuses nationwide. In His Own Home came out of outrage by a small group of concerned community members committed to seeing social justice happen on a local level. This documentary is an educational and organizing tool, especially calling for our communities to be safe from violence by racist and over-armed police. Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with Director Chris Martine about his work, "Team Schiedea: How to Save a Species From Going Extinct." Highlighting one of the coolest and most ambitious projects in the history of rare species conservation, this short film takes us to Kaua'i, Hawai'i, where a group of passionate plant people are working to save some of the rarest plants on the archipelago -- and tell us why we need a new generation of biodiversity lovers to help battle the extinction crisis. Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with Kate Kirby about her film, "Elephant Keeper". "Elephant Keeper" is the story of an elder indigenous mahout who is adjusting to a new job in ecotourism in the remote jungles of Sainyabuli Province, Laos. Senior mahout, Mr. Tong, arrives at the Elephant Conservation Center (ECC) in search of work to support his family, and is paired with Mae Dok, the Center’s sweet and stubborn 60-year-old elephant matriarch. As he adapts to a new routine away from home, Mr. Tong finds a confidant in his elephant charge. The immersive contemplative nature of the cinematography allows the audience to feel present within the action and story in a complex narrative rich with visual metaphor and symbolism, exploring themes of Extinction & Conservation, Industrialization & Globalization, and Culture & Identity. Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with Mark Pedelty about his film, "LOUD." Catriona Armour's body art and a special appearance by Dana Lyons of "Cows with Guns" propel the musical narrative about noise pollution in, around, and above the Salish Sea of Washington State and British Columbia. Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with Director Benj Binks about his film, "Lake Victoria: An Ecosystem in Turmoil." Decades of mismanagement, environmental changes, and a burgeoning population have created tensions for the 40 million people living on the shores of the world's second-largest freshwater lake, Lake Victoria. Desperate fishermen use illegal nets and overfish the East African lake's dwindling stocks, while many fishermen have had to turn to other forms of work - much of which has a detrimental impact on the health of the lake and its residents. Lake Victoria: An Ecosystem in Turmoil follows some of those trying to eek out a living on the lake: a Kenyan fisherman who illegally crosses the border into Uganda in the search for fish; a Ugandan who gave up fishing to become a palm oil farmer; and a Tanzanian gold miner using mercury with his bare hands to extract the precious mineral from unregulated mines on the lake's shores. But how well do they comprehend the pressure that they’re putting on the lake, and can the regional governments and communities take action before irreversible damage happens? Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with Sasha Chudacoff about her "Life: Plastic Wrapped". It was filmed and edited during 2020 Quarantine. Did you know plastics are making a HUGE comeback due to COVID-19? The increase of plastic production and waste has been directly affected by this global pandemic. The poem, "I am a head in a plastic bag (for Sasha)" was written by collaborator Haley White in relation to my obsession with our plastic problem. Taking ownership of my own participation in our plastic world and climate catastrophe has allowed me to contemplate these issues on a deeper level. Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with Marion Lucas about her involvement in the film, "The Custodians of the Andean Gold." In the Peruvian and Bolivian Andes, more than 3 800 meters above sea level, live alpaca and vicunia breeders. Quechua and Aymara families protect their animals live off of the sale of the animals’ fiber. Gold mining is another activity that predates the Conquest and is widespread among families living in the border area between Peru and Bolivia. The difficult compatibility on the same territory of these two production activities increases the need for environmental protection and workers' rights. It has become indispensable to support producers so that this activity does not disappear with the migration of native peoples, abandoning traditions and animals. Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with Jayraj Patil, Nirmika A, and Carolijn Terwindt about their film, "Free Pass." While foreign and Indian tourists visit Goa’s beaches and night life, others clean the accumulating garbage and sell the fish that was caught in the sea. Due to its proximity to the ocean, Goa is highly prone to disasters caused by climate change. While the lifestyle of most tourists is accelerating the climate crisis, fishermen and marginalized locals are particularly vulnerable to floods or changes in the biodiversity. This artistic project explores the radically different worlds of Goa that the tourists and those particularly vulnerable to the climate crisis inhabit. Our lives are so connected, but the connection is all too often invisible. How can contact be made and a conversation be initiated? As can be experienced in any of the live jams characterizing Goa’s beaches, music is a universal practice that can create joy and community. But which communities are part of the live jams on the beach and which are not? The video traces an intervention that interrogates a highly unequal status quo. The results are sometimes awkward, sometimes heartwarming. Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with Kate Adams and Director Alkis Papastathopoulos about his film, "One Day We Will Dance with You." "One Day We Will Dance with You" tells the story of two women creating a dance to celebrate water. They imagine dance moves, and argue about science and whether a celebration can still be sad. As the community around them comes together to dance, they begin to imagine a future where the Water Molecule Dance and the celebration of water becomes a part of all our lives. Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with Steve McGuire about his film, "1948 and Counting."  Reports on Costa Rica's ability to manage without a military since 1948, despite invasions based in Nicaragua. Addresses the role of private armies serving multinational corporations, and whether the country's civil guard is a military by another name. Places Costa Rica in the context of Central and Latin American populist struggles against US backed regimes in El Salvador, Chile, Panama, Nicaragua and Honduras. Touches on the colonial history and explores whether Costa Rica depends on US military backing, and whether it is able to maintain independence from the US. Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with Alycin Hayes about her film, " Wild Florida's Vanishing Call." A moving, powerful inside look at what has happened to the wild, rarely seen, real Florida. A compelling, emotional soundtrack carries the viewer through the past destruction of wild Florida habitats, to beautiful scenes of Florida's rarely seen native wild animals, including the most endangered cat in North America, the Florida Panther, and ends with a positive message encouraging the viewer to work to protect Florida's wildlife and habitat before it is too late. Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with director Dan Goldes about his film, "Keeper of the Creek." “If you’ve ever thought ‘Someone should do something about that litter problem’, remember, you’re someone.” Joel Goldes has visited the creek in his suburban Southern California community nearly every day. And for the past 10 years, he’s been picking up litter, trapping invasive crayfish, opening blocked channels, and testifying at local hearings – often the lone voice in support of the under-appreciated ecosystem near his home. Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with Ayoola Kassim about her film "Elephant Protection." How many elephants are there across Nigeria? Some Nigerian conservationists estimate that there are only 300, others believe the number is less than that. In recent years there have been many reports of hunters killing elephants across the country. A combination of climate change (which has reduced amounts of fresh water the elephants need), poaching, human-elephant conflict and deforestation is a major challenge. ‘Elephant Protection’ is a 30minute documentary featured on ‘Earthfile’- Channels Television’s environment and Development Programme. It focuses on the current problem climate change has caused for the elephants, in terms of habitat loss and the cause of the human-elephant conflicts in Nigeria. It also looks at the efforts of conservationists (trained professionals and those without formal education) in the protection of the elephant population. It talks about their successes and failure, and how humans can live in harmony with the elephants. For this story, Omo Forest, Ogun state, Southwest Nigeria and Yankari games reserve in Bauchi state in Nigeria's NorthEast were visited.Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with Director Laurenzo Massoni about his film "The Big Green" or "Le Grand Vert". Jeanne's last cutting tree site has been destroyed by environmental activists. While she tries to save some equipment, she ends up stuck on the first branch of a 30 meters high, centuries-old tree. Her only hope: to climb higher to find some network and call for help.‍ Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with Nick Twardus, the director of "The Fabricated Wild" . "The Fabricated Wild" explores the intersections between the natural and artificial within the Florida wilderness using personal filmmaking technology. Images strictly of the natural landscape are sequenced to break from traditional cinematic viewing techniques. Images foreground the natural Florida landscape in the frame and communicate how cinema fabricates the expansive wilderness. The Fabricated Wild frames the complex interaction between a frustrated filmmaker and the collective unconsciousness of the natural environment, a theory outlined by Carl Jung, considering the implications and discoveries along the way. The film frames the experience of interacting with and revealing the forest’s collective unconsciousness that is frequently hidden in cinema to call for an experimental way to engage with the natural landscape. 16mm, Super 8. Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with director Amanda Rodriguez about her film "Stories Happen in Forests." The film is about 12 people. In the woods. Telling their stories... I hiked out into the forests of the Southeast to listen. What I found in the power of story and in our connections to the forests is more important now than ever. Forests hold our stories. Our history. Our dreams. Our strength. Our future. Humanity happens in forests. Stories happen in forests. Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with directors Jamie Lepre and Paul Hellier about their film, "Peloton Against Plastic". Plastic is choking our planet, don’t dwell on it, let’s act. Embark on an odyssey as two Aussies and a bunch of eco guardians ride bicycles from Hanoi to Bangkok meeting proactive locals tackling plastic pollution. Our foe is strong, lightweight, greater in numbers and cheap, but we will prevail! Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with Josh and Rebecca Tickell directors of "Kiss the Ground." "Kiss the Ground" reveals that, by regenerating the world’s soils, we can completely and rapidly stabilize Earth’s climate, restore lost ecosystems and create abundant food supplies. Using compelling graphics and visuals, along with striking NASA and NOAA footage, the film artfully illustrates how, by drawing down atmospheric carbon, soil is the missing piece of the climate puzzle. This movie is positioned to catalyze a movement to accomplish the impossible – to solve humanity’s greatest challenge, to balance the climate, and secure our species' future. Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with Director Orion Pahl about his film "Bury Me at Taylor Hollow." "Bury Me at Taylor Hollow" follows the growing pains of Larkspur as they set out to raise $210,000 to buy 112 acres for both natural burial and conservation. With breathtaking footage and intimate moments of a soul finding its way, director Orion Pahl and writer/editor Rebekah Pahl weave an unforgettable glimpse into a new way of approaching death. More than just a film about death, Bury Me is about the through-line present in all our lives if we keep our ears close to the ground and listen. Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.

Cinema Verde presents an interview with Annalaura di Luggo, producer of Napoli Eden. Annalaura di Luggo, Neapolitan artist and visionary, proposes a bold concept of cultural and social rebirth for her city by transforming discarded scraps of recycled aluminum into works of art, enlisting the aid of some troubled teenagers from the Spanish Neighborhood and offering them a new perspective on life…. A Journey into the light "Napoli Eden will premiére in Rome at the Italian PARLIAMENT on October 6, 2020" The whole story is the adventure of the Neapolitan artist Annalaura di Luggo (awarded at the 58th Venice Biennale) who is about to face the city of Naples for the installation of her gigantic works, made using recycled aluminum waste. Our full catalog of video interviews and streaming films is available to members at cinemaverde.org.