July, the anniversary edition presents...

 
Forest Heroes                     The Fireline in Chapada Diamantina 

Photography by Eduardo Zappia        Documentary by Produtora Montanhas Filmes
From 9th July - 12th August 2009        - Brazil            Free screening on the 9th July

Private view:   9th July 7pm

At 16mm Deli Café & Screening Room
19 D’Arblay Street – Soho
London – UK
W1F 8ED

P:0207 287 8892

Sponsored by

http://www.abelha.co.uk/forestheroes/

Forest Heroes
Photography by Eduardo Zappia

During the dry season each year, the eco-park Chapada Diamantina, in the northeast from Brazil faces the same dilemma: bushfire. Last year, history repeated itself, but to a greater extent than ever before. Between September  and November, more than 75.000 hectares of the Chapada Diamantina National Park (over 50% of the region) had burnt to dust, along with rare species of plants and local wildlife. Only 10% of the park remained totally unscathed.

 Forest Heroes presents some shocking but also aesthetically beautiful images of this ecological disaster.

 The photographer Eduardo Zappia is noted for its photography without compromise, and by photographing different types of people in Brazil and the world. With a BA in graphic design and post-degree in photography, he has worked for several national and international publications already in the beginning of his career.

 In October last year he moved from São Paulo in search of tranquility. But then the disaster came and with the park in flames, the photographer joined the fire brigade volunteers of the region and took his camera along. The result was an amazing work that shows the reality of people who risk their lives for nature.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zappia

The Fireline in Chapada Diamantina 
Documentary from Produtora Montanhas Filmes - Brazil

The Fireline on Chapada Diamantina (Linha de fogo na Chapada Diamantina) is a documentary that shows one of the most beautiful Brazilian geographical paradises in Bahia, north east of the country. During dry season, the Chapada's precious ecosystem, what is a National Park suffers the destruction of Fire, sometimes transforming one third, over than 50 thousand acres, of the landscape.

In this context, the Montanhas Film Production, based in Lencois, closely documented speaking to key people, workers and the government about it. This project aimed to collect and instigate the various opinions, as well as about the fight against the fire.There are speculations about the origin of the fire, as mine workers in protest or by farmers could have started it.

The Chapada da Diamantina have volunteers fighting to stop the fire, although they have no much support for their basic needs. From the government only 6 officers are responsible to take care of the whole park, what is not enough to supervise the area.

Passionate about the cause, Montanha Filmes dedicated two month of independent production to register the cause, creating this unique documentary, which traces with art and consciousness in the content, this sad Fireline of the Chapada Diamantina.


Curated by Alicia Bastos

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