It’s been some time since our last update and a lot has happened so we wanted to get in touch with a snapshot of what has transpired since you backed us and the film!
Screen Australia has come on board to support the development of the half-hour documentary into an hour-length film. We have also secured the commitment of a global distributor TVF International to take the film to global markets mid-year, and as of last week, SBS has come on board with an offer to Broadcast our film “Plastic Tsunami - Voices of the Pacific”. ABC International has also agreed to broadcast to the Pacific Island region! We are also in discussions with other broadcasters and have received interest from local and international film festivals. Most importantly, we plan to host cinema screenings in the second half of the year of which you will be invited – we’d love you to join us.
In August last year, I attended INC 5.2 in Geneva. It was the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. The experience was equally devastating and motivating because I watched the world order play out in a theatre where David looked Goliath in the eye and blocked the diluted Treaty in a bid to defend us all. Witnessing that has given us more fire and inspiration to use this film to expose the truth and back the Pacific Island nations in their fight.
While I was there, a man named Lazarus from Palau was at the forefront of my mind, as he and so many others like him are fighting for their homes and environments. In an article published at the time, People over Plastic, I shared how Lazarus, a man you’ll meet in the documentary and a former ranger, took us to a local Island in Palau where we were confronted by the volume of plastic on his beach. The debris has been brought there by global currents transporting the waste from international waters and shores. Over many years Lazarus has transformed this waste into haunting installations, not art for art’s sake, but an act of defiance and call for help from a community drowning in plastic. His powerful voice adds urgency and humanity to this crisis.
We are returning to Fiji and Solomon Islands in the coming weeks and next month, we’ll be working and filming alongside the Sea Shepherd team at “clean ups” in Cape York and Arnhem Land where plastic pollution is hitting Communities hard as waste is carried via the currents from Asia. Sea Shepherd will also support us in distributing the film through their Australian and global community and education facilities have expressed interest in distributing content through their global schools.
As we continue to navigate the production process, your support remains vital and our funding page remains open via our Documentary Australia page where all contributions are tax-deductible and directly help us bring these voices to the global stage.
A final request as we walk through this global crisis together, is to not give up hope, know that you are powerful as one and each choice we make adds up to some. If you can lower your household and business plastic footprint please do, and have conversations with your local members of government. We’ll be creating template letters you can use as well as education and engagement resources.
We will be back in touch when anything else significant transpires.