Love Thy Nature
This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2016) |
Love Thy Nature | |
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Passion River Films Kanopy The Video Project | |
Release dates |
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Running time | 76 minutes[1][a] |
Country | United States |
Language | English [b] |
Love Thy Nature is a 2014 documentary film directed by Sylvie Rokab and narrated by Liam Neeson. The film underwent development in the mid-2000s, with production lasting nearly a decade. Produced and distributed by In The Light Productions, the first version of the film premiered on 18 October 2014 at the Hollywood Film Festival, with a film festival run throughout 2014 and 2015 and a theatrical run with the final version of the film in 2016. It has had over 300 theatrical and community screenings in 140 cities in 16 countries,[2] earned 27 awards,[3] and was covered in 28 publications.[4]
The film has been used to help advance local environmental organizations' mission as well as grow the nature-connecting movement. The film team partnered with film screenings' hosts to create "view and do" events, offering audience members the opportunity to engage in a nature program following the screening of the film. Rokab expanded this concept by creating Love Thy Nature Journeys with expeditions and workshops which start with the screening of the film and then transitions into activities guiding attendees in the wilderness for nature communion and forest therapy.
Synopsis
An award-winning film narrated by Liam Neeson, Love Thy Nature points to how deeply we’ve lost touch with nature and takes viewers on a cinematic journey through the beauty and intimacy of our relationship with the natural world. The film shows that a renewed connection with nature is key both to our health and the health of our planet.
Neeson is the voice of “
The film's mission is to show how a renewed connection with nature is critical to one's personal health and the health of our planet. Sapiens’ journey reveals how a relationship with nature ignites a sense of meaning and wonder so profound that it touches the very core of what it means to be human.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Sapiens (voice), the narrative character of the film.
- Interviewees
- Dayna Baumeister is a researcher, design consultant, author, public speaker and co-founder of Biomimicry 3.8 and the Biomimicry Guild.[5] Her extensive Biomimicry research work resulted in establishing the first Biomimicry Professional Certification Program.[6]
- Andy Lipkis is the founder and CEO of TreePeople,[8] a non-profit dedicated to emphasizing the importance of maintaining natural surroundings in urban areas throughout Los Angeles County.[9]
- Duane Elgin is a NASA consultant, social scientist, public speaker, and author. Through his work, he has emphasized on looking deeper into the trends transforming the world.[10]
- Stephen R. Kellert was a board member of Biological Capital,[11] co-founder and consultant of Environmental Capital Partner, Yale University professor and scholar, and author. He is credited as being a leading authority on environmental conservation movements.[12]
- Evon Peter is an indigenous leader, who is the Vice Chancellor for Rural, Community and Native Education at UAF and co-founder of the Native Movement.[13]
- Jungian analyst, author, and public speaker. She has authored 10 books with over eighty foreign translations along with appearing in Oscar-winning Women – for America, for the World (1986).
- Jay Harmanthe New York Museum of Modern Art.[15]
- Elisabet Sahtouris is an evolution biologist, futurist, author, and public speaker. Her work has credited for showing the significance of biological systems in globalization and government.[16]
- Julian Walker is an American yoga instructor, retreat coordinator, author, and blogger, whose recent work has made connections between psychology and neurosciences to spirituality and body care.[17]
- Alex Zaphiris is a family integrative physician based in San Francisco, CA. Zaphiris helps those who struggle with mental health and addition, primarily. She puts an emphasis on getting to "the root" of one's issue through alternative therapies
- Philip Barr is an American integrative medical physician who emphasizes on internal and integrative healing.[18]
Crew
Love Thy Nature was directed and edited by filmmaker
François Paul-Aïche is the composer for the entire original soundtrack for Love Thy Nature. Lisbeth Scott is the composer for the film's trailer. In the credits, the song "Voices From The Past (Club Mix)" as performed by Ginkgo Garden and composed by Eddy F. Mueller was used as a courtesy of Sequoia Records and Earth Vision Music.
Production
Since the time I was that kid running in the forest, I’ve been fed, restored, and awed by the natural world. Love Thy Nature is my homage to its magic, power, and genius. And it’s my gift to you. I hope it will inform and inspire you, your family, school, and community, so that we can help transform and restore our precious world – from the inside out.
Sylvie Rokab, Director's Statement
Background and development
Director Sylvie Rokab was born in
Filming
Filming began in October 2007, with Rokab directing interviews with experts at the Bioneers conference in San Rafael, California.
