Directed by local filmmaker Danny Beaton (see the March 7, 2002 Varsity for a full story), The Iroquois Speak Out for Mother Earth is a compelling film that forces viewers to think about their role on the planet that keeps them alive.

Mainly comprised of interviews with respected traditional Native Elders, the film cuts through the bullshit of typical North American society (our way of sugarcoating everything is kinda lame, kiddies), delivering a message that is entirely down-to-earth, immediate and unmistakable: we are destroying our planet, and here’s why.

Utilizing a documentary style, Beaton asks the Native Elders to share their tales and viewpoints of how they’ve seen the world’s problems intensify over the years. From ruining water supplies (“As a child, I couldn’t walk in the river from the force of the current,” relates one elder. “Now, I can’t walk in the river, because the muck is so deep, it sucks you down. And I can taste so much chlorine in the drinking water”) to a general mistreatment of staples and facilities, they express utter shock and disdain for the abuse we do to our “Mother.”

All in all, Beaton’s film is about respect. Be it the lack of on the consumers’ side, the overwhelming amount shown by the Native Elders, or the general need for respect that all must provide, this central theme underlies every point outlined in the brief film.

We also see that by disrespecting our Mother Earth, we are leaving very little for those future generations we’re all so intent on raising.

Rounding out at a quick 55 minutes, The Iroquois Speak Out for Mother Earth escapes being preachy, melodramatic or unbearable. Instead, you feel like a freakin’ heel for destroying the very thing that gives you life. Through common examples and heartfelt tales, we see that we’re an ignorant bunch of children. And this is coming from one of the most brazen of ’em!

Introduced by Spiritual Elder/Californian Robert John Knapp via song and prayer, there is little one can say to avoid seeing this flick. It’s eye-opening, interesting, educational and…important!