Earth Keepers

Eco-activist Mikael Rioux from Trois-Pistoles in Québec is looking for ways to create support in his own community for the creation of a more sustainable way of life. Having shorn off his dreadlocks at the beginning of the film, the young father decides to pursue a more constructive course of action than continuing his battle against the local authorities. Inspired by his mentor Christian de Laet -- an old hand in the environmental movement -- Rioux travels the world to seek the counsel of his mentor's sympathizers in poverty-stricken India, in wealthy, progressive Sweden, and elsewhere. The problem is clear: there is a crisis on the way. Leaving the car at home once in a while is not going to be enough to avert an environmental disaster -- not by a long shot. Earth Keepers shows that there are still opportunities for sustainable action, but only if we are prepared to change the way we think. Rioux's voice-over, the talking heads, and the animations that elucidate the film's sometimes complex issues all combine to convey a single message: "We need to start living in a way that provides for everyone's needs." And this is what makes Earth Keepers a worthwhile journey for outsiders as well as insiders. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)