5 Films on Sustainability To Watch 2024
Autumn is in full swing and I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for cozy season. One of my favorite things to do when the temperature drops, is to snuggle under a blanket and watch a thoughtful documentary. Here are 5 films on sustainability for you to watch this season.
1. The Machinists
The Machinists is a 2012 British documentary film that follows the personal stories of three female garment workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Rather than sensationalizing the disasters that have occurred in the garment industry, this documentary takes a humanistic approach and explores the human cost of western high street fashion.
We often hear broad statements about how the fashion industry exploits labor in the global south and its negative impacts on the environment, but rarely do we hear from that labor themselves. This documentary amplifies the voices of those who get the short end of the stick and sheds light on what an everyday lived reality is like for them. I do think that it’s important to note this documentary was created in 2012 and the garment industry in Bangladesh specifically, has put new labor laws and regulations in place.
2. Udita (Arise)
Udita, which means “arise,” is a documentary that follows the protests for better working conditions after the Rana Plaza collapse in 2013. This film follows five years in the lives of the women leading grassroots efforts to secure fair working conditions for garment workers in Bangladesh and provides insight into the strength and determination required for small organizations to fight against global industry.
The entire film is up on youtube! Watch it here.
3. Honeyland
Moving away from fashion now, Honeyland covers the story of North Macedonian beekeepers and their message about conservation. The film follows a woman as she utilizes ancient beekeeping traditions to cultivate honey and the challenges that she comes across when disruptive new neighbors try to do the same but disregard her wisdom and advice. Honeyland not only sheds light on the significance of nature conservation but also demonstrates how our relationship with nature also mirrors our interpersonal relationships and our relationship with human life.
4. Inhabitants: An Indigenous Perspective
This documentary follows five North American tribes across diverse American bioregions as they work to restore traditional land stewardship practices. It discusses the significance of ancient indigenous wisdom as it pertains to our Earth and how centuries of exploitation and colonization have played a part in our current climate crisis. Inhabitants: An Indigenous Perspective is a reminder of how indigenous communities have always been leaders in land management and why we must center their stories and practices in the face of a changing climate.
5. 2040
Climate anxiety is something that we’re all familiar with but 2040 provides a positive reminder that despite our current climate situation, the future remains hopeful if we take actionable steps now. This 2019 documentary highlights the potential effects of climate change over the next 20 years and what inventions and initiatives that exist today can do to reverse those effects. The film is also accompanied by a website and online community that provides individual and community-based action plans that we can adopt for a safer, cleaner, and more equitable future.
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