Climate Activists using Nonviolent Civil Disobedience
The Occupy Wall Street movement has brought nonviolence disobedience back into the forefront of American consciousness. Because the theme of the 2012 Wild & Scenic Film Festival is “A Decade of Inspiring Activism,” it leads us to question which forms of activism are most successful, and which tactics are needed when? One of our film sessions concerning the climate directly addresses climate activists using civil disobedience.
Tim DeChristopher has attended our festival for the past three years. Currently Tim is serving a two-year prison sentence after disrupting an oil auction in December 2008. While Tim will not be physically present at the festival, the world premier of Defending a Livable Future includes interviews with Tim at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, his trial and updates from prison. In addition, Peaceful Uprising, an activist organization founded by Tim DeChristopher, will present a Climate Trial that Tim wrote. He will also write a letter to be read at the festival. We hope his spirit and message will continue to have a presence throughout the weekend.
Defending a Livable Future (16 minutes) is a film created by Tom and Debra Weistar, who co-direct Finding the Good, a traveling semester program focusing in part on documenting models of sustainability. Finding the Good will collaborate with other organizations to create our Media Lounge. Both students and the Weistar’s work create this profile of a courageous climate activist. Tom and Debra Weistar will speak in conjunction with the film.
Peaceful Uprising brings theatre to the film festival, using giant puppets and humor to bring Tim DeChristopher, the United States Government, corporations and all United States citizens to trial. The characters include Dr. James Hansen, climate scientist, Rep Raul Grijalva, Tim DeChristopher, the judge who is a child thinking of its future, the fossil fuel industry, politicians and the ordinary citizen. Play your part and attend the climate activism session Saturday January 14, 2012, 1 pm in the Stone Hall of Miners Foundry.
Just Do It concludes this film session with a tale of modern day outlaws. Filmmaker Emily James spent over a year embedded in activist groups such as Climate Camp and Plane Stupid to document their clandestine activities. Just Do It introduces you to a powerful cast of mischievous and inspiring characters who put their bodies in the way; they super-glue themselves to bank trading floors, blockade factories and attack coal power stations en-masse, despite the very real threat of arrest. The film also captures the violent police reaction to demonstrators in Copenhagen during the UN Conference of Parties in December 2009. After watching this film, it will be hard to forget the image of policemen drinking tea with protestors in London. For more, visit their website.
Join us as an active member of our audience during our interactive session concerning climate activists. This session is sure to inspire many forms of activism.
