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Here you can find a list of great films about the beautiful planet we are living on.

Earthmovies is a non profit organisation with the aim to show and produce documentaries, interviews and shorts. We cover topics about environment, indigenous people and animals. In our believe film is a perfect tool for education and education is a key to a sustainable co-existence of humans with the world of nature.

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Film Tip 'Panama: Village of the damned'

Another strong case study, this time about the impact of megadams on indigenous communities in Panama.

Panama has the fastest growing econmomy in South America and has currently more than 50 dam projects on the drawing board.

By law the government has to consult local communities before giving the green light to projects which litereally washes away their villages. However this never happened and any protest is forcefuly oppressed.

The hydro-energy projects affect not only countless of communities but also endangered species and wildlife.

Watch the full film here...



You can sign a petition to help protect the Ngobe Rainforest here at the Rainforest Rescue website.

Film Tip 'Bolivia: Fighting the Climate Wars'

This short documentary is a telling case study about the affects of climate change in a South American country.

We get to know more about the situation in Bolivia, encountering problems of farmers to grow crops and landslides destroying villages.

This is one of the films produced by The Guardian who cover social and environmental subjects around the world. Watch the full film here...

Film Tip 'Making the Connection'

What we eat has an immense impact, not only on our health but also on the environment. Meat production for example contributes more green house gases than all transport together! (Read more facts on meat here)

This is a short and very beautifuly made documentary about the benefits of a vegan diet. Without being preached at, we learn more about a healthy lifestyle simply by listening to the experiences of vegan people like chefs and athletes.

This visual treat which will hopefully inspire more people to consider a change to a more healthy, compassionate and environmentaly friendly diet.

Watch the full film here...



Find out more about veganism for example on the site of the vegan society.

Film tip 'Garbage Warrior'

Nothing is wasted! At least not for architect Michael Reynolds who set himself the mission to build incredible homes by using waste products.

Since 30 years Reynolds is experimenting in the New Mexican desert with eco-firendly house building. With great success, which could mean an overdue revolution of the way we think and built. With an simple and cost effective approach self-sustained houses can be made which heat themself, provide own water and grow own food and overall are unique and beautiful.

Is this the way to save us from ecologocical disaster? It might well be part of it. However, not everybody agrees with Reynold's vision.

Find out more and watch this truly inspiring film here.


Visit the official Garbage Warrior website here.

Film tip 'Sharkwater'

This is an exciting documentary which deals with the myths and stereotypes attached to sharks. Indeed these ancient animals are of great significance to sea life evolution and its eco-systems.

Although they are the most successful predetors of the oceans, they are essentially harmless to human beings despite the reputation created by fear mongering reports in the media. In fact they are scared of us. For a good reason, as some sharks are killed nearly to extinction.

Enjoy stunning underwater footage in some of the richest marine reserves on the planet along with thrilling action footage from the Seashepherd Association.

Watch the full film online. Here the first part.



Visit the official Sharkwater website here.

Film tip 'The Canary Effect'

The 'Canary Effect' is an in depth investigation into US policies and the devastating effect it has on the Native American population.

This well made documentary effectively connects historic accounts with the present situation. The film fulfills an important educational role by sheding light on the realities of a neglected minorty of US society.

The film deals with a widely under-reported subject and well deserved to win the Stanley Kubrick Award in 2006.

Watch the full film here...



Read more about the history of Native Americans here on Wikipedia.

Film tip 'Poison Fire'

The Niger Delta has one of the highest concentrations of biodiversity on the planet and is home to 20 million people and 40 different ethnic groups. But it is also the subject to catastrophic pollution by oil spills, which threaten wildlife and inhabitants.

The damage in the delta is caused by more than 50 years of oil exploitation by Shell and other oil companies. An UN report states that there have been a total of more than 6000 oil spills between 1976 and 2001, accounting for a loss of no less than three million barrels of oil.

This film was made in co-operation with affected residents who explain the devastating social, health and environmental impact. This documentary fills a gap of a very under-reported but hugely important subject.

Watch the full film here...



Read more about the subject in an article in The Guardian from August 2011: Niger delta oil spills clean-up will take 30 years, says UN

Film tip 'A World Without Water'

Water shortages are widely predicted for the future. But even today one in eight people in the world do not have access to safe water.

This documentary is about the privatisation of water and the impact it has on the people. We get an insight into personal tragedies caused by water shortages around the world.

Watch the whole film here...

Film tip 'Julia Butterfly Hill - Adventures in Treesitting'

This is the amazing story of Julia Butterfly Hill who spent more than two years on a giant tree without touching the ground.

