Watch and discuss

three Environmental Justice films

presented by FracTracker Alliance

Three soul-stirring films.

Dozens of communities separated by space, but connected in their struggles, from the hollers of West Virginia, to the industrial sacrifice zones of Philadelphia, to the Canadian plains, to the heart of the Amazonian jungle.

Immerse yourself in tales of resistance, resilience, and unity, as powerful characters fight for their right to thrive.

Then, digest the epic stories, discuss with other viewers, and connect with the inspiring individuals you’ve seen on screen directly in live Q&A sessions. 

We’ll provide discussion prompts and additional resources that you can use to type your thoughts in the discussion group,* or use with your friends and family Or, sit back and relax as you follow what others have to say.

Registration is offered on a sliding scale – meaning you pay what you want. You can even select the free option if you’d like.

*group details will be sent to you after registration

Browse the Films

On the Fenceline: A Fight for Clean Air

Watch the film on your own time, then attend the Live Q&A
Thursday, February 25th, 7pm

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Watch the Trailer

On the Fenceline: A Fight for Clean Air is a portrait of a resilient community and an urgent call for justice. After living on the fenceline of the east coast’s largest oil refinery and suffering from cancer, asthma, and COPD, residents have come together to fight for their right to breathe.

We follow Carol White and Sonya Sanders as they introduce us to the health problems created by the 150-year-old oil refinery in South Philadelphia. They are a part of an organization called Philly Thrive that is fighting to expose the health issues plaguing the community due to years of toxic air pollution. An explosion in June of 2019 caused the refinery to file for bankruptcy. With the refinery shut down, Philly Thrive rallies together to protest against the reopening of the site as an oil refinery.

Your optional donations will benefit FracTracker Alliance, On the Fenceline, and Philly Thrive in their efforts to promote environmental justice in fenceline and frontline communities, and protect their right to breathe.

Watch the film on your own time, then attend the Live Q&A

Thursday, February 25th, 7pm ET

After reserving your ticket, you will receive a link to watch the film any time between February 15th – February 27th. You will also receive an invitation to the live Q&A session on February 25th at 7pm ET, featuring:

Rodney Ray – film protagonist; Philly Thrive activist. Rodney is a community leader and a life-long resident of Grays Ferry, Philadelphia. He was formerly employed as a foreman at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions gasoline refinery.

Kristen Harrison, Cinematographer / Editor. Kristen can be found with a camera in her hand at most hours of the day. She is the former photo editor with The Ithacan and former photo intern at The Morning Call. Previous film works include “At the Table,” a short documentary on the life of Father Divine and the work of the International Peace Mission Movement.

Alisha Tamarchenko, Cinematographer / Editor. Through her work, Alisha explores the dynamics of change through stories of people confronting and shifting unsustainable ways of living. She has produced and directed three other short documentaries. “Bruce & Daryl” follows the relationship of an older gay couple as they navigate aging and loss. “Beyond the Waiting Room” tackles the mental health challenges of the veterinary profession. “eCoexist” documents the work of a sustainability organization in Pune, India. Her work has screened in Ithaca, Dallas, Alaska and the UK.

HARD ROAD OF HOPE

We’re extending the availability of Hard Road of Hope to the end of February!

Donate to access the film and the Live Q&A that took place on Thursday, February 11th, 7pm

All proceeds go to Environmental Justice initiatives led by the filmmakers and FracTracker.

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Watch the Trailer

This documentary from Act Out’s Eleanor Goldfield takes you into the often forgotten hills and hollers of West Virginia, where a radical past inspires a resilient present and builds towards a better future. More than a microcosm of capitalist oppression and corruption, West Virginia stands as an example of radical resolve – in the face of dying King Coal and rising King Fracking.

“Hard Road of Hope” amplifies the voices of these forgotten and proud rednecks – the ones carrying the torch from the first rednecks who tied on red bandanas and marched for their basic human rights. It seeks to hold a mirror up to all sacrifice zones, to the isolated folks in pain across the nation. This is an American story, an American history – and for the future of all the people who call this place home, this is the path we must all walk if we want to thrive, and indeed, survive.

It’s a Hard Road of Hope, a pot-holed, precarious and puddled path past the Kings of coal and gas, but they keep walking. We would do well to walk with them for a while – and listen.

Your optional donations will benefit FracTracker Alliance, Hard Road of Hope, and Keeper of the Mountains, an organization that educates and inspires people to work for healthier, more sustainable communities and an end to dependency on fossil fuels, mountaintop removal, and other forms of extraction.

We’re extending the availability of Hard Road of Hope until the end of February! Donate to access the film any time and the recorded the Q&A discussion.

The discussion took place on February 11th, moderated by Ted Auch, Great Lakes Coordinator, FracTracker Alliance, with panelists:

Eleanor Goldfield is a creative creative radical, journalist and filmmaker.

