"Stop the destruction of the earth if you do not know the way to repair it!". Seven Suzuki, who was 12 years old, made an appeal at the Earth Summit in 1992. 19 years later, she is now going to be a mother, and maintains that we should change our lifestyle in order to save the future of our children. This film gives warning to us, who give higher priority to economic growth than the lives of future generations. It focuses on several local people living in Japan and France who are concerned about the crisis of the planet. |
All the living on earth, as well as human being, are deeply connected with soil: clothing is coloured by soil; walls of houses are made with soil. The nests of sparrows and honey bees, and even the "houses" of bacteria are made of soil. This Korean film observes the wonderful drama under the ground through lens of cameras, and visualise the world of micro organisms. It shows that the fertile soil is produced by the activities of micro organisms. |
Iwaishima of Yamaguchi Prefecture is a small island located in the western part of Japan. The community of this island has been continuously supported by rich gifts from the sea for centuries. The construction plan of a nuclear power plant in the place 4 km away from the island has been a big challenge to the community since it was uncovered in 1982. People living in the island started their struggle against this plan by saying, "Our lives have been sustained by the sea and mountains. We cannot sell the source of our lives!". This film shows that these local people keep their traditional way of living considering the wellbeing of future generations. |
This film describes indigenous people in Jadugoda located in the eastern part of India which is allegedly the place of Buddha's birth. The indigenous people suffered from radioactive contamination coming from uranium mines, and stood up against it. They acted for the right for their healthy lives. This film was first shown in 1999. People who watched it and were shocked by it sought to found the "Fund for the Sorrow of Buddha", and made the shelter for children who were badly affected by the mines. (the film was awarded the 8th Earth-Vision Prize.) |
Organic farming does not work without the cyclical function of nature. It also does not work without the mutual relationship between producers, consumers, and the community. The Fukushima nuclear disaster caused by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) this year violently destroyed the relationship, which had supported organic farming before. This film produced by the IFOF organizing group focuses on people who suffer from the nuclear disaster, but still do not give up sowing seeds. It shows how people who face great difficulties seek to recover the relationship, which is essential for organic farming. |
There are two distinguished scientists whose career as scientists has been totally destroyed. Because they questioned the safety of GMOs through their research, these scientists became targeted for attack by the biotechnology industries. Among research on GMOs, only 5% is independent from those bio-technological industries. This film shows that the freedom of scientific research and the democracy of our society are now in peril! |
Michel Hart is a farmer doing organic farming in England. He objected to GMOs when they were introduced in the market in 1996. Ten years later, he visited American farmers, and found out serious problems caused by GM plants which farmers are nowadays facing in the field. In this film, he reports negative effects of GM plants on non-GM plants and weeds, as well as on the environment and agricultural economies. |
William B. Rogan says that recent disasters, such as flood, drought, climate change, and even the war, result from human being's failure to treat the dirt. This films shows that politics, economics, agriculture, environment, ecology, health, education, and arts are all closely related with the dirt. We will be unable to deal with the disasters without understanding the interrelationship. |
Scientists have attempted to alter the genes of animals, plants, and even human being since genetic engineering was developed in the middle of the 1980s and thereafter. Giant transnational corporations (TNCs) seek to utilize, patent, and commercialise every kind of genes on earth. Citizens who are concerned about genetic engineering act against the patent system, in which the monopoly of seeds and lives is legitimatised on the plea of intellectual property rights. |
Last several years many Japanese beekeepers lost a large number of their bees. They realise that the death of their bees was caused by the use of new insecticide called "neonicotinoid". A number of investigation and research maintain that this insecticide has destructive effects on agricultural products including fruits, as well as honey bees. The recent survey also warns that this pesticide would damage the development of people's brain in their early years. |
(c)Sakura Motion Picture
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Farmers Mr. and Mrs. Watanabe living in Takahata Town of Yamagata Prefecture invite children who want to experience farming to their farm throughout the year. In the farm the students enjoy planting rice and weeding; they learn the traditional ways of ecological farming, and realise the value of natural environment and food. This film is full of warm exchange between students and farmers during the days of farming experience. |
