Planet in Focus

top row from left: RICHARD BOYCE, JAN KECK, JULIA BENNETT, JEREMY EDWARDES
bottom row from left:  AMANDA STRONG, MARK BOCHSLER, AARON HANCOX, MICHAEL McNAMARA

Planet in Focus is proud to unveil this year’s six Green Pitch finalists:

Coastal Tarsands    Richard Boyce
This documentary will focus on the proposed shipping of Alberta tarsands oil through the treacherous coastal waters of British Columbia on route to China and other ports in Asia. The environment, the wildlife, and the local people need to have an opportunity to speak in the face of the very real threat upertankers pose to this unique marine ecosystem.

Fresh Food Criminals    Jan Keck
In the wake of the 100-mile diet and the public’s increasing desire for local and organic food, Fresh Food Criminals tells the story of Canada’s backyard chicken keepers, cow sharers, urban bee keepers and guerrilla crafters–a smart, savvy and rapidly-growing band of mavericks who just want access to fresh, organic and sustainable food at home.

Green To the End     Julia Bennett
In Asia, North American multinationals are making money from elaborate funerals. In Europe, fumes (from those pesky artificial hips etc.) are making crematoria unpopular;  and on the web from Sweden and America, to Scotland and Canada, those who want to be “green to the end” are knitting shrouds, creating new ways of disappearing without harmful chemicals, and handpainting willow caskets.  The question of what happens to us after we die is becoming as urgent as the many other environmental questions today. And it may be the greatest unspoken taboo. The question is, in this consumer-growth self-focused world, can we face death, and dare to leave without a trace?

Honey For Sale        Jeremy Edwardes & Amanda Strong
In the 22nd century, Earth is devoid of life.  A lone scientist travels the barren globe in a desperate attempt to reverse the irreparable damage we have created. Honey For Sale is an innovative hybrid of narrative and documentary that examines our current disconnect with the environment that will lead to our extinction, focusing on the key role of bees as nature’s ambassador.

Orangutan Guerillas    Mark J. Bochsler
Along with the rise of the palm oil industry, an incredible David and Goliath story is emerging as Indonesian grassroots organizations have appeared to fight for orangutans, hold the palm oil industry to account, and fill the niche left in the absence of responsible government. Orangutan Guerillas takes its audience on an exciting journey across the diverse Indonesian archipelago to explore how extraordinary Indonesians are tackling this growing global environmental crisis – in their own way and on their own terms. On our travels, we encounter a number of tenacious activists and innovators who just might be the orangutan’s last best hope for survival.

Urban Hunters Unleashed!    Michael McNamara & Aaron Hancox
Urban Hunters Unleashed! takes viewers out of their arm chairs and into the wild, following colourful stories of North America’s most unlikely hunters:  the “urban hunter.” Tired of digital disconnection, these ethically minded foodies spend the week chasing big bucks in the city, but the weekends chasing and shooting bucks of a different kind in the bush. And these new hunters are not all operating in the country. Some are hunting pests and invasive species within the city limits–-from squirrels and pigeons to iguanas and armadillos-–and eating them! Who are these killer culinary characters?
These six teams will compete live onstage on Friday, October 12, 3:00 – 4:30 PM at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, Cinema 4 for a prize worth more than $10,000 in cash & services.   The 2010 Green Pitch winner is opening this year’s Planet in Focus!   Free to the public.  Click here for details.

Tags: Aaron Hancox, Amanda Strong, Environmental Film Festival, Green Pitch, Jan Keck, Jeremy Edwardes, Julia Bennett, Mark J. Bochsler, Michael McNamara, Planet In Focus, Richard Boyce, The Nature of Things, TIFF Bell Lightbox