Library
AWARENESS FILM NIGHT
LENDING LIBRARY
LIST OF FILMS
Showing monthly (now bi-monthly) films on topics normally disregarded by the mainstream media since 1994.
The film library is NO longer located at A Sea of Bloom, 2052 Otter Point Road. The DVDs are still in the Sooke area, albeit not in a public place. If you are interested in viewing any of these DVDs please use the contact connection on this website. Films are for personal use only…..for public screenings, contact the filmmakers. Listings under each of the four headings generally start with the older films and end with the more recently screened films. (The Intermission Film Series DVDs are the fourth heading….at the end of the list.)
Politics – The World and the Environment
5200 Bitter Paradise:The Sell-Out of East Timor 1996
Vancouver filmmaker Elaine Briere tells the tale of one people’s struggle for survival in a world dominated by the search for raw materials, and of Canada’s shameless ongoing support of a predatory military regime responsible for 200,000 deaths. (1 hr.)
5201 Living under the Cloud, Chernobyl Today 1995
The true picture of the radiation and emotional effects from the Chernobyl nuclear reactor explosion came out once the USSR disintegrated. The issue of radiological impact on human health and the environment has suddenly become more relevant now that we are aware of the true scale of the disaster and how it was mishandled by the Russian government. Chernobyl has become a giant laboratory. This film is hard to find now. (60 mins.)
5202 “Free Our Planet Of Nuclear Weapons” and “The Forgotten Bomb”(2 separate DVDs rubberbanded together)
“Free Our Planet of Nuclear Weapons” is a plea to end the nuclear arms race, including the shocking truth behind the nuclear bomb “testing” in the Pacific Islands in the 1940’s and 50’s as revealed in documents that have recently become available for public scrutiny. “The forgotten Bomb” is a 2012 film that examines the true story of nuclear weapons and how the world might learn to live without them.
5203 Profits, Power and World Hunger 1996
A talk at University of Victoria given by Susan George, internationally reknowned author of How the OtherHalf Dies, A Fate Worse Than Debt, and Faith and Credit-The World Bank’s Secular Empire, in which she reveals who has power in the new world order and their “extremely nefarious plots against ordinary people”. (talk 50 mins. plus question period)
5204 Who’s Counting? Marilyn Waring on Sex, Lies and Global Economics 1995
Elected as a New Zealand M.P. at the age of 22, Marilyn Waring eventually brought down her own government. She wittily, boldly and irreverently challenges the myths of economics, its elitist stance and our tacit compliance with political agendas that masquerade as objective economic policy. Beautifully filmed in New Zealand. (94 mins.)
5205 Hearts and Minds 1974
Winner of an Academy Award for best documentary of 1974, an emotionally charged journey that explores the events of the Viet Nam war and the politics, attitudes and ideals that led and kept the U.S. there. Torture, deceitful excuses for starting wars and American war crimes did not start in Iraq. Powerful testimony against the pomposity and devastation associated with war. For decades this was a hard film to find until its importance was realized and it was reissued by the Criterion Collection. (109 mins.)
5206 Panama Deception 1992
Thought-provoking video asks many questions. What happened during the 1989 invasion of Panama and why? How much of the real picture did the media give? Thousands were left dead and wounded, a country in shambles after three days of brutal violence. Was it just a testing ground for the Persian Gulf war one year later? Is this an indication of the kinds of intervention the U.S. may take in years to come? Music by Sting. (100 mins.)
5207 Banking on Life and Debt and Deadly Embrace 1995 & 1996
Two half hour videos about the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Over 90% of the earth’s population lives in countries trapped in multibillion dollar loan repayment schemes with terms dictated by the Bank and IMF. In the first video, narrated by Martin Sheen, viewers travel to Ghana, a Bank “model of success” where villagers cannot afford medicines, to Brazil, where people eat from garbage dumps while crops are sold off to pay the debt, and to the Phillipines, where a grass-roots coalition is fighting against paying the debt. Deadly Embrace tells the story of Nicaragua, which has been reduced to one of the poorest countries in the world due to IMF and World Bank policies.
5208 A Place Called Chiapas 1998
Winner of 1998 Genie Award for Best Documentary. Canadian director Nettie Wild takes us through the jungle canyons of Chiapas to capture the illusive and fragile life of a revolution, and the struggle of the Zapatista National Liberation Army under their charismatic leader guerilla poet subcommandante Marcos .(90 mins.)
5209 What I’ve Learned About U.S. Foreign Policy by Frank Dorrel 2000
If you think the U.S. has been making the world safe for democracy, think again! This video is a collection of long clips from T.V. and video documentaries detailing CIA covert operations and U.S. interventions in countries around the world. Featuring ex-CIA agents and parts of “The Secret Government” with Bill Moyers, “Genocide By Sanction”, the videos “Panama Deception” and “School of the Americas-School for Assassins” and more. (2 hrs.)
5210 Holes in Heaven 1998
HAARP is a controversial high frequency radio transmitter operated by the U.S. military in Alaska. Narrated by Martin Sheen, this video presents vital information about a project which could affect us all – people, animals, marine life, the weather, the atmosphere – by interfering with the Earth’s energy fields. (50 mins.)
5211 Arsenal of Hypocrisy: The Space Program and the Military-Industrial Complex 2003
Featuring astronaut Edgar Mitchell, Noam Chomsky and Bruce Gagnon, this film clearly documents the U.S. plans to “control and dominate” space and spells out the dangers of the Bush Nuclear Systems Initiative. (60 mins.)
