Salon de la Ciudad, Cuenca.

Representatives from local indigenous and environmental organizations attended a special preview in Cuenca of the near-completed Bajo Suelos Ricos - Under Rich Earth. The event was organized by professors and journalists from the Cuenca area and provided the filmmaker with an opportunity to gauge reactions to the film and to consider their comments prior to editing the final version of the film. The event garnered quite a bit of unexpected local media attention, as the national debate over large-scale mining in Ecuador reached a fever pitch in the weeks prior.

Interview with Unsion TV, Cuenca.

Interview with Radio de la Voz Tarqui, Cuenca.

Handbill for the preview event in Cuenca with art by Karen Justl.

A preview of the near-completed Bajo Suelos Ricos - Under Rich Earth was held for local environmental and human rights activists at the Alfredo Mora Cultural Centre, City of Loja.

Post-screening discussion at the Alfredo Mora Cultural Centre.

Listen to this short radio documentary by Canadian journalist Jen Moore about the Constitutional Assembly´s new mining “mandate”:

Ecuador’s New Mining Decree Keeps Industry and Activists Weighing In

A special preview of the near-completed Bajo Suelos Ricos - Under Rich Earth will take place a the Centro Cultural Mama Cuchara on the Plaza Domingo in Quito’s historical district. The event will provide the filmmaker with an opportunity to hear comments from people who are directly involved in the mining issue prior to editing the final version of the film.

A special preview screening of Bajo Suelos Ricos - Under Rich Earth in Quito, Ecuador will be held at FLACSO Quito (Latin American Social Sciences University), on May 28, 2008. This event will provide the filmmaker with an opportunity to hear comments and suggestions from Ecuadorians involved in the mining issue prior to editing the final version of the film.

Special preview at the Casa de la Cultura in the City of Cotacachi organized by the Cotacachi Canton Assembly.

Casa de la Cultura (House of Culture), Cotacachi Ecuador

At the screening, Director Malcolm Rogge had an opportunity to discuss the near-completed film with people directly involved in the events in the Intag valley.

Responding to audience comments after the screening.

President of the Cotacachi Cantón Assembly listens to discussion.

Interview with José Rivera from the Periodico Intag, Apuela.

A private preview of the near-completed Bajo Suelos Ricos - Under Rich Earth in Junin Alto, just a few meters away from what was once the Junín control post.

A special preview of the near-completed Bajo Suelos Ricos - Under Rich Earth was held in the Casa Comunitaria of the remote community of Junín. The screening provided the filmmaker with an opportunity to listen to comments from villagers who were directly involved in the events depicted in the film prior to editing the final version of the film.

Power lines were damaged by heavy rains and so a generator was required to run the TV and DVD player.

Setting-up.

Approximately 150 students, government officials, politicians and activists attended a special preview of the near-completed Bajo Suelos Ricos - Under Rich Earth a the University of Otavalo. The event was organized by the Cotacachi Canton Assembly and the Rector of the University of Otavalo. The preview provided the filmmaker with an opportunity to listen to comments from people who were directly involved in events depicted in the film prior to editing the final version. Local media, curious to find out why a Canadian filmmaker was making a film about their communities, also attended the event.

Producer and Director Malcolm Rogge is interviewed by Otavalo TV:

Carlos Zorrilla attends the Otavalo preview with the Rector of the University of Otavalo.

Some local media also attended the preview of Bajo Suelos Ricos - Under Rich Earth at the University of Otavalo. The event was covered in La Hora. Unfortunately, the name of the film was misquoted.

Luis Robalinho (Representative of the Assembly of Cotacachi Canton) is interviewed by La Hora.