Burnaby is the symbol of global environmental issues and economic degrowth in David Lavallée’s upcoming documentary To the Ends of the Earth.
The film will screen on Thursday, March 30 at 7 p.m. at Slovenian Hall, 5762 Sprott St., Burnaby.
“I screened this film across North America, but screening it in Burnaby really has a special place in my heart,” says Lavallée. “Burnaby is an important piece of the story, and many local Burnaby residents are stars of the film.”
The documentary features the 2014 Burnaby Mountain protests against the Kinder Morgan pipeline as part of a larger narrative of global fossil fuel depletion. Lavallée claims the world may be seeing the end of fossil fuel-driven economic growth, as quality supplies dwindle.
“Tapping into garbage fossil fuels like tar sands is like drinking beer from a bar rag,” he says. “When you get into this kind of crud, you know you’re at the end of the line.”
The film succeeded despite many logistical challenges. While flying a drone over a Burnaby Kinder Morgan tank farm, Lavallée was warned by CSIS his actions may count as precursor to terrorism. No charges were laid.
The upcoming screening will include an all-candidates debate for Burnaby’s MLA hopefuls. Lavallee said he looks forward to local candidates addressing the issues raised in the film, stressing the importance of policymakers responding directly to public environmental concerns. Local Burnaby activists featured in the film include Lynne Quarmby, who ran as Green Party candidate for Burnaby North-Seymour in the 2015 federal election, and fellow SFU professor Stephen Collis.
More information is available at www.endsofearthfilm.com. To get tickets to the screening visit: tinyurl.com/FilmScreeningBurnaby.