5212 Aerosol Crimes (AKA Chemtrails) 2005
Clifford Carnicom has been investigating the phenomenon of jet trails in the sky that, instead of dissipating, spread out and end up forming a white haze overhead. He investigates the lack of response by officials, the media and politicians, test results that show what sorts of particles are being rained down upon us, the resulting health problems encountered and what these chemicals are doing to the atmosphere and the planet. (1 ½ hrs.)
5213 Aftermath: Unanswered Questions From 911 2003
Guerilla News Network film featuring, among others, Mary Shiavo, aviation disaster attorney, David McMichael, former CIA analyst, Michael Ruppert, publisher, and Riva Enteen, exec.director S.F. National Lawyers Guild. This video asks 11 questions including: Why wasn’t the U.S. military able to intercept the hijacked planes? Is there an underlying motive besides “war on terror” for U.S. military presence in Central Asia? How has the Patriot Act and the Homeland Security Act affected the lives of the American people? Narration and music by Paris. Plus 2 bonus newsvideos: The War Conspiracy and Crack the CIA. (50 mins).
5214 Painful Deceptions 2004
An analysis of the September 11 attacks, this film asks questions about how the twin towers could disintegrate into dust in 10 seconds, what was Building 7 and how could a “terrorist” fly a Boeing 757 into restricted airspace over the Pentagon. (2 hours)
5215 Bush Family Fortunes: The Best Democracy Money Can Buy 2003
Award-winning reporter-sleuth Greg Palast investigates the Bush family. What drives these men and where are they taking us? (1 hr.)
5216 Plan Columbia: Cashing-In On the Drug War Failure 2003
Twenty years of drug wars in the Andes have resulted in a two-fold increase in cocaine imported into the U.S. Is the U.S. still concerned with fighting drugs? Narrated by Ed Asner, this video explores many questions about the war on drugs. Could there be an alternate purpose to a plan focused on beefing up the Columbian military? Is there an oil connection? In what parts of Columbia is the aerial spraying of Roundup Ultra being done? Do U.S. banks benefit from narco-trafficking? (55 mins.)
5217 Uncovered – The Whole Truth About the Iraq War 2003
23 former intelligence and foreign service employees of the U.S.– including several who quit in disgust – speak out in this shocking documentary exposing the false reality that was sold to the American public. (55 mins.+ 20 mins. extra interviews)
5218 Percy Schmeiser vs. Monsanto 2003
Talk given by Percy Schmeiser in Vancouver in Dec. 2003. He is a 3rd generation Saskatchewan farmer who was sued by corporate giant Monsanto when they found their patented GMO canola seeds growing in ditches near his fields. Shocking revelations of corporate police, extortion letters, herbicide bombs and the threat of the new pharmaceutical drug- growing seeds to us and our food supply. (1 hr)
5219 The Oil Factor: Behind the War on Terror 2004
Filled with solid facts and footage shot in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as interviews with Noam Chomsky, Zbigniew Brzezinski and Ahmad Rashid and narrated by Ed Asner. (93 minutes)
5220 Money 2004
Who creates it? Who controls it? Who profits? Filmmaker Isaac Isitan takes us to Turkey and Argentina, where people took to the street, attacking the banks when their life savings evaporated overnight. Interwoven with these stories, a lucid essay dissects the macroeconomic policies demanded by the World Bank and the IMF that have plunged entire nations into economic and social crises. Faced with a lack of money, people have begun to invent local parallel economies. A lesson for our times. (65 mins.)
5221 Being Caribou and Oil On Ice 2004
Two films about the fate of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In Being Caribou (72 mins.) environmentalist Leanne Allison and wildlife biologist Karsten Heuer follow a herd of 120,000 caribou on foot across 1500 kms. of rugged Arctic tundra to raise awareness of threats to the caribou’s survival. Oil On Ice (1 hr.) juxtaposes discussion about North America’s voracious appetite for oil with the gentle life of Arctic native communities and migratory wildlife. (2 separate DVDs rubber-banded together)
5222 Iraq For Sale: The War Profiteers 2006
Who’s getting killed? Who’s making a killing? Investigates private contractors making large profits in Iraq, the waste and inefficiency involved and the decision makers who allow them to do so. (78 mins.)
5223 Tibet – Cry of the Snow Lion 2003
Ten years in the making, filmed during a remarkable nine journeys throughout Tibet, Nepal and India, this film brings the viewer to the long forbidden “rooftop of the world” with an unprecedented richness of imagery. Harrowing. Illuminating. Breathtaking. Includes some graphic shots of trauma of Chinese invasion. (104 mins.)
5224 Five Ring Circus – The Untold Story of the Vancouver 2010 Games 2007
Directed by Vancouverite Conrad Schmidt, this film looks at the economic, social and environmental costs of hosting the Olympic games and asks the question “Is it worth it?” (78 mins.)
5225 Beyond the Green Zone: Dispatches From an Unembedded Journalist in Occupied Iraq
Film of a speech given by independent journalist Dahr Jamail in Vancouver in December 2007 in which he exposes the reality of the current situation in Iraq as well as some of the things he “saw with my very own eyes” when he was in Faluja. (1 hr.)
5226 Woman Among Warlords 2007
Malalai Joya is the youngest member of the Afghanistan parliament. She is so outspoken about the political situation in her country that she has been forbidden to set foot in the parliament. She has had her life threatened and cannot sleep in the same house for more than a few nights. Includes a separate DVD of a speech she made in Vancouver about Canada’s troops in Afghanistan. (50 mins + 10 mins.)
5227 The War on Democracy 2007
British journalist John Pilger’s beautifully filmed documentary demonstrates that the brutal reality of the American notion of “spreading democracy” is, in fact, a war on democracy and that true democracy is more likely to be found among the poorest people of the world. Featuring interviews with Hugo Chavez and several CIA officials. (94 mins.)