Film locations
The film was shot at a variety of locations internationally, with primary production being mainly located in Los Angeles County, California.[19]
- Kailua-Kona)
- Maromba)
- British Virgin Islands
Virgin Gorda
Promotion and release
Corinne Bourdeau, of 360 communications, was a leading proponent in organizing the film's outreach promotion.[20]
Screenings
Love Thy Nature had its world premiere at the Hollywood Film Festival in October 2014, screened at a series of film festivals as well as community screenings and was entered into award competitions. The film saw a limited theatrical release in 2016, primarily in North American movie theatres, as organized by Theatrical Bookings Manager Amy Segal[21]
The film was the recipient of the
During screening events, a slew of speakers made guest appearances, among them Natural Resources Defense Council's Joel Reynolds, Amazon Watch founder Atossa Soltani, actress Alexandra Paul, author and marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols, PhD, and Mom's Clean Airforce strategist Trisha Sheehan, as well as interviewees from the film.
Partnerships
From the onset of the distribution effort, Love Thy Nature formed partnerships with NGOs, public institutions, schools and universities, land trusts, spiritual groups, and activists. The film screenings became opportunities for these organizations to present their programs, acquire volunteers, expand their membership, and even fundraise with audience members – strengthening their mission and impact.
Screenings went beyond only watching a movie, they became an opportunity to engage with like-minded people, discover local environmental groups and join nature-connecting programs for adults and children. For viewers who joined our “view and do” events, the screenings were followed by nature activities that ranged from visiting an organic garden in
The film's grass roots efforts include partnerships with organizations such as the Sierra Club, The Wilderness Society, National Park Service, TreePeople, Biomimicry Institute, NRDC, Wild Conservation Film Festival, Green City Challenge, Earth Day Initiative, Bioneers, Centers for Spiritual Living, Land Trust Alliance, Moms Clean Air Force, HAT, AORE, Animals Valley, Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, and Wild Life Center.
Distribution and outreach
Following the completion of filming Love Thy Nature, Rokab sought the help of Hybrid Distribution Consultant Peter Broderick who helped her develop a "5-year plan" to use her film to contribute to the Nature Connecting movement.
After initial festival screenings, the film had a
Skeye TV
Reception
Critical response
In
On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 30% based on reviews from 10 critics.[33] One reviewer cited how Rokab "finds just the right balance between entertaining you while provoking you emotionally and intellectually. Never... too exhausting, heavy or dull." Laurel Busby of the Palisades News dubbed the film a "visually stunning and gently moving piece that reminds viewers how necessary a connection to nature is both for our species as a whole and each individual person.”[34] An Organic Conversation and Educational Media Reviews also gave the film positive reviews, with the latter calling it "a very inspiring and informative documentary that offers an immense contribution to public understanding of nature and emphasizes the significance of the reconceptualizing of human attitudes toward the natural world."[30]
Accolades
Group | Year | Category | Recipients | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Global Film Awards | 2014 | Humanitarian Award (Outstanding Achievement) | Love Thy Nature | Won |
Accolade Competition | Feature Documentary (excellence) | |||
Best Cinematography (excellence) | Eriberto Almeida Jr., Rohan Chitrakar, and Sylvie Rokab | |||
Best Voice Over Talent (excellence) | Liam Neeson | |||
IndieFEST Awards | Best of Show - Documentary Feature | Love Thy Nature | ||
Eugene International Film Festival | Best Social Benefit Documentary | |||
Indie Spirit Film Festival | Best Documentary (audience award) | |||
Maverick Award | Best Special Effects | Darius Fisher | ||
Fort Lauderdale Film Festival | Best Documentary | Love Thy Nature | ||
LA Femme Film Festival | Best Focused Documentary | |||
International Movie Awards | 2015 | Best Documentary Feature (Platinum) | ||
Best Director (Platinum) | Sylvie Rokab | |||
Best Editor (Platinum) | ||||
Best Visual Effect (Platinum) | Darius Fisher | |||
Best Music Director | François Paul-Aïche | |||
Best Cinematography (Gold) | Eriberto Almeida Jr, Rohan Chitrakar, and Sylvie Rokab | |||
Richmond International Film Festival | Best Cinematography (Outstanding Merit Award) | Love Thy Nature | ||
Cosmic Cine Film Festival | Grand Jury Award (Cosmic Angel Award) | |||
International Indie Film Awards | Best Documentary Feature (Platinum) | |||
Best Cinematography (Platinum) | Eriberto Almeida Jr., Rohan Chitrakar, and Sylvie Rokab | |||
Best Original Score (Platinum) | François Paul-Aïche | |||
Best Title and Credit Design | Mauro Contaldi and Keith English | |||
Cinema Verde Film Festival | Best of Show | Love Thy Nature | ||
Honolulu Film Awards | 2016 | Best Documentary | ||
Alaska International Film Festival | Denali Award | |||
California Film Awards | Best Documentary (Silver) | |||
Planeta Doc Film Festival | Planeta Doc Award |
Love Thy Nature Journeys
Love Thy Nature Journeys is an outgrowth of the Love Thy Nature "view and do" screening events, where the film's director Sylvie Rokab in partnership with hosts have led post-screening audience programs to cultivate nature connection.
