The Cost Of Progress
What price are we willing to pay for economic and technological advancement? The short films in this collection rightly ask the question. Should we be willing to give up our health, our homes, certain animal species, or our sense of community? Travel to some truly inspiring, beautiful and ravaged landscapes across the globe, and in our own backyard. Meet the people who are becoming the change needed to build our world back better.
There are eight short films:
1. HERD
Documentary, 15 mins, Canada
Dir/Prod: David Borish
Prod: Ashlee Cunsolo, Sherilee L. Harper, Inez Shiwak
Through Inuit voices this documentary tells of the social, emotional, and cultural disruptions from the cascading ecological change brought about by declining caribou herds.
2. FROM DREAMS TO DUST
Documentary, 9 mins, United States
Dir/Prod: Stephanie Tangkilisan, Muhammad Fadli
Prod: Brenden Hubbard, Umar Siddiq
Pola is a nickel miner who risks his life every day to feed his family. His home has been transformed from an idyllic fishing village to a dusty red earth for the sake of renewable batteries used in electric cars.
3. JUA KALI
Drama, 18 mins, Kenya
Dir/Writ/Prod: Joash Omondi
Prod: Yasmin Hassan, Ahmed Deen
Diana and her colleagues skillfully perform their cleaning duties against the backdrop of their privileged Nairobi clients’ private struggles and shenanigans. But the work is also taking a toll on Diana’s body.
4. ATALI’I O LE CREZENT (SONS OF THE CREZENT)
Dance, 10 mins, New Zealand
Dir/Writ: Brendan Canty
Writ: Villa Junior Lemanu
Prod: Valentine Taylor, Roberto Nascimento, Belinda Bradley, Perry Bradley
World Premiere
With his neighbourhood under threat from gentrification, a young man recalls his youth, roots and upbringing through spoken word, memories and dance.
5. WARSHA
Drama, 15 mins, Lebanon and France
Dir/Writ: Dania Bdeir
Prod: Coralie Dias
A Syrian migrant working as a crane operator in Beirut volunteers to cover a shift on one of the most dangerous cranes, where he is able to find his freedom.
6. GREEN
Animation, 4 mins, France
Dir: Arielle Cohen, Louis Florean, Theo Fratissier, Camille Poiriez, Eloïse Thibaut
Prod: ARTFX
An orangutan leads us into her native forest of Borneo, where her daily life is disrupted by an unexpected event.
7. TIME TOURISTS
Science fiction, 6 mins, New Zealand
Dir/Writ: Ian Sweeney
Prod: Arthur Machado
World Premiere
Two tourists meet in an idyllic location. They hit it off, but quickly realise their relationship (like the rest of the world) doesn't have a future.
8. MERENBERG
Documentary, 7 mins, Colombia
Dir/Writ: Daniel Negrete
Prod: Alberto Negrete
Merenberg is the first private nature reserve in Colombia. We meet the owner of the reserve who is the third generation from a German family who have dedicated their lives to preserving the forests.
Run Time: approx 89-minutes
Rating: M Offensive language & sexual material.