Peshawar-Kai inaugulated in 1984 with Tetsu Nakamura MD as field director in Peshawar, Pakistan as medicaid organization. With the belief that most of the diseases are preventable and curable if there were water and food, they began digging wells which culminated to be over 1500 wells as well as building water canals for irrigation of total length reaching to 24km as a measure against draught. These projects created 600,000 jobs, reinstated over 100,000 farmers and revived 3000ha of farm field in the area where villagers had no other choices than to become refugees or mercenaries of military cliques or the US forces. |
A serial of Peace Boy Award winning "King Corn", a film that depicted miscellaneous food and feed problems involved in corn business. In this serial, the film pursues other aspects of corn business, the effects and influences of pesticides and chemical fertilizers used in the corn fields. The film will ask what it means to use pesticides, where they go and what they do eventually. These two young men question modern agriculture and agri-business for what they leave behind as byproducts. |
Recently, in the name of modern development, human actions have been destroying increasingly large swathes of the natural system on which we depend for food production and the continuation of life itself. The video features interviews with people who defy this trend by continuing to live in harmony with nature often against overwhelming forces. By listening directly to their experiences, we gain a valuable opportunity to learn more about the connections between humans and nature as well as between the workings of nature and ourselves. |
The so called "Green Revolution" that saved famine stricken developing nations like India, is believed to be one of the most successful development strategies in the 20th century. This film depicts dark side of the Green Revolution looking back its 25 year history and questions who benefitted most. The miraculous increase of yield at the beginning of the Green Revolution in India declined while increasing the use of chemicals and pesticide poisoning. It also created a new serfdom. The miracle wheat variety had lived only for a short period of time. |
The rape seed fields of Canadian farmer Percy Schmeiser was contaminated by GM seeds that have been blown in from track loads passing through his field. He lost seeds that he saved for 50 years and was sued by Monsanto, the GM seed developer, for infringement of their patent. The local court ruled that he pay compensation for damages. Monsanto kept an eye on him and his family to give them mental stresses. He and his wife did not succumb to their harassment and brought the case to the supreme court of Canada. There were some US farmers too who fought against Monsanto. What is it that Monsanto is after? What is it that kept farmers fighting against Goliath? And what was the verdict of the supreme court? |
Farmers who save seeds are rare in Japan. Mr. IWASAKI Masatoshi who lives in Unzen Nagasaki-shi saves over 80 varieties of seeds each year. After graduating agricultural high school, he started to work in his father's farm that used pesticides as any farmer would do in the area. When he was 30, however, he suddenly fell with his whole body become numb. The cause was unknown but he had an inkling that it was the pesticides. While he walked around in the woods for rehabilitation, he found and awe-inspired by how trees and miscellaneous lives co-existed, and how weeds drop their seeds securing next generation. "I wish to duplicate this in my farm" and his farming started afresh. The film depicts his one year activities in his farm. |
The weeds generally considered as useless nuisance are proved and shown to be enriching soil in this film. Weeds are worth just to be there growing. They come up in the Spring even though they look withered and dead the previous year. These are the some of the wonderful and mystic scenes as well as pollination and travelling of seeds. Weeds grow in the fields where crops fail to grow, and they can take up heavy metals and cleanse the soil recovering ecological system. |
The Minamata disease deprived fishermen of their sea. Those fishermen, who lost their sea began growing Amanatu citrus with the determination that "victims as we are shall never be the victimizer", had reduced the use of pesticides from regular 18 times as instructed by JA to 3 times a year. Natural life returned and soil revived. A surprise came that some sprayed herbicides. Discussions ensued for several months in agony. They reached at a conclusion that they will not follow suit of Chisso who never disclosed anything, and that they will make everything open, thus they decided to accommodate the violators. |
The place is Niijuku Primary School in Takahata-machi, Okitama, Yamagata Prefecture, the town noted for organic agriculture movement. HOSHI Kanji, the leader of the movement, was concerned when he was a member of the board of education with the way education and agriculture is conducted, the way of the high economical growth, the way of "uniformity and mass production". He proposed to have a school farm and a young teacher IZAWA Ryoji shared the concern and began teaching agriculture, which was 30 years ago. Now that he is a school master of the Niijuku primary school, he set a goal of 50% self sufficiency in school lunch. The school farm is now giving children lessons of food, agriculture, local community and daily living activities. |
This is a story of a family of a migrant worker who is a Japanese descendant living in the mountainous area of Luzon, Philippines. Everyone in the world is working hard for their children but we are now losing sight of the fact that we all live by the gifts of other lives. This film poses a question " how and what really is it to live on this Earth? " This is a film of fairy tale of a family living in southern pacific island facing modern day challenges. >> Official site |
