Analysis Of The Film Elemental

Documentaries and films can be utilized in many different ways in order to positively contribute to solving our most dire social and environmental issues facing humanity and our planet. The film “Elemental” is primarily a descriptive documentary that shadows the life of three individuals in three very different regions of the world that are connected by their passion to confront some the prevalent ecological threats pressing their homelands. Additionally, the documentary provides some instrumental insight by informing viewers of how to effectively take part in environmental activism through demonstrations, fund-raising, community organizing, campaigning, and political protests.

The film follows their lives and conveys the unique stories of

Elemental allows for the audience to yield educational moments from the successes and failures of each individual’s journey in influencing positive changes for our environmental well-being. For instance, Eriel Deranger who was hired by Rainforest Action Network to do community organizing, activism, and advocacy work, decided to protest the British Royal Bank, who provided much of the funding for the Tar Sands Keystone XL Pipeline project with out prior approval from her bosses. Due to the British Royal’s power and influence and worried that these attacks would lead to expensive law suits or create problems for the organization, the financial backing for Rainforest Action Network was cut and Eriel Deranger found herself pregnant and unemployed. We could also gain knowledge from Jay Harmon’s experiences with trying to obtain start up capital from investors to bring his innovative solutions into the market. The audience and potential entrepreneurs could view the problems that can occur when trying to sell your ideas such as failed demonstrations and the biases created through establishing a family business venture. These real life learning moments that the characters go through can be viewed instrumentally and act as a tool to modify activist future

An example is when the directors apply zooming techniques on the Ganges river pollution of industrial dumping, obscene amounts of organic and inorganic waste, and shows the poor people of India drinking, washing clothes and bathing in the same seemingly toxic water. Images of the pipeline protesters demonstrate the importance of maintaining the ecological integrity of their homelands and protecting their families against the damages created by large oil corporations. Footage of Jay Harman and his wife trying to source capital investment in business meetings encapsulates the difficulties and risks of bringing a theoretical or proposed idea of an environmental or social solution to real life and the market. All of theses examples speak to the audience to create feeling of empathy, compassion, and