Breaking News: After five years of complaints, the TSX de-lists rogue Canadian mining exploration company Copper Mesa! Come and see Under Rich Earth at the Bloor Cinema on February 13th, 6:30pm to find out why. Read about this here.

Director Malcolm Rogge’s was interviewed by Peter Klein on the Vancouver current affairs program “The Standard”.

Filmmaker Malcolm Rogge interviewed on “The Standard” from Marco Rafael on Vimeo.

ANNOUNCING A SPECIAL FUNDRAISING SCREENING AT THE BLOOR CINEMA:

Rye Cinema presents the acclaimed feature documentary film:

UNDER RICH EARTH

“Urgent and vital filmmaking in the spirit of Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance and Manufactured Landscapes.”
- Jesse Wente, CBC

Director’s Cut!
Guest Speakers!
Director Q&A!
DVD Launch!
Fundraising!

Date: Saturday, February 13th, 2009
Time: 6:30
Where: The Bloor Cinema, 506 Bloor Street, Toronto, Tel: 416-516-2331
Tickets: $10
Please Arrive Early! Tickets go on sale 1 hour before the event.

* Winner: Global Conscience Award - Mexico City Documentary Film Festival
* Top Ten Most Popular Canadian Films: Vancouver International Film Festival
* Nominated for Best Documentary - Hamburg International Independent Film Festival
* Nominated for Coral Award - Best Documentary - Havana Film Festival
* Official Selection: Toronto International Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival, Victoria Film Festival, Sudbury International Film Festival, Watch Docs Warsaw, Sao Paulo International Film Festival, Encuentros del Otro Cine - Quito, Boulder International Film Festival and many more…

GUEST SPEAKERS!

The Honourable John McKay (To Be Confirmed) - John McKay is the Member of Parliament for Scarborough - Guildwood. His private member’s Bill C300 seeks to create a framework for transnational corporate accountability in Canadian law. The Bill has already passed second reading in the House of Commons and is not affected by Stephen Harper’s prorogation of Parliament.

Murray Klippenstein - Murray Klippenstein is a Toronto lawyer representing three Ecuadorians who are suing the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Copper Mesa Mining Corporation for violating their human rights. Under Rich Earth tells the story of the events that ultimately led to this ground breaking transnational lawsuit. Read more in the Toronto Star: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/729148

FUNDRAISING!

Under Rich Earth was a labour of love produced on a shoestring budget over two years. Proceeds from this event will help to pay for the making of the film and to support two Ecuadorian community organizations that are featured in the film: Radio Intag (a community radio station) and Café Rio Intag, a fair trade coffee co-op located in the Intag valley.

DVD LAUNCH!

The Limited Edition Director’s Cut DVD of Under Rich Earth will be available for purchase:
$25.00 - home use
$150.00 - community organizations
$295 - Universities and Libraries.

Event Sponsors

Nathanson Centre for Transnational Human Rights Crime and Security, Osgoode Hall Law School.
Charles Street Video

Photo: Liz Weydt

A great article by Ben Powless:  Avatar and the true Defenders of the Land

Argentine folk rock troubadour León Gieco saw Under Rich Earth and loved it! Léon is best known for his song ‘Solo le Pido a Díos’ which Mercedes Sosa turned into an anthem for a generation. He was kind enough to write me a little blurb to use on the DVD package for Under Rich Earth:

“Este documental puede cambiar las cosas, en especial la vida de mucha gente.”
- León Gieco

León was in Havana presenting his beautiful and touching film Mundo Alas.

Under Rich Earth was screened for the Ontario Securities Commission in the Fall of 2009. They wouldn’t let me take a picture when the people were in the room, so I took a picture of the boardroom while setting up:

Under Rich Earth was nominated for a Coral Award at the 2009 Havana Film Festival (Festival Internacional Del Nuevo Cine LatinoAmericano) in the category of Best Documentary about Latin America by a Non-LatinoAmericano. The documentary was broadcast on Cuban television during the festival.

Malcolm Rogge interviewed by Cubavision for the Sunday arts and culture program Arte7.

Interview at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba for the youth television network.

Under Rich Earth screened at the Cine Infanta.

Opening night at the Karl Marx Theatre in Miramar, Havana.

Inside the 5000 seat Karl Marx Theatre in Miramar, Havana.

The Riviera

The Yara

Under Rich Earth played at a number of Canadian film festivals in the Fall of 2009, including the Sudbury International Film Festival, The Vancouver International Film Festival, The Marda Loop Justice Film Festival (Calgary) and Gimme Some Truth - The Winnipeg Documentary Project.

Alanis Obomsawin (Director of Kahnesetake: 270 Years of Resistance) and Malcolm Rogge (Director of Under Rich Earth) participated in a panel discussion about resistance in documentary cinema at Gimme Some Truth - The Winnipeg Documentary Forum.

Under Rich Earth actually played at this hilarious and surprisingly busy multiplex in Sudbury!

Malcolm Rogge and Peter Raymont (Director of Shake Hands with the Devil and A Promise to the Dead: The Exile Journey of Ariel Dorfman) at the Toronto International Film Festival documentary launch.