Two films to see at upcoming film festival

'McLibel'

Corporations. Governments. Don't you just love 'em? Some seem somewhat responsive to constant vigilance and pressurizing expectations. While you're holding your breath awaiting moral reincarnations, take in the 5th Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival - Jan. 12, 13 and 14 - in Nevada City.

Amongst more than 100 films, many draw attention to the unsavory behavior of the powers that be. Many draw attention to dedicated Davids pitted against entrenched Goliaths, often with inspiring, even hopeful, outcomes.

As documented in the film "McLibel," the longest trial ever in the United Kingdom involved McDonald's, the poster clown of corporate insidiousness. In documenting McDonald's lawsuit against two ordinary people, you are educated dramatically about more than the contested litany of McDonald's contributions to heart disease, misleading advertising claims, nefarious marketing to children, exploitation of workers, and shocking treatment of animals.

"McLibel" is a legal battle that is more about freedom of speech than it is about those other kinds of corporate abuse. In Britain, anyone sued for libel has to prove each claim to the court. McDonald's was quite successful in shutting up newspapers and other media. People who were sued for libel were not entitled to the kind of legal aid available in other kinds of cases. When a postman and a gardener handed out leaflets, McDonald's spent about $20 million to shut them down.

Two ordinary people defended themselves. After more than three grueling years, McDonald's claims they won. Never mind that the court held that half of the leaflet's assertions stood up under this intense legal scrutiny. Never mind that the public relations nightmare yielded a relatively paltry damage award that McDonald's dared not try to collect.

Never mind that two ordinary people continued the good fight, suing the United Kingdom in international court. Since such documentaries are about raising awareness and seeding inspiration, it seems OK to "spoil" movie viewing by saying they won. People who can't afford a lawyer in the UK are now entitled to legal aid in libel cases. People in the UK now have a right to express their opinion about corporate behemoths. People attending the 5th Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival can learn lots about good fights being fought and some good results against huge odds.



'Mujaan'

The lead paragraph at www.wildandscenicfilmfestival.org says it "uses film to inspire activism on behalf of the environment," and there is plenty of reason to let the 5th Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival get in your face on a variety of topics. The films do so - intelligently, soulfully, educationally, and often quite optimistically.

Here's one gem - "Mujaan" - a message without a cause. Mujaan is "The Craftsman." It is so cool to watch the craftsman build a house. It is poetry to watch the craftsman build a house.

On the grassy plains of Mongolia, a flower accents what is close at hand. Mountains accent the distance. The winter is coming and a house needs to be built.

The craftsman's tools are simple: an ax, a hand drill, a saw. To mill tree trunks, he cuts a round of trunk, a piece with a solid branch that he can use as a natural maul. He wields and wedges and pounds and splits. You should see this guy with an ax. He strips and shapes the wood into pieces that fit into each other. He uses his hand as a measuring tape. Where nails would suit, he uses clever sheepskin ties.

Sheep contribute fully to the project. Wool is mixed with wood shavings. Huge rolls of this mixture are wheeled around behind a horse until it meshes into large battings of insulation. Who knows what all the goat parts are used for, but, among other things, the craftsman is well fed.

The craftsman makes a retractable lattice that becomes part of the house's walls. This house is a yurt, a big round room. He lays the spokes of the ceiling to meet a circular construction of wood, including a bit of stylishness added to such pieces. Through this top piece, smoke will rise from the home fire.

Interspersed with simply elegant life craft, "Mujaan" shows a hand sketching and painting. As methodically and skillfully as the craftsman, the artist renders, in two dimensions, the tasks that the craftsman realizes in four dimensions.

The home is built in time to beat the changing season. Between the craftsman and the artist, some fifth and sixth dimension is expressed. Someone might consider one of those dimensions activism.

ooo

Chuck Jaffee lives in Nevada City. Find his other reviews for The Union at http://www.startlets.com/ and the schedule and other information about the film festival at http://www.wildandscenicfilmfestival.org/