The tree she lived on is more than a thousand years old and 50 metres high. This and other ancient Redwood trees was meant to be cut down by the local logging industry in California USA.

Julia's determination to withhold storms, cold and pressure by the logging company inspired countless activists around the world to this very day. Julia spent an incredible 738 days on top of the tree she named 'Luna'. Witness a truly fascinating adventure of activism.

Watch the film in parts on youtube. You can watch the first part here...



Visit Julia Butterfly's website here.

Film tip 'Scarred Lands and Wounded Lives: The Environmental Footprint of War'

This is an interesting documentary about a subject which is rarely reported on: The environmental impact of warfare.

Obviously every war has its toll on human lives and its victims are often honoured and remembered. But war is also hugely damaging wildlife and the environment, which is often underestimated.

From the production of weapons to combat and restoration, war actions are causing pollution, destroy biodiversity and drain natural resources.

This film travels through the history of several wars looking at it from an unusual angle.

Watch the whole film here...

Film tip 'King Corn'

King Corn is about Ian Cheney and Curtis Ellis as they move from Boston to Iowa to grow and farm an acre of corn. While doing that, they explore the massive impact of corn.

It is astonishing how many products contain corn nowadays and its sheer production scale.

The film is about the industrialisation of food production as well as health issues caused by our diet. It is an entertaining piece which reveals some suprising facts about the innocent looking crop which are releveant not only to the US but all over the globe.

Watch the trailer here...



Here you can watch the whole film online.

Visit the official King Corn website here where you can learn more about the issue and take action.

Film tip 'Winged Migration'

This is yet another stunning piece of documentary film making. Winged Migration features hundreds of thousands birds of all kinds on their yearly journeys between the climate zones.

Not only the birds and their behaviour are fascinating but also the landscapes which we can see from a birds-eye perspective.

The film was made over the course of three years visiting all seven continents. The results are breathtaking shots from the Amazon forest and Antartic glaciers to the Chinese Wall and the Statue of Liberty in the USA.

This film is a visual treat while we can learn something about our feathered neighbours at the same time.

Enjoy the whole film here...

Winged Migration (2001) www.zoo4arab.net from newphearo on Vimeo.

Film tip 'Nomadak tx'

Two musicians from the Basque Country are on an extraordinary mission. Playing their traditional music on woodsticks they travel to different countries in the world to merge with other deep rooted traditional musicians.

They visit nomadic tribes in India, the Sami Country, Morocco and Mongolia. A festival of different cultures and musicians evolves as they travel through the vary different terrains.

This film is full of magical musical experiences and wonderful moments when people connect through their music.

Watch the trailer here.

Nomadak tx Trailer from Luke Wassermann on Vimeo.

You can watch the full film here.

Visit the official Nomadak tx website for more info on the project.

Film tip 'The Lightbulb Conspiracy'

Did some of your electronic stuff ever broke just after few years? Don't worry about repairing it. Just chuck it in the bin and get a new one. It's cheaper anyway, it's all part of the plan.

'Pyramids of Waste' also known as the "Lightbulb Conspiracy' is the story of an outrageous and very common trick of manufactures: Planned obsolence.

The story starts in the 1920s with the replacement of long lasting lightbulbs with bulbs not lasting longer than 1000 hours to generate more sales. Today the wastefulness reached new dimensions with stretches the resources of our planet to the limit.

This is an intereresting documentary to watch which has just been released in 2010 and will hopefully last for long. Watch the whole film here.

Film tip 'Powaqqatsi'

Here we have a film triology which challenges the ordinary documentary to the very day. Powaqqatsi means 'Life in Transformation' in Hopi language and is considered a cult film.

The films are without any comment or narration and simply impresses with its stunning images, slow motion, time-lapse shots and brilliant music.

The viewer is taken on an trip of observation of humanity. Powaqqatsi focuses on the conflict between traditional ways of life and the new ways of life introduced with industrialisation.

The film is the second film of a trilogy. The first part Koyaanisqatsi (1982) means 'Life out of Balance. The triology is finished by Naqoyqatsi meaning 'Life as War' in 2002. The films take a close look at the relationship between human beings, nature and modern development. A strong, serious and at the same time beautiful experience.

You can watch the film here.


Powaqqatsi Life in Transformation 1/5 by nature-boy-79

Here we also give you links to the other parts Koyaanisqatsi and Naqoyqatsi. Enjoy!

Film tip 'Waste = Food'

The amount of waste we produce as human beings is staggering. In the UK alone We throw away 8.3 million tonnes of food and drink every year. But food is not the only issue, almost everything we produce contributes to landfills or is being burned in incinerators.