5228 The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine 2008
Film of Israeli historian and professor Ilan Pappe’s lecture in Vancouver in March of 2008 where he discusses the historical evidence supporting a Zionist/Israeli intention to cleanse the land of Palestine of its original inhabitants and the resulting lack of peace in that land. (about 1 hour)
5229 Palestine For Beginners 2004
Two teachers from the Palestine Information Project give an easy to understand, fast-moving talk covering the basic history and facts on the ground of the situation in the Occupied Territories of Palestine. (72 mins.)
5230 Let Them Stay 2005
Voices of U.S. war resisters documenting their life-changing experiences in Iraq and the hidden realities of U.S. military recruitment and warfare. Narrated by Shirley Douglas. (28 mins.)
5231 Blue Gold – World Water Wars 2008
Corporate giants, private investors and corrupt governments all vie for control of our dwindling fresh water supply. Is there enough water for everyone? Based on the book by Maude Barlow and Tony Clarke, narrated by Malcolm McDowell. “Every person on the planet should see this film.” (89 mins.)
5232 You, Me and the SPP: Trading Democracy For Corporate Rule 2009
What do secrecy, police provocateurs, an assault on democracy and infringements on citizens’ rights have in common? The Security Prosperity Partnership. Never heard of it? Why? It involves free trade, integration of military, security structures and regulatory regimes between Canada, U.S. and Mexico. (1 ½ hrs.)
5233 Rethink Afghanistan 2009
Award-winning filmmaker Robert Greenwald (“Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price”, “Outfoxed”, “Iraq For Sale”) shatters all perceived truths about the “mission” in Afghanistan. Includes such topics as cost of the war, civilian casualties, the situation for women, Pakistan, security and more (75 mins.)
5234 Dirt! The Movie 2009
Made of the elements as the stars, plants, animals and us, dirt is very much alive, yet most of us ignore, abuse and destroy it. This film offers a vision of a sustainable and respectful relationship between humans and dirt. (80 mins.)
5235 Farmed Salmon Exposed: The Global Reach of the Norwegian Salmon Farming Industry and Aquacultural Revolution: Science vs. Salmon Farming and DFO at Aquanor (an aquaculture conference) 2009
Three short films by B.C.’s Damien Gillis that lift the lid on facts about salmon farms that government and industry hoped Canadians would never learn about; a business that greatly effects the coastal residents, environment and fisheries in places where it operates. (23 mins. 16 mins. and 7 mins.)
5236 Slingshot Hip Hop 2008
Weaves together the stories of young Palestinians living in Gaza, the West Bank and inside Israel as they discover Hip Hop and use it as a tool to surmount divisions imposed by occupation and poverty and to channel their deep anger and frustration. Featuring DAM, PR (Palestinian Raperz), Mahmoud Shalahi, Abeer and Arapeyat. (94 mins.)
5237 George Galloway speaking in Vancouver 2010
And outspoken Scottish M.P. for 25 years, George Galloway brings his oratory gifts and anti-colonialist, anti-elitist understanding of the state of the world to this cross Canada tour in which he discussed the Canadian government and the occupations of Afghanistan and Palestine to sold-out audiences. (51 mins.)
5238 Occupation Has No Future 2010
In the Fall of 2009 a group of U.S. veterans and war resisters traveled to Israel/Palestine to meet with their Israeli counterparts. This film uses that trip as a lens to examine Israeli militarism, examine the Occupation and explore the work of those Israelis and Palestinians who are working to live together, free of occupation, with justice and peace. (75 mins.)
5239 Rainforest: The Limit of Splendour 2011
Inspired by Kwakwaka’wakw Chief, Kwaxsistalla, filmmaker Richard Boyce takes his camera high into the old growth forest canopy and through the desolation of the clear cuts that cover Vancouver Island. A sobering look at the monumental lack of stewardship of the life-giving forests of B.C. (1 hour)
5240 Salmon Confidential 2013
This concise and captivating film by Twyla Roscovich follows Vancouver Island biologist Alexandra Morton as she unravels the mysteries of B.C.’s declining salmon stocks. What she discovers is very unsettling: salmon viruses imported from Europe in both farmed and wild salmon; labs put under investigation for reporting these diseases; scientists muzzled; sick fish in restaurants and grocery stores. (70 mins.)
5241 Empowered: Power From the People 2013
Tompkins County, New York is one of the cloudiest, least windy places in the U.S. and yet the residents are proving that they can meet their energy needs through totally renewable resources. From solar to wind to geothermal to biodiesel, this film tells the story of one community’s role in the energy independence revolution. (73 mins.)
5242 Big Boys Gone Bananas 2013
What happens to a documentary filmmaker when he goes up against a large corporation like Dole Foods? Media spin, PR scare tactics, dirty tricks, lawsuits and corporate bullying all come into play, but it is the people who ultimately prevail. A reminder that the mighty need not “win”. Made in Sweden. (105 mins.)
5243 Stand 2013
A surf and SUP film featuring expedition stand up paddler Norm Hann, iconic West Coast surfer Raph Bruhwiler and a high school class in Bella Bella that is making their own SUPs. This film showcases the beautiful coastlines of B.C. and what is at stake with increased oil tanker traffic in these pristine but treacherous waters, a base for forest and sea life and rich in First Nations’ culture and history. (45 mins.)
5244 The Clean Bin Project 2011
Is it possible to live completely waste-free for a year? Partners Jen and Grant go head to head in a light-hearted competition to see who can swear off consumerism and produce the least amount of garbage. Set in Vancouver, this film is a call to action that speaks to crowds of all ages. (76 mins.)
