Planet in Focus: Urban Roots

After two weeks of immersing myself in the latest eco-films, first at the Vancouver Internatonal Film Festival (VIFF), and now at Planet in Focus (PIF) in Toronto, I should be feeling drained – the challenges facing us are HUGE.
But the best of these films, the ones that really get people talking and inspire us to act, are the ones that convey a sense of hope, and demonstrate the incredible resilience of nature, and people, in response to these challenges.
I left last night’s film, Urban Roots, on just such a high. Against a sprawling backdrop of boarded-up shops, empty lots and defunct factories, seeds of change have taken root in Motor City:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpifS2GV660[/youtube]
Director Mark MacInnis follows the urban farming phenomnon in Detroit, portraying his subjects with warmth and beauty. From school children who didn’t know where potatoes come from (a fast-food restaurant, maybe?), to laid-off automotive workers, the positive effects of working on these small organic farms in abandoned city lots are immediately clear. They are building stronger communities, and thinking creatively about what it will take to get to a more sustainable society.
The film ends with a goosebump-inducing montage of urban farming sites that are sprouting up around the world. Toronto food justice activists participated in a discussion after the film, including Darcy Higgins of Food Forward,  and Andrea Maldonado of The Stop Community Food Centre.
Planet in Focus continues throughout the weekend – pop in for a dose of inspiration, and stay tuned for more reviews from WWFers on the scene.