The Last Animals is a story about an extraordinary group of people who go to all lengths to save the planet’s last animals. The documentary follows the conservationists, scientists and activists battling poachers and criminal networks to protect elephants and rhinos. From Africa’s front lines to behind the scenes of Asian markets to the United States, the film takes an intense look at the global response to this slaughter and the desperate measures to genetically rescue the Northern White rhinos who are on the edge of extinction.
Chair
Humphrey Hawksley is a best selling author and leading correspondent for the BBC and has reported on key conflicts and crises around the world for more than thirty years. His work includes award-winning investigations into animal abuse in China and films on human rights violations against children in international supply chains. His investigations into the global chocolate industry and brick-making in India led to the setting up of international campaigns calling for action. His latest thriller is Man on Ice set on the US-Russian border and his next non-fiction Asian Waters, The Struggle Over the South China Sea and the Strategy of Chinese Expansion will be published in June.
Speakers
Kate Brooks began working as a photographer in Russia at the age of 20 while documenting daily life in the years just after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Following September 11th, Brooks moved to Pakistan to photograph the impact of foreign policy in the region and daily life in Afgahaistan. In 2003, she covered the American invasion of Iraq and the beginning of the insurgency for TIME. For more than a decade she proceeded to work across the greater Middle East, photographing the unfolding of history, the imapact of conflict on civilian populations, alongside every day moments in the lives of ordinary people. Kate then turned her eye to the man-made animal mass extinction in this latest project.
Mary Rice has been with EIA since 1996, joining as a volunteer before holding positions including Head of Communications & Projects, Head of Development and Head of Campaigns. She has been Executive Director since 2008 and is responsible for directing the long-term strategic management of EIA as well as working on specific projects and leading the Elephant Campaign.
Will Travers is CEO and President of the Born Free Foundation. The Born Free Foundation is an international conservation and animal rights organisation founded by Virginia McKenna and her husband Bill Travers along with their son Will Travers and four associates.
]]>Formerly a Blue Planet producer, Jo wanted to raise awareness and show the true extent to which plastic has polluted the world’s seas. Accompanied by scientists, conservationists and engineers, Jo set out to some of the most remote parts of the world to document the true extent of plastic pollution and its consequences on ecosystems and human health.
We discuss how both visually stunning and shocking images can be used in environmental activism, and the best tactics to bring about change.
Jo Ruxton worked for the WWF in Asia for 7 years, before joining the BBC Natural History Unit as a Producer, where she was a part of the celebrated Blue Planet Team. Much of her life has been spent filming underwater. She is a co-founder of Plastic Oceans Foundation, and a Producer of and Ambassador for the film A Plastic Ocean
Oliver Steeds is a critically acclaimed international investigative journalist and broadcaster. His films, reports and series have been broadcast by NBC, ABC, Al Jazeera, Channel 4 and Discovery Channels. He is also a founder and Mission Director of Nekton, a new marine institute that explores and protects the deep ocean. Oliver’s investigations have included exposing ongoing chattel slavery in Niger and Mauritania; the theft of malaria treatment drugs in the ‘malarial capital in the world’ in Uganda; grave robbing in Peru; thousands of mentally impaired people being abducted into slavery in China; antiquity smuggling in Israel; hidden ethnic wars in Burma; the lives of 9-11 hijackers in Saudi Arabia, and al Qaeda gun markets in Yemen. He has been nominated for the Rory Peck Impact Award, Best Current Affairs Programme, Livingstone Award for Young Journalists and Overseas Press Awards.
A Plastic Oceans Foundation: http://plasticoceans.uk/
]]>The screening on Monday 14 September at the Frontline Club lived up to its bold name. How to Change The World, directed by Jerry Rothwell, journeys to the beginnings of the environmental movement and organisation, Greenpeace. As heartwarming as it is harrowing, the film is an homage to non-violent activism. From the bomb tests of Amchitka to whale and seal poaching in Alaska, How To Change The World chronicles the journey of a small group of friends in Vancouver who attempted to do just that. The film’s executive producer Stewart Le Marechal joined the Frontline Club audience for a discussion following the screening.
Stewart Le Marechal
Comprised mainly of archive footage from the 1970s, the documentary also includes present day interviews with the eclectic founding members of Greenpeace. These two elements are bound together by the writings of Bob Hunter – former journalist and reluctant leader of the group – which provide narration throughout.
Le Marechal spoke of the scale of their project over the eight years it took to develop: “In the archive in Amsterdam there were 15,000 cans of film and 50 hours of audio. What was kind of amazing was that a lot of this stuff has not been looked at for 40 years.”
The film chronicles the group of environmental activists as they venture boldly into the unknown, more often than not on a boat. Their lack of practical experience is made up for by no shortage of enthusiasm and an abundance of quirky humour – a clear advantage when it came to the essential appeal of their campaigns.
Although the film contains much humour, it does not shy away from including the power struggles that threatened to dissolve the movement. Hunter and his team are depicted both as vulnerable heroes exposed to harrowing situations and as victims of their own sensitive group dynamic.
As the story developed, the depth of the rift between members became abundantly clear. Perhaps the biggest dilemma of all was whether or not to unite the Greenpeace groups that had sprouted up independently. Was simply bearing witness to the crimes they saw enough? For some yes, but for others it was only the motivation to go much, much further. For Paul Watson in particular, who describes himself as the “most extreme” of the group, this was certainly the case. He clashed with Patrick Moore, who would later come to denounce much of Greenpeace’s work.
When asked how the filmmakers managed to engage all the protagonists to participate in the interviews, Le Marechal said: “Even though they are at different ends of the spectrum, they all have a genuine love for Bob and wanting to honour him through this documentary.”
He emphasised their role as documentary filmmakers rather than dramatists, and commented that it was important “to represent all their voices so they could get a fair hearing.”
Le Marechal explained how impressed he was by the many interviews conducted: “These people that had done these crazy things 40 years ago, seeing how they felt about it now and how they see what they did.”
The Greenpeace movement coincided with the beginnings of electric communication, and Bob Hunter was immediately very perceptive of its power. He thus revolved his brand of activism around capturing a premeditated shot; with this he created “mind bombs.”
An audience member asked Le Marechal: “Do you or any of the other filmmakers have any goals or hopes that this will spark another resurgence of action?”
He responded that they primarily wanted to bring this story to life but, “Heck, if it inspires someone then that’s fantastic.”
The film ends with a look to the next generation of ecological activists inspired by Greenpeace, notably Hunter’s daughter who lovingly continues her father’s work.
Click here for more information about How to Change the World and upcoming screenings.
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