5245 This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate 2015
Based on Naomi Klein’s book of the same name and narrated by her, this film takes the viewer to 5 continents and 9 countries to examine the extreme destruction and pollution that are the consequences of our disregard for the natural ecology of our planet as well as the world-wide movement to stop the focus on “growing the economy” at such a violent cost to the Earth. (90 mins.)
5246 Guantanamo’s Child: Omar Khadr 2015
Told in his own words and those of prison guards and mates, his lawyer, his family and US military officials, this film reconstructs Omar Khadr’s life from a childhood being shuffled between Toronto and Peshawar, through his arrest by US forces in Afghanistan at the age of 15, his decade-long imprisonment at Guantanamo where he underwent hundreds of hours of “coercive treatment” and his release on bail in May 2015. This skillfully-assembled film quietly portrays the triumph of the human spirit. (No scenes of torture depicted.). 80 mins.
5247 On the Line 2011
In the summer of 2010 filmmaker Frank Wolf and his friend Todd McGowan biked, hiked, rafted and kayaked the GPS track of the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline from Alberta to Kitimat B.C. Through the voices of people they met along the way their rough journey reveals the severe risks associated with this pipeline plan. Screened by AFN in Nov. 2012 (68 minutes)
5248 Toad People 2016
Despite the fact that B.C. has no laws to protect endangered species, everywhere in the province local communities are taking action to stand up for species at risk – western toads, barn owls, mountain caribou, Oregon spotted frogs and more. Co-directors Mike McKinlay and Isabelle Groc spent 4 years documenting people, families and communities across B.C. who worked together to save the wildlife in their backyard and brought those stories together in this all-ages film (warning: photos of toads squished by vehicles). (1 hour)
5249 Power To Change: The Energy Rebellion BluRay 2016 A film from Germany (its “most seen feature documentary” in 2016) about the progress and amazing innovations being made in renewable sources of energy. It brings a message: a complete turnaround in energy policies towards 100% renewables is possible and it can be accomplished much faster than opponents would have us believe. (92 minutes)
5250 The Cove 2009 An elite team of activists, filmmakers and free divers embarck on a covert missionto penetrate a remote and hidden cove on Japan, shining light on a dark and deadly secret involving the slaughter of dolphins. Academy Award winner for best documentary. (96 mins.)
5251 Water Warriors DVD 2017 When an energy company begins searching for natural gas (fracking sites) in New Brunswick an alliance of members of the Mi’kmaq Elsipogtog First Nations, Acadians and English-speaking families unite to drive the company out in order to protect their water, health and way of life. (22 mins.)
SOCIAL ISSUES AND COMMUNITY
5300 The Mondragon Experiment 1980
Documentary about a community in the Basque region of Europe where the citizens co-operatively run all the banks, factories, medical and social services systems, and schools, and have done so successfully for over 50 years. (50 mins.)
5301 The Killing Screens– media and the culture of violence 1994
An excellent discussion about T.V. and movie violence – How does it affect us? What can we do about it? (Warning: contains some examples of violence) (30 mins.)
5302 The Body Parts Business 1994
Filmed in Honduras, Argentina and Russia, this video follows internationally celebrated, gentle, human rights activist Bruce Harris as he investigates rumours of a black market for organs to be used for transplant and research and builds the case for a world-wide investigation. NFB (62 mins.)
5303 Ralph Nader Speaking on the Canadian Health Care System 1996
Film of talk given by legendary U.S. consumer advocate Ralph Nader at Victoria High School sponsored by the B.C. Nurses Union. Nader claims Canada has the best health care system in the world and that we need to protect it from the very real threat of major conglomerate takeover. He contrasts our system with the horrors of the for-profit corporation-run American system which costs more per capita while covering less of the population than ours. (1 hour)
5304 Affluenza and Thinking Like a Forest 1993
Affluenza describes an epidemic of stress, overwork, shopping and debt caused by the dogged pursuit of the American Dream with symptoms that include bloated, sluggish, unfulfilled feelings that result from one’s efforts to keep up with the Joneses. Ends with a discussion of the alternative-voluntary simplicity. (1 hr.) Thinking Like a Forest – a case for sustainable selective forestry. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Gerald Piwowar in the temperate rainforests of B.C. A beautiful portrayal of the forest as a complex and living species. Pioneer forester Merv Wilkinson and friends demonstrate practical, low-impact, job creating and value added alternatives to “tree harvesting”. (38 mins.)
5305 Deadly Deceptions 1987
An excellent, Academy Award-winning film that asks the question: how far will a company go for profit? This is an expose of the nuclear weapons industry and multinational corporation G.E. (27 mins.)
5306 Ecological Design: Inventing the Future 1995
Beginning in the 1920’s with the work of R. Buckminster Fuller, moving through the 1960’s and the Counter Culture, and ending on the doorstep of the 21st century, this film follows the evolution of ecological design and the development of sustainable architecture, cities, energy systems, transport and industry. Featured in film festivals world-wide and winner of several international movie awards. (1 hr.)
5307 A Cow at My Table 1998
Weaving together interviews with animal rights activists, agribusiness representatives and animal welfare experts with archival and documentary footage (including some disturbing slaughterhouse scenes taken in Saskatoon), Jennifer Abbott has produced an amazingly powerful and visually stunning documentary about animals, meat and culture. (90 mins.)
5308 The End of Suburbia 2004
A film about peak oil, car culture and the end of the Great North American Dream. Featuring James Howard Kunstler and others discussing the amount of fossil fuel left on the planet and the far-reaching implications of our dependence upon it. (78 mins.)
5309 – no longer available
5310 Salud! 2007
Inspiring film about Cuba, cash-strapped, yet sending 28,000 health professionals every year to 68 of the poorest communities in the world, and operating the world’s largest medical school, training new doctors from all over the world, all for free. (90 mins.)