Her work focuses on radical and censored issues via photo, video and written journalism, as well as artistic mediums including music, poetry and visual art. She is the host of the podcast, Act Out, co-host of the podcast Common Censored along with Lee Camp, and co-host of the podcast Silver Threads along with carla bergman. 

Her award-winning documentary film, “Hard Road Of Hope” is about West Virginia as both resource colony and radical inspiration.

She also assists in frontline action organizing and trainings.

 


Paul Corbit Brown, president of Keepers of the Mountain​. Paul has dedicated most of his life to environmental and human rights photography. To date, Paul gives Kayford Tours, travels to educate others about the adverse effects of Mountain Top Removal, and speaks internationally at shareholders meetings on the importance of divestment.

THE CONDOR & THE EAGLE

THIS EVENT HAS PASSED

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Watch the Trailer

Four Indigenous leaders embark on an extraordinary trans-continental adventure from the Canadian Boreal forests to deep into the heart of the Amazonian jungle to unite the peoples of North and South America and deepen the meaning of “Climate Justice.” 

The Condor & The Eagle documentary offers a glimpse into a developing spiritual renaissance as the film four protagonists learn from each other’s long legacy of resistance to colonialism and its extractive economy. Their path through the jungle takes them on an unexpectedly challenging and liberating journey, which will forever change their attachment to the Earth and one another.

The donations collected will support FracTracker Alliance and the film impact campaign “No More Sacrificed Communities” and be used to keep supporting the incredibly important work of our film protagonists. Please give generously according to your financial situation.

Screening and Discussion

Thursday, February 18th, 7pm

Come together virtually to watch the award-winning documentary, “The Condor & The Eagle” and follow-up discussion featuring protagonists from the film:

Patricia Gualinga. Patricia has played an important role in the fight for indigenous rights. Gualinga is a spokeswoman for many environmental projects. Gualinga works to protect the Kichwa People of Sarayaku community from human rights violations resulting from oil extraction projects by Chinese companies on their land. She is a spokesperson for the indigenous-led proposal ‘Kawsak Sacha’, or ‘Living Forest’, that calls for legal protection of the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Casey Camp-Horinek. Because of Casey’s work the Ponca Nation is the first Tribe in the State of Oklahoma to adopt the Rights of Nature Statute, and to pass a moratorium on Fracking on Tribal Lands. Casey was also instrumental in the drafting, and adoption of the first ever International Indigenous Women’s Treaty protecting the Rights of Nature.
Melina Laboucan-Massimo. Cree from Northern Alberta, Co-Founder of Indigenous Climate Action where she is the Program Director, and Founder of Sacred Earth Solar. She is the host of TV series Power to the People. Facing firsthand impacts of the Alberta tar sands in her traditional territory, Melina has been a vocal advocate for Indigenous rights. For over a decade, Melina worked as a Climate and Energy Campaigner with Greenpeace Canada and the Indigenous Environmental Network internationally.

Yudith Azareth Nieto, Film Protagonist – Yudith is a queer Mexican-American artist, interpreter, and organizer, enjoying spending time in the bayous of Louisiana working on projects like CRY YOU ONE, Amor y Solidaridad, a solidarity house in support of undocumented Transwomen, and recently BanchaLenguas, a Language Justice interpreters collective. Currently, she is part of the core leadership circle for Another Gulf Is Possible and a youth organizer with Los Jardines Institute. For over five years, Yudith has been fighting for the rights of her fenceline community in Manchester, Houston in collaboration with T.E.J.A.S and was named one of Grist.org 50 Fixers of 2018.

Bryan Parras. Film Protagonist – Xicano Houston, TX – Healthy Communities Organizer with Sierra Club and Co-Founder of t.e.j.a.s. He is a longtime environmental justice advocate based in Houston, TX. He co-founded the Librotraficante movement, serves as an Advisor to the Gulf Coast Fund, and sits on the board of the Environmental Support Center. Bryan was recently awarded a Gulf Coast Fellowship and has been working to help organizations use media for education, organizing, and advocacy.

Here’s how to get the most out of the FracTracker EJ February film series:

  • Browse the films being offered and choose your own adventure.
  • Secure your tickets to one, two, or all three of the films by following the links under each film. You must secure the tickets for each film separately because they are hosted on different platforms.
  • Tickets are offered at a sliding scale – meaning you pay what you want. You can even select the free option if you’d like.
  • We’ll email you with the link to watch the film. Two of the films are available for you to watch on your own time before the live Q&A sessions. One of the films is a live screening followed by a panel featuring the film’s protagonists.
  • Join the discussion group to interact with other viewers. We’ll provide discussion prompts and additional resources to inspire and motivate you to make the most of what you’ve just experienced through the films. Group details will be sent out to you upon registration.
  • Attend the Q&A sessions and dialogue directly with the filmmakers and film protagonists. They’re eager to connect with you! Or feel free to just sit back and relax as you watch the live events.