Water dam construction became hot issue among people of Tokuyama village in Gifu in 1957. Almost 1500 villagers had evacuated one after another to newly allocated site nearby but a few elderly people returned so as to live till the village went under the water. A photographer Nobuo Onishi frequently visited this village since his first visit in 1991 when he was fascinated by the way of living of old folks. The villagers had wisdom to value seasonal gifts of the nature. When the dam was completed, water began to web that no one could ever return to their homes again. This film is a record of 15 years with old folks and their close relationship with nature. |
"Garden sowing season begins when rum buds are bulging" or "rain is not near when swallow flies high" are some of the phrases reminiscent of old days spoken by Ms Fumiko Suzuki known as a weather-Mama. She has been studying and practicing in her farm what her grandfather used to say about weather. Years of her keen interest and observation on plants and other creatures in the vicinity that is rich with nature in Nishi-Aizu in Fukushima prefecture has now made it possible for her to foretell the weather of as far ahead as a year away with 70-80% accuracy. She is full of love when she appears to be talking with animals and plants. |
A year of document at Kirisato Farm located in Ogawa-machi in west Saitama pref. run by Yoshinori Kaneko, one of the founding fathers of modern organic agriculture in Japan. Kaneko gives hands on training to young interns of organic agriculture who live together for a year. After one year of internship, they depart to be farmers of future Japan with hopes and dreams. |
All food is derived from corn…. Americans are made of corn. Two young men close on corn that is in almost all foods Americans eat. Their first move was to take up hands on experience of producing corn in a great corn producing state of Iowa and then to follow on its course to consumer plates. Through corn, the film reveals such issues Americans face today as monoculture, a large scale agriculture, a large scale animal industry, obesity and bio-ethanol. |
Rice shortage prevails in the villages of Laos for almost half a year. JVC is working to increase rice yield through improvement of rice culture technique called SRI which introduces a single young nursery planting system. It is aimed to remove heavy burden of expansive chemicals from farmers by turning them to organic farming. |
Mekong river runs into Laos and to the vicinity of capital city, carrying agro-chemical contaminated water from Thai and in the north from China. SAEDA, a NGO under the leadership of Tondam, is promoting organic farming without such chemical fertilizers or pesticides. The film shows farmers effort to revitalize traditional wisdom in the midst of rapid development. |
This film depicts, through rice related festivals and ceremonies, how deep rice is rooted in the lives of people of Thai, Philippines, Indonesia, India and Bangladesh in their daily living, history, culture and environment. In the last half of the film, it shows how multinational corporations and governments are posing threat to people and small farmers in these countries by introducing high yield variety of rice that ravages farmlands, and the fights of farmers against such threat. |
A documentary of garden creatures in Ohira Farm that turned from heavy chemical use to non-chemical farming. Ohira farm, a leading figure in national campaign for food production boost after the WW2, had lost the previous head of the family to chemical poisoning and his successor Hiroshi Ohira had almost lost his sight to the same cause. " We must go back to farming of old days "said his mother and that was the start of Hiroshi's soil building days. "Worms eat leaves, birds eat worms and birds leave shit that enriches soil and become nutrient for vegetable "says Hiroshi. All these living creatures are co-workers at his farm. This film is also a last message of a documentalist Fumio Kamei. Trailer(Japaneas) (C)2009 Tokyo Shasin Kobo |
A documentary film of a young farmer in California Michael Ableman who struggled to keep his farm while a wave of urbanization brought new settlers all around the farm. Even though Ableman managed to calm down complaints and pressure from new neighbors to quit farming for the annoying smell of compost and cock crow by turning his farm into a hands-on learning center of real food for urban people, the land owner was in the process to sell the farmland to a housing developer. The farm was on the verge of closure when CSA members came to rescue and raised enough fund to keep the farm going as Non Profit Organization. This film shows possibilities of urban agriculture. |
Issues of food and agriculture have direct impact on our health. The film gives scientific picture of "Living Soil" that produces healthy crops at farm managed by Kazuo Suka, a natural farmer who has succeeded in building such living soil. This is a priceless report of possibility of natural farming in contrast to modern agriculture system that is based on industrial view point. It also documents problems of modern agriculture and lessons learnt from them. |
