People v. trees in the Amazon?
By hola | Published | 2 Comments
A self-described “shark” discusses the documentary “Shark loves the Amazon”
Amazon deforestation rates often make the international news, but a documentary screened at the 2013 Environmental Film Festival suggests there is a human dimension that goes deeper than right or wrong. “Shark Loves the Amazon,” directed by Cidney Hue and Adrian Vasquez de Velasco, suggests the focus should not be on nature alone. Instead, the world should consider the well-being of the people living in the Amazon rainforest before taking action against deforestation.
“Violence against the people is violence against the forest,” according to one of the filmmakers, Mark London, a lawyer, author and “longtime Amazon-watcher.”
London was on hand for the 2011 film’s Washington, D.C. premiere at American University (A.U.). Despite technical difficulties, it was well received by a packed auditorium crowd. During the discussion that followed, several people expressed interest in London’s alternative opinion of deforestation and praised him for taking up the cause of local communities. “I’m from Brazil, and I just wanted to say thank you,” one audience member said.
The documentary focuses on the history of the Amazon region as a way to begin an open-ended conversation about economic progress versus ecological destruction. London suggested that environmental policymakers should consider the following question before drawing up regulations: “Do you kill a tree to save a child?”
Filmed in the Brazilian portion of the Amazon, the film set out to put a “human face” on the issue of deforestation, suggesting there is a deeper moral conundrum than just saving flora and fauna.
“The biggest challenge is to link (human) happiness to forests,” London suggests.
The film opens with a description of Brazil’s environmental history, explaining why certain unsustainable actions were taken in the first place. For the country in different historical moments, it brought unity to isolated groups, provided access to social needs and allowed for economic development. Trees were cut, but the quality of life vastly improved by bringing healthcare, education and access to jobs, the film argues.
And while the forest is nearing its deforestation limits—the “point of no return,” as the movie description says—the positive effects on the 21 million Brazilians living there cannot be ignored.
“It is a much better place than it was 30 years ago,” London said.
London, who talked about his love of the Amazonian people, suggested that sustainable development and good jobs could create a solution for the region. He helped to create a sustainable community program in the Amazon called Fundação Amazonas Sustentável (Sustainable Amazon Foundation) that builds schools and health outposts and teaches residents methods of rubber tapping and nut gathering that are considered more sustainable than logging.
London, who left the audience laughing, said the film’s title refers to him. “Well, I’m a lawyer,” he said. “When you come to me, you don’t want Mark the Tuna… you want Mark the Shark!”
— Jessica Perry
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