With the expansion of these programs, Love Thy Nature Journeys also screens the film to audience members at multi-day expeditions and workshops to further deepen their immersion in the natural world.
Working with outreach producer Emma Piper-Burket, Sylvie Rokab will continue to screen the film internationally in 2020, while also organizing more audience-lead events, incorporating forms of Nature therapy inspired by the Japanese tradition of "Shinrin Yoku" loosely translated as "Forest Bathing."
Footnotes
- ^ Love Thy Nature has several alternative version for educational versions, including a 25 minute one and 59 minute one
- ^ Love Thy Nature was subtitled in French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish
- ^ Production services in Namibia were provided by Namib Films
References
- ^ "Welcome to Video Project - Documentaries on the Critical Issues of Our Time". Videoproject.org. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
- ^ "Search Screening Results – Love Thy Nature". Lovethynature.com.
- ^ "LOVE THY NATURE - Narrated by Liam Neeson - A Film by Sylvie Rokab". Lovethynature.com. Archived from the original on 2015-02-25.
- ^ "Press – Love Thy Nature". Lovethynature.com.
- ^ "Dayna Baumeister – Sustainability Leaders Network". Sustainabilityleadersnetwork.org. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
- ^ "Dr. Dayna Baumeister". Biomimicry.net. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
- ^ "Center for the Story of the Universe | About". Storyoftheuniverse.org.
- ^ "Andy Lipkis – Love Thy Nature". Lovethynature.com.
- ^ "About Us". Treepeople.org.
- ^ "Duane Elgin, M.B.A | LOVE THY NATURE - A Film by Sylvie Rokab". Lovethynature.com. Archived from the original on 2018-09-04.
- ^ "In Memoriam: Dr. Stephen R. Kellert, Board Director". Biologicalcapital.com.
- ^ "Stephen R. Kellert". Edge.org. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
- ^ "EVON PETER – Love Thy Nature". Lovethynature.com. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
- ^ "Jay Harman – Love Thy Nature". Lovethynature.com. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
- ^ "The Shark's Paintbrush". Thesharkspaintbrush.com. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
- ^ "Elisabet Sahtouris | Sections". Sahtouris.com.
- ^ "Julian Walker – Love Thy Nature". Lovethynature.com.
- ^ "Integrative Medicine". Dukehealth.org. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
- ^ a b "FLIFF: Sylvie Rokab Talks Love Thy Nature". Browardpalmbeach.com.
- ^ "Corinne Bourdeau". 360degreecommunications.com.
- ^ [1] [dead link]
- ^ "Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation (MAAF) - Search Results love thy nature". Midatlanticarts.org.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-09-04. Retrieved 2018-09-04.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Welcome to Video Project - Documentaries on the Critical Issues of Our Time". Videoproject.com.
- ^ "Love Thy Nature". Kanopy.com.
- ^ "Love Thy Nature". Amazon.com.
- ^ "Love Thy Nature on iTunes". Itunes.apple.com. 22 April 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
- ^ "Love Thy Nature - Movies on Google Play". Play.google.com.
- ^ "Vudu - Watch Movies". Support.vudu.com. Archived from the original on 2018-09-04.
- ^ a b Genzlinger, Neil (21 April 2016). "Review: In 'Love Thy Nature,' It Takes a Planet". The New York Times.
- ^ "Love Thy Nature: Rethinking Our Connections". HuffPost. 31 May 2016.
- ^ "Lush Environmental Doc 'Love Thy Nature' Dares to Offer Some Hope". Villagevoice.com. 15 April 2016.
- ^ "Love Thy Nature". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^ "Love Thy Nature Is a Celebration – Palisades News". Palisadesnews.com. Archived from the original on 2016-05-04.
External links
- Official website
- Love Thy Nature at IMDb