It is not easy being green, and in Brazil is can be deadly.

It's not easy being green, and in Brazil it can be deadly.

Another week, another environmentalist is murdered. Why should you care? Well, for starters, someone was murdered. Murdered for standing up and protecting something that the entire world needs. Think about it for a second, one out of every four breaths you take comes from this ecosystem. Yes, the Amazon generates 25% (+/-) of the world's oxygen. It also contains half the world land-based biodiversity and plays an incredibly important role in regulating the Earth’s climate, as well as regional rain cycles. Parts of Sao Paulo are already suffering droughts and water shortages (and all indications are it will get worse) because of deforestation in the Amazon (and piss-poor state management, of course). But who knows which city or nation may feel the dramatic effects of a forest under siege, next.

As to the article's question about why so many environmentalists are killed in Brazil, well it is a violent nation (over 50,000 murders are year – that we know about), with incompetent and corrupt governance and questionable police services (16% of all homicides in Rio de Janeiro, for example, are carried out by police according to Amnesty International). The honest cops (and there are many) are under-funded, often poorly trained and usually barely equipped to deal with a region continental in size and with such a propensity for violence and mob rule. Since everything in Brazil is currently worsening (sadly), from the economy to crime to politics etc…I do not see it getting any easier for environmentalists or any better for the Amazon.

And that is not good news for anyone on the Earth.

Sorry for the Inconvenience Premiers!

6 years of work, headaches and frustrations ended last night with a packed house, laughs, cheers, tears and a long impassioned standing ovation. I was left gob-smacked and literally teary-eyed! Sorry for the Inconvenience: The Dirty little War Over Chico’s Bar premiered last night at the 19th edition of FAM Panvision, a rather large South American (Mercosul) film festival conveniently held on this very island. And as they say, “It was a hit!”. I'm sooo relieved.

But as difficult as those 6 years were, they were important, and this film is very important for the community here and the island. For those wanting more info on the documentary www.desculpepelotranstorno.com There is an english link.

Sorry for the Inconvience: The Dirty Little War Over Chico's Bar

Well, the long awaited release of my newest documentary is this weekend. Its national premiere will be Saturday at the 19th edition of the Latin American film festival FAM, conveniently held in Florianopolis each year. Hundreds of films from several Mercosul (that’s a Latin American trading block) countries entered, and this little 80 minute ditty is now competing for with four others for best Documentary. I say it’s long awaited, because I couldn’t wait to finish and be rid of it. :-)

This documentary is a bit of a pyrrhic accomplishment. One made over the years without funding, with little to no help and over the last year, it left me drained, deceived and hugely disappointed which is ironic in that the original goal of the video was to be a source of inspiration, a point of hope in a land plagued by corruption, scandal and opportunists. Who knew there’d been an opportunist at my side.

So as happy as I am that it’s finally out of the studio and heading to a festival, I’m am even more elated that I’m rid of this headache and the lazy, barely-literate asshole that was attached.

My advice to budding documentary makers, (because I tend to get a bit of email asking advice) is choose people whom you have to work with really well, and CONTRACTS CONTRACTS CONTRACTS!

With that said, those interested in knowing  more about the film, check out the site and trailer.  Even given the headaches, lies, deceit that went on behind the scenes, I think I managed a rather beautiful film, with no budget that hopefully highlights a very big concern for not only the island, but many coastal areas throughout Brazil and around the world.

There is an English version of both.

www.desculpepelotranstorno.com