5311 Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism 2004
Examines how media empires have been running a “race to the bottom” in television news. In-depth look at the dangers of ever-enlarging corporations taking control of the public’s right to know. (78 mins.)
5312 Wal-mart: The High Cost of Low Price 2005
This important film takes you behind the glitz and into the lives of workers, business owners, communities and sweatshops all over the world. Current and former managers of Wal-Mart stores reveal the true “modus operandi” behind this retail giant that enriches its owners’ pockets while destroying communities and leaving its workers struggling to make ends meet. (1 ½ hours)
5313 Scared Sacred 2005
In a world teetering on the verge of self-destruction, award-winning filmmaker Velcrow Ripper sets out on a pilgrimage to the planet’s Ground Zeros to see if it’s possible to find hope in the darkest moments of human history (104 minutes)
5314 Sombrio 2006 (missing)
Filmmaker Paul Manly’s beautiful portrayal of the life and eventual eviction of the vibrant community of squatters that lived for several decades on our local area’s Sombrio Beach. (65 mins)
5315 The Yes Men 2004
With poker-faced impersonation as their weapon and World Trade Organization officials as their target, the Yes Men pull off one bold prank after another in an effort to raise political consciousness. Smart and amusing. (1hr. 22 mins)
5316 The Power of Community – How Cuba Survived Peak Oil 2006 (no longer available in AFN library- you can watch it for free on-line)
Is Cuba a model for our impending “long emergency”? Details how Cuba survived the fall of the Soviet Union and subsequent loss of its oil supply to move from chemical-based economy to organic farms and community gardens, mass transit and alternate energy, with a notable focus on education and medicine. A colourful and concise look at the island culture. (1hr, 20 mins.)
5317 Ancient Futures: Learning From Ladakh DVD 2000
This film looks at efforts to modernize this tiny Himalayan kingdom next door to Tibet where people have survived and prospered for centuries in a harsh environment with no crime, no pollution and a joy to life. A thought-provoking documentary that challenges us to reassess the whole notion of progress and may show how we can get out of the “mess” we have created in industrialized countries (60 mins.)
5318 Gardens of Destiny with Dan Jason 2007
Filmmaker Jocelyn Demers goes to Dan Jason’s organic farm on Salt Spring Island and explores his fantastic collection of seeds, his methods of gardening and his observations on the dangers of the corporate-controlled farming that is taking over the world’s food and seed supply. There are also interviews with other experts from the field of agriculture. (75 mins.)
5319 The Ground Truth 2006
An in-depth, disturbing look at soldiers, how they are recruited, what happens in basic training to make people overcome their natural aversion to killing, and the psychological effects on veterans of having killed in combat . (78 mins.)
5320 War Made Easy 2007
American presidents have developed, refined and perfected powerful propaganda machines for leading the nation to war. Columnist and author Norman Solomon cuts through the web of spin to probe and scrutinize the key “perception management” techniques that played huge roles in the promotion of American wars (72 mins.)
5321 I Know I’m Not Alone; a musician’s search for the human cost of war 2006
Armed with an acoustic guitar and a video camera, musician Michael Franti takes us on a musical journey through war and occupation in Iraq, Palestine and Israel. (86 mins.)
5322 A Really Inconvenient Truth 2007
A response to Al Gore’s touted film An Inconvenient Truth, in which Joel Kovel, author, editor, psychoanalyst and teacher, insists that what is really inconvenient is the truth that global warming is directly related to the uncontrolled growth of the dominant world capitalist system. (90 mins.)
5323 Escape From Suburbia- Beyond the American Dream 2007
This film explores peak oil and challenges the illusion of never-ending growth, while providing viable alternatives for communities and individuals working at the local level to create strategies for change. Sequel to End Of Suburbia (5308). (90 mins.)
5324 War Dance 2008
Beautifully and gently filmed story of Uganda’s brutal civil war told through the eyes of 3 children in a remote refugee camp involved in preparing for the annual national music and dance competition. (1.5 hrs.)
5325 Island on the Edge 2008
Slow Food Vancouver Island’s Nick Versteeg’s film looks at the history of food production on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, and the urgency of keeping local food production alive and well. Features several lower island farms and farmers and some familiar faces. (70 mins.)
5326 The Money Fix 2008
Explores society’s relationship with money, examines what money is and where it comes from and presents 3 alternative money systems. Created out of thin air, yet we allow it to determine our fate.
5327 The Yes Men Fix The World 2009
Anti-corporate pranksters and gonzo political activists, the Yes Men who, armed with nothing more than thrift store suits, have an unusual hobby of posing as top executives of corporations and government agencies they think are not being conscientious world citizens. (85 mins.)
5328 In Transition 2009
Transition Towns are created by people who are working on imagining and building more resilient communities using less fossil fuel. This film documents many such communities around the world as they respond to peak oil and climate change with creativity, imagination and humour. (1 hr. + bonus disc)
5329 Smile Pinki 2008
A short cinema verite Oscar-winning documentary about 2 children in India, both born with cleft lips and palates whose lives are changed from rejection and pain to acceptance when they undergo a simple 45 minute corrective surgery made possible by a non-profit organization funded by people in more affluent countries. (39 minutes)
5330 The War You Don’t See 2010
British journalist John Pilger’s investigation into the media’s role in war. From WW1 through Hiroshima and Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan, and from Edward Bernays (who coined the term “public relations” and wrote a book in 1928 called “Propaganda”) to Julian Assange, this film examines the “war” to make the public accept and believe in war. (97 mins.)
