Our film, Think Global: Eat Local combines 15 years of footage from 15 countries in a 15 minute introductory documentary about sustainable food issues. It was released 8 years ago – almost to the day – but the issues and strategies introduced here are still so relevant today.
In making Think Global: Eat Local our aim was to celebrate local food systems in communities around the world – farmers’ markets, food box systems, food coops, community farms, community gardens, school gardens and home gardens.
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| Meeting with Cuban community gardeners in Havana. |
While exploring the ways many communities are meeting their food needs locally, the film touches on many of the issues caused by and impacting upon our current unsustainable food system including climate change and peak oil. The film points to relocalisation of food systems as a key strategy for working toward a more ecologically sustainable, health and socially just society.
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| Working with the community to collaboratively design and construct a new community garden in Balcova, Turkey. |
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| Leading permaculture classes for young Korean student activists. |
Over a fifteen year period, we collected includes footage and images of local food systems in fifteen countries including: Australia, Bulgaria, Bahamas, China, Cuba, Denmark, Germany, India, Indonesia, Scotland, Slovenia, Spain, South Korea, Turkey and the USA. The footage and images were taken as part of our action research over 15 years into systems that promote sustainability, a core part of our international permaculture adventures.
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| Exploring urban agriculture zones in the middle Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. |
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| Children tending to their Peace Garden on Eleuthera Island, The Bahamas |
I remember the premier screening so well – I was heavily pregnant with Hugh and it was just five he as was due. Climbing up onto the stage to introduce the film was quite a challenge!
We received support from the Maleny Film Commission, and arm of the largest Film Society in Australia, to make this film. So while we maintained an international focus throughout the film, there is a strongly local Maleny thread too (Maleny is in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland). I found out about this small grant from another mum at the Maleny Playgroup – that was such a hotbed of creativity – all those fabulous mums joining forces and doing projects they could while their kids were really little.
The links here are to the youtube versions my brother uploaded for me some time ago. It’s not high resolution for screening, but OK for personal viewing. If you’d like a copy send me an email. I still have some DVDs remaining and I am planning to get it onto Vimeo in better resolution soon.
The film has been screened in many parts around Australia and internationally as a short introduction to the issues to stimulate discussion. It has been particularly popular with schools, local action groups, transition groups environment groups and the like.
You can watch it here in 2 parts. (NB: you can tell that we did the final couple of interviews in Queensland summer – the cicadas are ever-present during the daylight hours! I’ve always wanted to re-record those bits, but new projects beckon).
Fascinating video Morag.
How wonderful to be able to look back and say "look what we did". What a difference you have made to countless people all over the world, and what amazing role models you are for your children. You will probably shrug the accolades off and think any one could have done that, but it's not true, it take guts, determination and passion to do all of that. Things like this just don't happen without a lot of preparation and for thought. Good on you Morag I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
Thank you Fiona and for your encouragement. I have a few more short films waiting for some further editing. I just cannot seem to find the time needed to do them justice at the moment. I'm wishing for a volunteer/WWOOFer to emerge who can help us with this.