Radical Imagination: Responding to an Environmental Crisis in Motion

Co-presented with the Roxbury International Film Festival, the Emerson College Office of Sustainability and the Engagement Lab.

The world around us is changing, the climate of our planet, our immediate environment, and our future as the inhabitants of Earth.  In this curated collection, each film serves as a powerful catalyst for change. From stunning cinematography that captures the wonders of nature to heartfelt narratives that expose environmental injustices, these documentaries invite you to explore the delicate balance between humanity and the planet, examining the varied but urgent environmental challenges we are facing.

Homa Sarabi is a filmmaker, artist, and educator. She works primarily with moving images and examines the potential of documentary in personal storytelling. She is the director of production, safety, and sustainability and an affiliated faculty at Emerson College, where she teaches 16mm experimental filmmaking. Discussion with filmmakers moderated by program curator Homa Sarabi to follow. BIPOC, En, SJ, GD [OC]

Shorts

Our Ark: Directed by Deniz Tortum and Kathryn Hamilton, documentary, English, Netherlands and the United States, 12 minutes, 2021.
Our Ark is an essay film on our efforts to create a virtual replica of the real world. We are backing up the planet, creating 3D models of animals, rainforests, cities and people. We are archiving as if ecological collapse could be staved off through some digital Noah’s Ark of beasts and objects.

Imalirijit: Directed by Vincent L’Hérault and Tim Anaviapik Soucie, documentary, Inuktitut and English, Canada, 27 minutes, 2022.
Tim is a young father living in Pond Inlet, Nunavut. As his grandfather did before, he wants to start his own research to study water quality to benefit its community. Tim embarks on an inspiring journey that will lead to empowerment and cultural revitalization. The experience becomes an awakening for Tim and his team, a wind of change and adaptation for the community challenging the modern reality of the Canadian Arctic.

Trash Day: Directed by Caroline Vokas, documentary, English, United States, 11 minutes, 2022.
A Verité style documentary short in which America’s abundance of discarded goods is examined through New York City dumpster divers.

If Turtles Could Talk  : Directed by Juma Adero documentary, English, Swahili, Kenya, 20 minutes, 2022.
Against all odds, a local fisherman named Runi attempts to organize his local community to protect endangered marine species around Jumba beach. His most fervent supporter is Abdul, a 12 year-old boy who balances his love for nature, his need to earn a living for his family, and his desire to go to school. Runi and Jumba’s friendship and their determination is an inspiration, but can these local activists take on a fight against international trades?