5331 – no longer available
5332 The Economics of Happiness 2010
A lush, visually stunning, family friendly film that offers a refreshing take on the importance of local communities in shaping happy, healthy futures. Featuring speakers from six continents, including Vandana Shiva, Rob Hopkins (founder of Transition Towns), Bill McKibben, David Korten, as well as compelling footage from the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh. (78mins.)
5333 Schooling The World: The White Man’s Last Burden 2010
Beautifully filmed exploration of what happens when we replace a traditional culture’s way of learning about and understanding the world with the curriculum and material values of the Western world. Features Wade Davis, Helena Norberg-Hodge, Vandana Shiva, Dolma Tsering and Manish Jain. (65 mins.)
5334 Manufacturing Consent 1992
Noam Chomsky’s classic examination of how media shapes thought, opinions and actions in our world. (3 hours)
5335 To Make A Farm 2011
A visually poetic yet very real exploration of the ups and downs in the lives of 5 young Canadian farmers over the course of an entire year. (85 mins.)
5336 Civilizing the Economy 2007
This film, directed by Tom Shandel and written by John Restakis, both of B.C., takes the viewer to Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy where 45% of the GDP is from cooperatives and then looks at a new model for delivery of social services in Canada where policy-making and delivery is done by the people using and providing the services. (1 hour)
5337 Play Again 2010
What are the consequences of a childhood removed from Nature? Does spending a large portion of one’s waking life in front of a screen influence a child’s relationship to people, his/her surroundings and life? This is a moving and humorous documentary that follows 6 teenagers as they “unplug” and go on their first wilderness adventure – no electricity, no cell phones and no virtual reality. (2 versions: 53 minutes and 80 minutes)
5338 Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood 2008
This film focuses on the explosive growth of child marketing that uses the latest advances in psychology, anthropology and neuroscience to transform children into one of the most profitable consumer demographics in the world, creating little consumers from toddlerhood through the “tweens” to adulthood. (67 minutes plus extras)
5339 Possibility 2013
Short clips focusing on creating thriving, sustainable, cooperative community. This DVD may not play well on some players, but the clips can be viewed on nextworldtv.com. They are: “Bikes, Trees, Cafes”, “Local Share”, “50 Machines Needed For Life”, “First Permaculture EcoVillage”, “Generation Waking Up”, “Mushrooms Break Down Toxic Waste”, “Straw Bale Homes”, “Worker Cooperatives”, “Local Living Economy”, “Fantastic Fungi”. (80 minutes)
5340 – no longer available
5341 Occupy Love: Revolution of the Heart 2013
The third film in the trilogy by Velcrow Ripper, this film explores the growing realization that the dominant system of power is failing to provide us with health, happiness or meaning. It is a journey deep inside the revolution that is erupting around the planet; a profound awakening of millions of people deciding that enough is enough – the time has come to create a new world that works for all life. (85 mins.)
5342 Trashed 2013
In this documentary by British filmmaker Candida Brady, Jeremy Irons travels the globe to discover the extent and effects of global waste. Although not a pretty picture, this film does offer hope as it turns from the alarming results of ignoring trash to some solutions, including an entire city that is now virtually waste-free! (98 mins.)
5343 Kuper Island: Return to the Healing Circle 1997
A film about Kuper Island residential school off the coast of Vancouver Island. For almost a century hundreds of Coast Salish children were sent there. They were forbidden to speak their native language and forced to deny their cultural heritage. Many were subjected to physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Filmmakers Christine Welsh and Peter Campbell join survivors of the school 20 years after its closure as they begin to break the silence and embark on an extraordinary healing journey. (44 mins.)
5344 All the Time in the World 2014
A family of 5 give up their comfortable life in Dawson City to live in a remote cabin without running water, electricity, phone, internet or even clocks for 9 months, including a dark Northern winter, giving space for life to unfold with its inherent creativity and sense of wonder. Beautifully filmed by the mom, Suzanne Crocker, a family physician turned filmmaker. (87 mins.)
5345 Orphan Girl 2014
Docudrama of the life of Helen Getachew Abebe who was raised in an orphanage in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia after losing 2 sisters and her leg to gangrene and being deserted by her parents. Featuring Helen, as her adult self and Sooke resident Eric Anderson (Hum) as the doctor who took Helen under his wing. In Amharik with creatively translated English subtitles. (feature length)
5346 Inhabit 2015
“The best film ever made about permaculture”, a design method that offers an ecological lens for solving many issues related to agriculture, economics, governance and how we connect to one another. The focus of permaculture is to shift our impact from destructive to regenerative. (92 mins. plus 60 mins. of extras)
5347 Nourish and Cultivating Healthy Food and Gardens for a Sustainable Future 2011 and 2010
Two films about food and community. “Nourish” features Michael Pollan, Anna Lappe, chef Jamie Oliver, a pediatrician, food justice advocate and lots of enthusiastic young people. “Cultivating” takes us to several countries where grass roots movements are creating innovative ways to keep food growing and distribution sustainable and local, ending with Victoria’s LifeCycles fruit tree project. The film “Nourish” is authorized by the filmmakers/distributors to be used for multiple public screenings. (“Nourish” feature 26 mins. and short films 24 mins.;”Cultivating” 25 mins. – plays on computer only.)
5348 Haida Gwaii: On the Edge of the World 2015
This award-winning film by B.C. filmmaker Charles Wilkinson (“Peace Out”; “Oil Sands Karaoke”) is an inspiring, thoughtful and cogent tale of practical living and activism sandwiched between gorgeous footage of Haida Gwaii. (77 mins.)
