Cannes Short Film Corner - My Garden, No Longer
The people of Vanuatu, a country once dubbed the happiest place on earth, struggle to maintain their culture and traditions as climate change takes hold.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Scott E. Schimmel
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I created My Garden, No Longer to raise awareness of the lesser known threats of climate change Pacific Islanders are currently experiencing. Many people are aware of sea level rise and the increasing occurrence of mega storms, but less are aware of the daily struggles faced by islanders as water becomes scarcer and food more difficult to grow.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
My Garden, No Longer blends traditional storytelling with animation and cinéma vérité. This unique approach will leave you with a deeper understanding of how our actions at home affect others in far away places and encourage you to reflect on your contributions to the lives of those far removed from your social network.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
According to the Gaia hypothesis the world exists as a thriving, self-regulating, organism… a system in balance that humans have broken. With that in mind, My Garden, No Longer is a film about loss and perseverance in the face of change.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
I had just a few short weeks of filming in Vanuatu, as a crew of one. I was filming in rural villages in truly spartan conditions and had to rely on a solar charger to keep my batteries full. This forced me to be diligent in shooting, and constantly reassess the story as production moved along. In documentary the ultimate structure of a story often reveals itself in the edit, and this was the case with My Garden, No Longer. Luckily my shooting ratio was relatively small (8 to 1) and the story came together with ease.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The feedback has been very positive so far. The film has been selected to screen at a number of festivals, including the American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase here in Cannes.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Not yet but I welcome all feedback positive and negative. That is how we grow as filmmakers.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I hope that being featured on www.wearemovingstories.com will allow parties interested in collaborating on outreach for My Garden, No Longer to discover more about what the film is about.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
My goal is to cast the widest net possible, and to get this film viewed by as many people as I can. I am happy to talk with anyone who believes in the film’s message and wants to help spread it. My secondary goal is to raise funds to return to the villages where I filmed so that I can host screenings and leave copies of the film with those in Vanuatu who participate in its making. It would be great to find the right buyer or distributor who can help make that possible.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I hope that the audience will walk away was a deeper sense of responsibility for how our actions affect others, and maybe even take steps to reduce their own contributions to climate change.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What responsibility do we have as a global community to those who have the smallest inputs to climate change, but are experiencing the greatest effects?
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am currently working on several other projects. I am in outreach on my film Driven Blind, which is a short doc that tells the story of a world champion drag racer who lost is eyesight and then went on to set a land speed record 100% blind. Despite his remarkable achievements, he is struggling in day-to-day life. I am in pre-production on a film that looks at the impacts that American diplomatic policy has had on the people of the Marshall Islands. In short, the US took responsibility for their economic development after WWII, and subsequently began testing nuclear weapons on them. I am also working as cinematographer on a doc feature with director Joor Baruah about a brewing international conflict over water in the Himalayas and the indigenous peoples caught in the crossfire.
Interview: May 2017
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
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My Garden, No Longer
The people of Vanuatu, a country once dubbed the happiest place on earth, struggle to maintain their culture and traditions as climate change takes hold.
Length: 17:09
Director: Scott E. Schimmel
Producer: Scott E. Schimmel
Writer: Scott E. Schimmel
About the writer, director and producer: Scott E. Schimmel is a documentary filmmaker and environmental scientist based out of Hawaii. He seeks to tell untold stories that reframe conventional ideals.
Looking for: buyers, distributors, film festival directors, and journalists
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyGardenNoLonger
Funders: Paul K. and Elizabeth Cook Richter Memorial Funds, Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability at Wake Forest University
Made in association with: The United Nations Development Program, The Vanuatu Cultural Center, The Vanuatu Ministry of Climate Change
Where can I see it in the next month? At the American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase on May 23 at 11:00AM in Cannes, At the 44th Ekotopfilm International Film Festival on May 25 at 8:55PM in Bratislava, and at the Cayman Islands International Film Festival on July 1 at 12:30PM in Grand Cayman.