Yintah (2024)
Article by Barbara Witkowska.
Yintah is a story about resistance, resilience and women power.
For decades indigenous people in Canada have suffered oppression and violence from the Canadian government. From the horrifying stories of the catholic boarding schools to land occupation.
Yintah, meaning “land”, is a feature-length documentary on the Wet’suwet’en fight for sovereignty. Spanning more than a decade, the film follows Howilhkat Freda Huson and Sleydo’ Molly Wickham as their nation reoccupies and protects their ancestral lands from several of the largest fossil fuel companies on earth. ”Yintah” is about an anti-colonial resurgence, a fierce and ongoing fight for Indigenous and human rights in the face of a colonial government committed to seizing lands at gunpoint. Wet’suwet’en land is unceded, there is no treaty, no bill of sale, or no surrender placing the land under Canadian authority.
We are watching personal and community tragedy accompanied with calm music and breathtaking landscapes. Just the thought that the beautiful forest, clear river will be replaced by a gas pipe is heartbreaking. The movie made me emotional many times and I just wanted to go to Canada to help the cause. I also felt really empowered by it. Looking at so many (first women) then other tribes and finally people coming together to support the cause. All the protests were peaceful and the only violent side was the government which for economic reasons didn’t respect its own laws, rights of the people and was only open to one-sided dialog. The movie gives a big insight into the culture of Wet’suwet’en tribe. We learn about the way they build community, houses, their initiation for young kids and all their struggles they face in Canada.
However this movie is more than the story of the Wet’suwet’en tribe. It shows how capitalism is destroying nature. How we as the people forget about our humanity and rights of other people once the money is involved. It’s also a story about solidarity. It shows that the only way to beat the unfair system that destroys our world is by gathering together, uniting for one cause and being relentless and not giving up.
The True Cost ( 2015 )
Article by Irmak Turkekole
The True Cost, directed by Andrew Morgan, is a powerful documentary that uncovers the hidden realities of the fashion industry. By focusing on the fast fashion sector, it reveals the severe environmental and human consequences of mass production, urging viewers to rethink the cost behind their clothing. Fashion is not limited to runways or storefronts, it reaches into the lives of factory workers in Bangladesh, farmland in India, and ecosystems around the world.
The film begins with a simple question: “What is the true cost of our clothing?”
Brands such as Zara, H&M, and Forever 21 release more than 50 collections a year, encouraging an endless cycle of consumption. However, this model is built on the foundations of low-cost labor, unsustainable practices, and alarming environmental harm. Toxic chemicals used in cotton farming endanger both workers and nature, while factory waste contaminates water sources. Today, the fashion industry is recognized as the second most polluting industry in the world, following oil.
The human toll is no less devastating. The 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh, which killed 1,134 garment workers, stands as a stark reminder of the industry’s neglect and systemic abuse. This tragedy, among others, underscores how deeply profit-driven the system has become, often at the expense of the most vulnerable.
Yet the documentary doesn’t place blame solely on corporations but it also holds a mirror to consumers. The cycle continues because of individuals who shop frequently but wear their clothes only a few times. Our habits are not passive; they are part of the problem.
Interviews with figures such as Naomi Klein and Stella McCartney, as well as factory workers, academics, activists, and business owners, give the film depth and nuance. This diverse range of voices makes it clear that the issue is not just emotional, it is structural, political, and deeply global.
Visually striking and emotionally resonant, The True Cost uses powerful imagery and music to heighten its impact. The contrast between protest scenes, factory disasters, and the glamor of consumerism forces the viewer to confront uncomfortable truths. Its narrative is honest and unembellished, never sensationalized, making its message all the more compelling.
Ultimately, The True Cost is more than a film; it is a call to awareness and responsibility. It challenges us to understand the story behind every item in our closet, and to see fashion not just as a style choice, but as an ethical one. A more sustainable and humane industry is possible, but only if both brands and consumers are willing to change.
It makes a powerful case for a new mindset:
“Less, but better.”
Maldives: overtourism and Sharia (2024)
Article By Xanthippi Giotopoulou
The Maldives is a well-known luxury tourist destination for its beauty and relaxed vibes. However, this French documentary unfolds the reality regarding tourism and religious laws. The economy is solely based on tourism, an industry which requires more resorts to be constructed for more visitors. Building the resorts, though, in a country with limited space, means creating more islands, a harmful process to marine life and the people of the Maldives.
Tourists are not entirely free to do as they please, as the Maldives, an Islamic state, is enforcing the Sharia Law, and it is considered not safe to be outside of the resorts. What is kept secret is the living conditions of the citizens of the Maldives, who live in poverty and extremism rising more from day to day.
An eye-opening documentary about a tourist paradise that hides a lot more in reality.
Silent Running (1972)
article by Helin Turan
Loneliness… The cold void of space echoes endlessly, yet inside a massive spaceship float the last forests of Earth, preserved under glass domes. Silent Running, though made in 1972, still shines as a pioneering work of ecological cinema. At first, you might expect a simple sci-fi adventure but Douglas Trumbull takes the audience on a much deeper journey. A meditation on humanity’s responsibility to nature, solitude, sacrifice, and ethical choice.
The story centers on Freeman Lowell (Bruce Dern). With Earth’s natural life gone, Lowell tends to the orbiting biospheres that preserve forests and plants. He is not alone, however three robots, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, accompany him. They are more than mechanical assistants; they function as friends, conscience, and occasional comic relief. Lowell’s solitude is both physical and moral: he bears, single handedly, the conflict between humanity’s short-term desires and the enduring value of the natural world.
Trumbull’s visuals also act as another character. The vast emptiness of space contrasts sharply with the warm, green life inside the domes. Every leaf, every flower feels like a symbol of Lowell’s hope. The interactions with the robots provide both humor and poignancy, eliciting smiles but also quiet melancholy. The film balances comedic and dramatic elements to create an emotional connection with the audience.
Throughout the film, the subtext is clear but subtle, if humanity continues to destroy rather than protect nature, all that will remain is silence and isolation. Lowell’s actions remind us that protecting the environment is not a choice, it is a necessity. As the story unfolds, the viewer is forced to confront their own responsibility. In this way, Silent Running resonates decades later, shining a light on contemporary ecological concerns.
This is not a conventional hero’s tale. There is no triumph, no happy ending, just a conscience echoing through the quiet of the stars. When the credits roll, the emptiness you feel is deliberate, it’s the message itself. Nature is a treasure to protect, and we are accountable. Trumbull’s timeless classic remains a landmark in both science fiction and environmental cinema.
