The UNU-produced documentary Voices of the Chichinautzin is part of the official selection of the Moondance International Film Festival in the Feature Documentary Category. The festival will take place in August 29, 30, 31, and September 1, in Boulder, Colorado USA.

Voices of the Chichinautzin will screen on Saturday, August 30, 2008 in the Shambala Center Community Room, 1345 Spruce Street, Boulder, Colorado 80302.

The Moondance International Film Festival, popularly known as the “American Cannes”, is one of the premier venues for the exhibition and promotion of feature and short films in the US, and one of the leading indie film festivals in the world. Dedicated to celebrating and sharing with international audiences the absolute best in the world of films and screenplays, film scores, and some 25 other genres, the festival features special presentations, retrospectives, workshops, pitch panels, a gala awards reception and ceremony, and many of the world’s top indie film screenings.

You can find a full schedule of the festival here:

www.moondancefilmfestival.com/35-Schedule.html

On 15 May I traveled to the Lagunas de Zempoala National Park in central Mexico to join an event organized by the Tlahuica community of San Juan Atzingo and Greenpeace . They commemorated one year of the death of Aldo Zamora, a young environmentalist from this indigenous community who was killed by illegal loggers. The story of this tragic event is told in the UNU-produced documentary Voices of the Chichinautzin.

For me it was good to meet again Aldo’s father Ildefonso Zamora, and the Thahuica Chief Alejandro Ramirez, two of the key people featured in the documentary. I had the opportunity of giving them a DVD copy of the video, and visit their land and projects for the whole day.

I am happy to report that things had changed a lot in the area since the last time I have been there. Following Aldo’s death, the massive incursion of the army and police forces has caused illegal logging activities to decrease on an estimated 95%. The Tlahuicas have also received lots of material support from several government agencies, which includes trucks and uniforms (see photo) among other things. Their ecotourism project in the Tonatihua lagoon has been built and is already receiving visitors. Perhaps most importantly, after a legal battle which spanned several decades, the ownership of 18,000 hectares of their lands had finally been given official government recognition.

However, this success story has a very bad downside. A year has passed and justice has not been done, as the identified killers of Aldo Zamora have not been captured.

Here is the 2008 presentation by Al Gore at TED. Lots of new data and some surprises. He points out that we are missing a sense of urgency. How do we start changing this? This is a must see video. Tell us what you think about it.

We are working on a new project to develop a web magazine. The video below is an example of the kinds of topics we will be covering. We are convinced that with the right technologies, sounds investments and a lot of societal learning, we can cope with some of the big issues facing our world today.

The Story of stuff is an easy to understand documentary about the material economy and consumerism presented in a series of cartoons full of good humor.

It is a very creative and effective movie that really makes you think and reconsider how your daily life affects the environment. The presenter, Annie Leonard, explains that we are living in a linear system, that is rapidly using up our planet’s natural resources.

I really like this movie because it is a powerful example of how you can use the Web as an open channel to present ideas. It is simplicity at its best, no over production here! In my view, this is one of the best documentaries that you can find on the net. Go ahead and watch the video below:

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

From today, 11 December 2007, it is possible to view online the trailer for the new documentary from the UNU Media Studio entitled “Voices of the Chichinautzin.”
Chichinautzin is a biological corridor just outside Mexico City and the documentary shows how this beautiful land is the setting for desperate and at times violent struggles between indigenous communities and powerful interests.
Illegal logging has emerged as a major issue affecting the sustainability of this natural protected area. Local scientists, community groups and government agencies are working together, and harnessing traditional knowledge, to find a long term development path that balances the need for conservation with the security of local livelihoods.
The documentary was produced by the UNU Media Studio and directed and co-produced by Patricia Sims, co-directed and produced by Luis Patron. The UNU Media Studio wishes to thank all our collaborators who supported this project and especially the scientific team at REDMESO, led by Topiltzin Contreras from the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos.
You can learn more about this documentary at the following websites:
English
Español