My favorite film at the Artivist Film Festival (Egyptian Theatre) was the thought-provoking doc by Arthur C. Smith on the subject of the potential extinction of the polar bear due to a lack of foresight and outright stupidity on the part of humankind.
Smith's unique approach to the subject - in which he facilitates breathtaking imagery of the polar bears in their natural habitat with natural sound and without any narrative (save for a few captions on placecards artfully inserted surreptiously here and there) - was the perfect way for a silent observer to muse from afar (and likewise) gurantee an intimate up-close reveal of the animal's natural instincts in the wilds without interruption or inteference.
As a result - the filmmaker managed to chronicle polar bear activity year-round in the coastal (and offshore areas) of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and adjacent to Beaufort Sea.
According to the director, his ultimate goal was to capture the polar bear's current plight in the region - with the ultimate aim of enlightening animal rights advocates (and others) - about the reality of what has been transpiring in in recent days in respect to the polar bears and their natural habitat.
In the final analysis, the award-winning documentarian trusts the images and observations he captured on film, will surely speak for themselves.
For example, early on in the opening scenes, the polar bears are playful and carefree in their natural environs.
As time progresses, though, it is evident that the polar bears have become confused, sluggish, and disoriented in an environment that is fast deteriorating because of ice flows, oil slicks, and outside invaders anxious to develop the natural resources with profit motivation lurking behind every carbon footstep.
"How people move forward with the information they gleen from the "Ice Bears of Beaufort" is dependent on the democratic process to be informed well enough to act," he poignantly stated for the record.
An advocate artist (and a concerned human advocating animal rights), Smith was awarded a coveted "Animal Advocacy" prize by Artivist Film Festival (2009).
In our unbalanced pursusit of natural resources we are losing respect for a human connection with the natural world around us, according to the insightful talented director.
"The film is a plea for more than just the preservation of a polar bear habitat; it is also a plea for balance amidst development and conscience amidst greed."
No comments:
Post a Comment