5349 For the Love of Music: The Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra 2016
An intimate look at the celebrated “Sooke Phil” and its relevance in this small West Coast town, featuring the story of its origins with Maestro Norman Nelson, its outreach to local music students and the many musicians and volunteers that make it happen. (36 minutes)
5350 Seed: The Untold Story 2016
Seed diversity is crucial to prevent the collapse of our food systems and ecologies. This film goes around the world to meet farmers, seed savers, scientists, indigenous communities, educators lawyers and community activists who are waking up to the need to save local, acclimated, non-GMO seeds. Beautifully filmed, well edited, this a fast-paced and informative documentary. (94 minutes)
5351 A New Economy 2017
What if working together for the good of all was the most common business model? Seven mostly Canadian businesses and organizations strive towards building a more cooperative future by putting humanity before bottom line. They are finding their place in a new, more localized economy no longer dominated by profits, big business and hierarchy. (1 1/2 hours)
5352 Evolution of Organic 2017
Filmmaker Mark Kitchell takes his audience from the rebellious pioneer beginnings of organic gardening and farming in North America in the 1970’s through the eventual creation of farm-to-table foodie culture and the growth of the organic food movement, ending with some more recent innovations such as no-till farming and urban farming. (86 minutes)
5353 After Winter, Spring 2015
A small rural community in the Perigord region of France that has been cultivated for over 6000 years is caught between their traditional ways of farming and an uncertain future. Their stories are beautifully and lovingly photographed and recorded by their neighbor, filmmaker Judith Lit. (75 minutes) AFN HAS SCREENING RIGHTS FOR THIS FILM SO IT MAY BE SCREENED PUBLICLY.
5354 PUSH 2019 DVD
Housing prices are skyrocketing around the world and wages are not. This film sheds light on the new faceless landlord, our increasingly unlivable cities and an escalating crisis that affects us all. This is not “gentrification”; it is a different monster altogether. It is housing as a commodity. Featuring U.N. Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing Leilani Farha. (92 mins.)
5355 This Mountain Life 2018 DVD
The awe that mountainous landscapes evoke is universal, yet most of us seldom venture into true wilderness. We meet: a mother-daughter team that sets out for a 6-month journey traversing a relentless mountain wilderness from Squamish, B.C. to Alaska; a group of nuns who inhabit a mountain retreat, a photographer who is buried in an avalanche; a couple who has been living off-grid for nearly 50 years and more. Shot in cinematic detail by filmmaker Grant Baldwin (“The Clean Bin Project” #5244; “Just Eat It”) (75 minutes)
5356 The Pollinators 2019 BluRay
A film created by beekeeper and cinematographer Peter Nelson that unveils the fascinating world of honeybees, indispensable to the feeding of North America, and how they are transported all over the continent, the ways in which pollinators are in danger and the way we can come to their aid (1 hr. 30 minutes) The filmmakers have requested that the BluRay of “The Pollinators” only be made available (with no rental donation) to those who had attended the February 2020 screening that did not play properly. The disc will be available in the AFN film library only until the end of May 2020.
Body and Spirit – Health
5400 Recovering the Soul with Larry Dossey, M.D. 1990 DVD
A penetrating exploration of the crossroads of healing and mysticism, religion and physics which challenges modern Western ideas. A theory of mind independent of matter, time and space. (60 mins)
5401 Spontaneous Healing 2000 DVD
An enlightening and humourous talk by Dr. Andrew Weil, who suggests that getting sick need not be disabling. He talks about our body’s natural ability to heal itself, what happens when physical changes have non-physical causes, the Seven Strategies of Successful Patients, and the future direction of medicine. (55 mins.)
5402 From the Heart of the World – the Elder Brothers’ Warning 1990
The Kogi people live high in Colombia’s Sierra Madre mountains and have kept their cities isolated until 1988, when they allowed BBC journalist Alan Ereira to film their earth-reverent, connected life, and their urgent message to us, “the younger brother”, to stop destroying the planet. (approx. 90 mins.)
5403 Why People Don’t Heal and How They Can with Caroline Myss 1997 DVD
Caroline Myss, PhD is a world-reknown medical intuitive and pioneer in the field of energy medicine and human consciousness, whose motto “your biography becomes your biology” is based on fifteen years of research as a medical intuitive. She shows how to improve your health with the revolutionary Five Steps to Healing. (76 mins.)
5404 Three Levels of Power and How to Use Them with Caroline Myss 1998 DVD
Caroline Myss, PhD. shows how power and the loss of power is at the root of every health issue. Through riveting stories from those who have undergone the transformation from illness to health, she unlocks the secret role that honour, faith and forgiveness play in the healing process.
5405 Sex Under Seige VHS (missing)
What you don’t know about plastics could hurt. Hormone-like substances found in pesticides, common household plastics and many industrial chemicals have been found to cause improper sexual development, lowered sperm count, hormonal imbalances and resulting cancers. (60 min.)
5406 Star Dreams 2003 DVD
A feature documentary exploring the mystery of crop circles. Since 1980 more than 10,000 crop circles have been documented around the world, including here in B.C. This award-winning film uses aerial photography to stunningly portray these often highly complex and mathematically perfect designs. Inspirational and perplexing. (77 minutes).
5407 Childhood Vaccinations…Questioning Safety and Effectiveness 1999 DVD
Dr. Viera Scheibner & Susan Cameron-Block interviewed by David Ingram on Rogers Cable. (1 hr.)
5408 Mad Cow Disease 1996 VHS (missing)
Film of a talk given in Vancouver by Howard Lyman and Dr. Joe Cummins discussing Mad Cow Disease, genetic engineering and bovine growth hormone. Enlightening.
5409 – 5410 – no longer available
5411 Beyond Zero Point: Journey to Compassion 2000 DVD
Greg Braden talks about the shift to zero point and how it affects our emotions, our immune system and even our genetic code. Learn how compassion can be the tool that enables us to effectively move through the Earth changes that are occurring at this time. (75 mins.)
