Dirt The Movie 2009
Distributed by Bullfrog Films, PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547; 800-543-FROG (3764)
Produced by Bill Benenson, Gene Rostow and Eleonore Dailly
Directed by Bill Benenson, Gene Rostow
DVD, color, 80 min. (reviewed) and 40 min.
Sr. High - Adult
Environmental Studies, Economics
Date Entered: 09/20/2010
Reviewed by Janis Tyhurst, Reference Librarian, George Fox UniversityThe awards say it all. This is a terrific film, well written and expertly filmed, full of interesting and useful information that flows along. It is factual storytelling at its best. The film carries the viewer along by keeping the points succinct and backing up statements with commentary by experts in the area. The switching between interviews and visuals of the topic is expertly done.
Dirt The Movie takes us around the world to see how vital soil is to continued human habitation. It weaves together soil science, religious beliefs, agricultural practices, ecological damage, climate change and the many and varied uses of dirt in society with interviews from environmentalists, farmers, scholars, scientists, a prison administrator, prisoners and urban activists.
It starts with an overview of the composition of dirt then segues into spiritual beliefs and its role in farming from around the world and throughout history. The damage caused by modern agricultural practices is extensively covered, focusing especially on the problems created by monoculture farming and its ripple effects. Similar themes can be found in documentaries such as King Corn, Big River and We Feed the World (all are reviewed in EMRO). One of the best points of the film is that it provides ideas on how to take action. Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to receive a Nobel Peace Prize (in 2004), recounts a Kenyan folktale about a hummingbird fighting an enormous forest fire. While the other animals stood by, overwhelmed by the size of the fire, the hummingbird “did the best it could do” to fight the fire drop by drop. Her point being that even a tiny action is better than no action.
The film is in English and has optional English subtitles. It also has a scene selection option, 3 animation scenes, 6 separate bonus scenes and 9 complete interviews from the movie that can be singled out to show to a class.
Awards
- Winner, Green Documentary at the Maui Film Festival 2009
- Winner, Best Film for Our Future at the Mendocino Film Festival 2009
- Winner, Best Documentary at the Visions/Voices Film Festival 2009