Still River, Silent Jungle – A Hayley Stuart Film
About the Event:
The event will screen and discuss a ten-minute short film about an indigenous leader in Bolivia who is fighting to protect her community and river basin from the Chepete-Bala mega-dam proposals that would flood two protected national parks and relocate over 50 indigenous communities in the Bolivian Amazon.
Agenda
- Introduction
- Explaining about the background and the work in Bolivia
- Featuring of the film
- Discussions of the film following with the guiding questions
- Any comments or thoughts
- Conclusions
*** Given the COVID-19 restrictions, the event may change into an online event!
Film Description:
When a novel dam proposal (Chepete-Bala mega-dam) threatens indigenous communities in the Bolivian Amazon, Uchupiamona leader Ruth Alipaz Cuqui must step into the unknown and become a spokesperson for her people. While opposing powers much bigger than her, she must come to terms with how much she is willing to risk to protect her river and her people.
Guiding Questions for discussion:
- What is the current status of the project? Of the communities?
- What implications has Covid-19 had for this issue?
- Next steps for the film
- What are the audience’s impressions of the characters/story? What would they like to see in a feature film?
- What alternatives exist for this dam project?
Filmmaker Biography:
Hayley Stuart is currently an MSc student in Water Science, Policy and Management at the University of Oxford She also is a Washington-based filmmaker driven by her passion for river protection, rooted communities, and whitewater kayaking. She was first inspired to tell stories through the lens while studying abroad in Bolivia and Chile, where she realized the power that film has to reach audiences where written work cannot. Filmmaking soon became a vehicle with which Hayley could travel the world, witness stories for herself, and develop long-lasting connections with locals living through powerful experiences. It is Hayley’s belief that by listening, inquiring, and taking small purposeful steps, we can consistently build the foundation for meaningful impact and lasting change in our world.
Since 2014, Hayley has collaborated with Chilean, Bolivian, American, and Mexican indigenous communities in order to film, learn, kayak, and raise awareness about the impacts of mega-hydroelectric development. She has participated in film productions for environmental organizations including American Rivers, Pacific Rivers, Ríos to Rivers and International Rivers, and spoke at the 2017 Sun Valley Tedx event about the impacts of mega hydro development.
This event is organised by the Oxford Water Network (OWN)!