5412 The Yogis of Tibet 2003 DVD
A rare and privileged peek into the traditionally secret ways of the mystical Tibetan yogis. A very hard film to find. The first 12 minutes have a line waving thru the picture every few seconds, but it does not really disturb the content and is worth wading thru to get to the rest of this fascinating film. (77 mins.)
5413 – no longer available
5414 The Hidden Messages in Water 2004 DVD
Explores Japanese scientist Masaru Emoto’s discoveries about how thoughts, words, music, pictures and prayer can affect the strength and formation of water crystals and thus the health and purity of our bodies and the planet. (45 mins.)
5415 Talk Quickly – Your Health Is On the Line 2006
Film of a talk given in Vancouver by Dr. George Carlo, cell phone industry whistleblower, in which he discusses the dangerous world of cell phones and the wireless world we are creating, the ways the industry is covering up these dangers, and what we can do about it. A must-see for anyone using a cell phone or wireless technology. (1 hour.)
5416 Zeitgeist, The Movie 2007
This privately produced film details social understandings that most humans are not aware of by focusing on suppressed information about religion, patriotism, war and the money system. This film also explores what could be in store for humanity if power structures continue their pattern of self-interest, corruption, consolidation of power and dividing of people. They foresee that the populace will demand to be micro-chipped thanks to fear and arbitrary separatist identification that distract us from the truth that there is no other; we are all one. (2 hrs.)
5417 Under Our Skin 2008
A dramatic tale of microbes, medicine and money, this eye-opening film investigates the untold story of Lyme disease. This film follows the stories of patients who are chronically misdiagnosed or undiagnosed and of the few doctors who recognize and effectively treat this disease even in the face of medical peer pressure to stop doing so. (103 mins.)
5418 Homo Toxicus 2008
Every day tons of chemicals are released into the environment without ever knowing how toxic they are in the long term to living organisms. In a hard-hitting investigation carried out with intelligence and humour, Quebec filmmaker Carole Poliquin has her own blood tested and explores the link between those toxic substances and rising health problems such as cancer, allergies, hyperactivity and infertility. (87 mins.)
5419 The Marketing of Madness: Are We All Insane? 2009
Explores the slick marketing, scientific deceit and safety of the very powerful psychotropic drugs currently being peddled as the go-to treatment for every kind of psychological distress to an unsuspecting public and thereby creating a multi-billion dollar profit for the psychological-pharmaceutical industry. (3 hours)
5420 Full Signal and Smart Meters: Jack Etkin Interviews Walter McGinnis 2010 & 2011
Full Signal talks to scientists around the world who are researching the health effects of radiofrequency (RF) radiation as found in wireless devices and cell phone towers. It examines the health effects of these devices on people, birds and bees, why the research results vary so much and the contradiction between health and finance. (1 hour) Walt McGinnis is a Saanich electrician who has been investigating and testing for RF radiation for over 10 years and is active in stopsmartmeters.ca. Jack Etkin, co-founder of ICTV, is an aware interviewer and posts regular shows on Shaw and the internet. (under an hour)
5421 2012: Time For Change 2010
An optimistic alternative to apocalyptic doom and gloom, this film follows journalist Daniel Pinchbeck on a quest for a new paradigm that integrates the archaic wisdom of tribal cultures with the scientific method. As conscious agents of evolution we can redesign post-industrial society on ecological principles to make a world that works for all, a world where collaboration replaces competition. (85 minutes)
5422 (missing)
5423 Genetic Roulette 2012
This film presents both new and old evidence of genetically engineered (GE) foods as a major contributor to rising disease rates. It exposes the bullying and deceit of the biotech industry in keeping this information from the public and the collusion of government “protective” branches in allowing such a harmful and destructive technology to be unleashed into the environment (90 mins.) Bonus DVD “Seeds of Freedom”.
5424 The Sacred Science 2011
This film follows 8 brave souls as they leave the developed world behind in search of deeper answers to their “incurable” illnesses such as cancer, Parkinsons, diabetes and alcoholism. Living in the heart of the Amazon jungle, these men and women take part on the powerful healing practices of Peru’s indigenous medicine men working with centuries-old plants. (77 minutes)
5425 Unacceptable Levels 2013
Examines the seamy side of the chemical revolution that started in the 1940’s and has resulted in over 30,000 man-made chemicals that are now pervasive in every aspect of our lives; our food, the products we use in our homes and workplaces, our water and the air we breathe. Scientists and health advocates speak about how an egregious lack of regulation has allowed this to occur and the possible consequences to our development and health. (80 minutes)
5426 Vaxxed 2016
The link between vaccines and autism is re-examined in this film after it is revealed that the U.S. Centers For Disease Control falsified results of a major 2004 study that has been used as proof that such a link does not exist. Not an anti-vaccination film, rather a compassionate and evidence-based look at how we can make vaccines safer for our children. (91 mins.)
5427 Black Whole 2011
Building on Einstein’s work, Nassim Haramein developed a Unified Field Theory that explains creation and the vacuum that connects all things. He found evidence to support his theory in ancient sacred texts from Egypt, Mexico and China. (93 mins.)
Intermission Film Series
5500 Charlie Chaplin “Modern Times” 1936
Partly inspired by a conversation with Mahatma Gandhi about the damaging effects of industrial technology and partly as a result of the poverty and suffering witnessed by Chaplin during the Great Depression, this is often seen as his greatest film.
5501 “Divided We Fall” 2000
Academy-award nominated Czech film that takes place in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia at the end of World War 2. A drama that examines the day-to-day life and relationships in a small town under difficult and challenging circumstances. (2 hours)