However some people try to come up with creative solutions to turn waste into bio-degradeable products. Inspired by nature where every waste product is useful, waste becomes food.

German chemist Michael Braungart and American designer-architect William McDonough invented waste solutions which could transform even industry giants like Ford and Nike. This is an inspiring story of how to turn rubbish into a valuable resource.

Watch the whole film here.

Waste = Food from Global Change 2012 on Vimeo.

You can find out more about how to reduce your own waste on lovefoodhatewaste.com

Film tip 'Mermaids' Tears - Oceans of Plastic'

The world's oceans are under various threats. Many of us might not be very familiar with one of them: Plastic.

What started with a seemingly unsignificant amount of plastic rubbish has built up to severe pollution with a devastating impact on sea life and the environment.

It is estimated that every kilometre of ocean contains 74,000 pieces of plastic. The waste kills hundreds of thousands of animals every year and leaches chemicals up the food chain, eventually endangering also human beings who eat the fish.

This award winning documentary shows us the state we are in and the affects it has on animals and the oceans as a eco-system. The question is how can we reverse the trend of our oceans turning into large, floating dumps.

Watch the whole film here.

Film tip 'Here Comes the Sun'

Since some years the solar market is growing rapidly. Solar energy got established as a serious source of energy in many countries. Government legislations like seen in Germany supported the growth of the market and panels entered private roofs and desert landscapes alike.

This documentary disproves most of the arguments against the harvest of the sun. Solar energy is a clean, affordable and efficient source of energy. One day of sunshine provides enough energy to power the entire planet for a year. We just need to harvest what is already there.

Unfortunately the film does not explore the production and environmental impact of solar panels. However, it remains a very valid documentary which tells us a lot about this inspiring sector of renewables.

Film Tip 'Super Size Me'

Morgan Spurlock, an American filmamker, sets out for an extraordinary experiment. Inspired by the unhealthy food habits and obesity rates in he US he commits to eat only fast food meals at McDonalds for one month.

While he started in good health condition the consequences of the diet changed his physical and mental health severely.

The film takes a close look at the fast food industry and its impact on society. A funny and at the same time serious and important documentary about the food industry and diet.

Watch the first part here, to see following parts choose from youtube's sidemenu.

Film tip 'Full Circle'

We are inviting you to have a look at life of women working and living in Pune in India. They are working in a recycling co-operative called SWaCH. This documentary uncovers their everyday lives and contribution to their children and state of environment - which after all effects us all.

The film was directed by Amit Kumar Thavaraj. Visit the website of Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat for more information.

http://wastepickerscollective.org/

View this movie at cultureunplugged.com

Film tip 'The Cove'

'The Cove' is not only an award winning documentary but also much of a real life thriller. It is the story of a group of dedicated people who want to raise awareness of the dolphin slaughter in a cove in Taijii, Japan.

The crew is led by former 'Flipper' dolphin trainer Ric O'Barry who changed into a passionate dolphin rescuer. The team uses state-of-the-art spy camera equipment to document the highly protected and never-filmed dolphin massacre in the hidden cove.

A truly exciting film of high educational value which also explores the deep relationship between human beings and dolphins.

Watch the trailer here.



Here you can watch the whole film in parts on youtube.

Visit the official website thecovemovie.com here and find out how you can take action.

Film tip 'Who killed the Electric Car?'

This documentary explores the birth and death of the electric car in the United States. It is the tragic story of an environmentally friendly technology which could have conquered the market already in the1990s.

The film explores the roles of automobile manufacturers, the oil industry, the US government and consumers in limiting the development and adoption of this technology.



Watch the whole film here.

Here you can visit the official website www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com

Now 10 years after the film 'Who killed the Electric Car?' the filmmakers are just about to release the follow up called 'The Revenge of the Electric Car'. The car industry finally realised the inevitable future of battery powered cars and a race of competition started to unfold.

Watch the trailer here and look out for screenings which might come up in your local cinema soon.

Film tip 'The World is a Horse'

This time we take you for a journey to Nigeria. Annually there is a ceremony which glorifies beauty and elegance. Among men. The one who wins gets a high position as a crowned represenative of mythical Fulani family - a group of tribes where Wodaabe - nomads of Nigeria - belong.

View this movie at cultureunplugged.com

Film tip 'Screaming masterpiece'

We are excited to present a documentary film directed and written by Ari Alexander Ergis Magnússon in 2005.

This film presents musical culture in Iceland nowadays and is an attempt to answer why learning and playing music is so popular in Iceland. The film is not directly about native culture but it definitely touches deep Iceland's cultural roots. It is also a feast for Icelandic music fans.

Original Icelandic title is: Gargandi snilld.

Here you can watch the full film.