When Cuba lost access to Soviet oil in the early 1990s, the country faced an immediate crisis-feeding the population-and an ongoing challenge: how to create a new low-energy society. Cuba transitioned from large, fossil-fuel intensive farming to small, less energy-intensive organic farms and urban gardens, and from a highly industrial society to a more sustainable one. This film tells story of the Cuban people's challenge to change their agriculture, industry, housing, education, medical care and energy without anyone lost for starvation or lack of medical attention even under the most severe economic climate. The keyword people found is " the Power of Community". Some day we all must face the peak oil where Cuban experience has a lot to tell. |
A documentary of an organic farmer of 30 years who advocate to be subsistent on a 30a(0.7 acre) farm. He grows and delivers vegetables to consumers with watchword of "life, material cycling and harmony." He built his own house with log and gives lectures every now and then. He directed and played a musical featuring MIYAZAWA Kenji's 'A pig at Flandon Farm School' with youths. The film depicts his light hearted way of living. |
Bio-fuel is being boosted as "environmentally sound" alternative energy. Its raw material is mostly from such crops as corn, sugarcane, palm, rapeseed resulting in increase of food price, expansion of plantation and giving heavy burden to the environment with its high dose of pesticide and GMO. The film documents the impact of bio-fuel and looks at ways to realize sustainable society thru recycling. |
Genetically Modified Crops and Organic agriculture are incompatible, so insist organic farmers in France. Canadian farmer Percy Schmizer who is fighting back against gene giant Monsato says "if GMO enters into your field, the field becomes Monsanto's and not yours." He tells the world of the fact that GMO inhibits not only organic way of farming but also farmers themselves. |
"True civilization destroys no mountain, river, village nor men" said TANAKA Shozo who fought for the peasants impoverished by damage from polluted water and rain as the upstream Ashio copper mine discharged pollution into the Watarase river which supplied irrigation water to downstream paddies. Japan then was driving to become rich and strong with least regards to lives of people. TANAKA Shozo led movement to stop operation of the mine and save those suffering and risked his life by making direct appeal to the Meiji emperor. This documentary is based on the record of his life and testimonies. |
The documentary depicts innovative activities to revitalize local community by local people in Asia. It shows a movement to build community that cycle material locally with organic agriculture and biogas in Ogawa-machi in Saitama Prefecture, and a local community radio station that provides useful information such as vegetable price and health to rural area in Nepal. |
Modern Industrial agriculture is destroying the earth. Spread of desert, depletion of underground water, chemical pollution of food, marine ecosystem, soil, water and the air. Ecosystem of mother earth is creaking. Greed of human far exceeds what the earth can tolerate. This film delves into Indian farmers torment under multinational corporation's heavy handed GMO drive and follows what one old farmer's determination can do to save them with biodynamic farming. |
Forty two years have passed since Government arbitrarily declared to build airport in Sanrizuka Narita. People still live on lands designated as airport zone farming with compost piles and processing factory of farm products. Above their roof, over 100 airplanes fly by everyday. Farmers' struggle to retain farm land continues. The roar of jet planes and the peaceful world of farming. The film shows beautiful farming scenes and conveys feelings of people live in the area. |
Their livelihood is becoming increasingly difficult as the Israeli occupation continues with the wall and embargo, Palestinian families harvest their olive which is a symbol and a testimony of their existence. This film introduces Palestinian Agriculture Reconstruction Committee, a NGO that supports Palestinian farmers with its oil press factory of the organic olive and distribute their product to France and Japan thru fare trade. |
The soil is suffering. Modern agriculture puts heavy dose of chemical fertilizer into soil and extensive damage is apparent in many ways. Unable to stand the excessive chemical nutrition, roses wither, rice stalks bend, peppers become festered by disease and roots rot. Soil hardened by accumulated salts. Micro-organisms disabled to function. This film shows Korean farmers tackling this devastation to restore healthy functions of their soil. |
Soil nurtures plants which is the source of organic matter and is apparently the source of all life. The film shows us the making of rich soil by looking at how forest soil becomes rich where leaves fall to the surface of the grond and eaten up by insects and bacteria turning into soil. The world of soil is explored with electron microscope and low speed pictures. |
In 1973 in Takahata town in Yamagata Pref., 38 young farmers who were not in agreement with modern agricultural practices formed "Takahata Organic Agriculture Association" and started farming organically. They were looked upon as odd guys sometimes with contempt by surrounding community and in many cases even by their own family members, for their way meant returning to hard labour of the past. They were cornered and nearly ostracized by their farming community over dispute of aerial application of pesticide. And what supported them to pursue their cause and saved them was the consumers in cities who were in terms of "know each other by face" with farmers. There will be panel discussion with Takahata farmers after the show. |
A documentary video of Fukuoka's visit to India in 1997. No till continuous rice-wheat production and clay seed ball are explained for beginners. |