UNEARTH
About the film
UNEARTH follows a charismatic and inspiring set of Native Alaskan activists and commercial salmon fishermen as they navigate the treacherous waters of the power players, politics, and tactics driving forward North America’s largest-ever proposed copper mine in their beloved homeland of Bristol Bay, Alaska, revealing the potentially unsustainable cost of our sustainable future.
This timely, shocking, yet uplifting story unveils a mining industry wrought with systematic recklessness, exposes the delicate balance between mined materials critical to a sustainable future and their unsustainable cost, and offers a beacon of hope when good triumphs over evil.
The issue
To achieve a full green energy transition, demand for mined materials is expected to quadruple. This means the demand for green technology is inadvertently fuelling environmental destruction and social injustice brought by mining-as-usual.
We must get this right.
Grounded by this intimate character-driven story, UNEARTH will kickstart a timely conversation about the critical importance of responsible mining practices for a sustainable future, while upholding the leaders creating a more just world.
The characters
Christina and AlexAnna Salmon
Sisters Christina and AlexAnna Salmon are proud members of the Native Alaskan Yup’ik tribe, and devoted advocates for sustainability and environmental protection in their community of Igiugig. As part of a small group of citizens committed to creating a self-sufficient, modern, and indigenous community, they have deep roots in Igiugig, a place where humans and wildlife have lived in symbiosis for over 8,000 years.
Aube and Dune Strickland
The Strickland Brothers (aka “Aube” and “Dune”) are commercial fishermen whose livelihood depends on Bristol Bay’s pristine waters. The brothers are also filmmakers, and bring decades of personal experience in the Alaskan wilderness, a passion for storytelling, and a great respect for the Bristol Bay ecosystem to the film team.
The film team
UNEARTH is directed by award-winning documentary cinematographer Hunter Nolan (The Game Changers, Before The Flood) and produced by impact-driven producer Gina Papabeis (The Cove, Racing Extinction, The Game Changers).
The characters are intrinsic to the film production - Aube and Dune Strickland are co-directors and producers, whilst the Salmon Sisters are advisors on set, in the edit, and throughout the impact campaign.
Impact Network
As a production and impact partner, Resilient joins an ambitious coalition of organisations working to protect ecosystems and communities from the devastating impacts of irresponsible mining.
Why an impact campaign?
Our mission is to create a tangible, positive impact for the environment and communities affected by mining in North America, while advancing climate progress, social justice, and civic engagement.
As a film, UNEARTH is a tool in service of this mission; the impact campaign will help ensure that this tool is put to use effectively through awareness, inspiration, coalition building, policy support, community action, and corporate engagement.
Campaign Objectives
The UNEARTH impact campaign aims to increase:
Broad awareness of the public's connection to mining, its impacts, and existing solutions;
Community-level engagement in the mining process;
Support for policies that account for the externalized costs of mining, strengthen environmental protection, engage community stakeholders;
Demand for more responsible mining practices and supply chain transparency; and
Visibility of companies and organizations leading progress for responsible materials sourcing.
The campaign will achieve these objectives through reaching distinct audiences: General Public, Communities, Policymakers, Brands, Sustainability Leaders and Industry Stakeholders.
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