LUNA The Stafford Giant TREE SIT

Produced by James Ficklin and Penelope Andrews
This is the story of the longest tree-sit in U.S. history and Julia Butterfly Hill. The Stafford Giant redwood tree, also called "Luna", was discovered by Earth First! during the Fall '97 Headwaters Forest campaign. The Tree was blue-marked for cutting. In order to save it from the chainsaw, a nonstop tree occupation began. One extraordinary woman named Julia Butterfly has remained in the tree all year! Here's the inside view of one of the most inspiring acts of civil-disobedience ever. 20 mins.
LUNA - The Stafford Giant Tree-Sit won a prestigious award at the Okomedia International Festval of Ecological Films in Freiburg Germany on 10/10/99.

The Hoimar von Ditfurth Prize for "the Best Journalistic Portrayal of Ecological Problems for Children and Young People" was presented to the director James Ficklin. He had been invited to Germany as a guest of the Okomedia Institute.

LUNA is the story of Julia Butterfly's first 2 months of living in a giant ancient redwood tree to protect it from being cut down by Pacific Lumber Company, owned by Maxxam Corp. of Texas. James Ficklin³s other documentary Fire in the Eyes was also featured in the festival, and though it did not recieve an award, it was the subject of lively discussions as it shocked viewers from around the world with it³s images of police brutality on non-violent Earth First! activists in Humboldt County.

The Okomedia (or Ecomedia) Festival brings together films and film-makers from around the world to take part in screenings, discussion panels and an awards competition. The Okomedia Institute also provides the oppurtunity for filmmakers, TV producers, distributors, journalists and educators, to network, socialize and engage in lively debate. Each film was followed by a question & answer period between the filmmakers and the audience. "I was honored to have both films included in the festival, and thrilled to recieve the award. Audiences were amazed to hear that Julia Butterfly has remained in the tree for nearly two years without coming down. They were equally amazed that our police can get away with such brutal behavior with impunity." Said James Ficklin, Director.

LUNA - The Stafford Giant Tree-Sit may now have a chance to be seen on National Television in China, a Chinese representative took home a video copy. The videos will also travel back to India for entry into 2 film festivals, including the Bombay Film Festival, one of the largest in Asia. James Ficklin was interviewed by an East German TV program and an Environmental TV show from Latvia. Clips from the two videos will be shown on those TV shows as well.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Julia Butterfly
• Luna
• Butterfly
• redwood trees
• tree sit
• logging
• direct action
• Headwaters
• Headwaters forest
• Earth First
• Earth Films
• humboldt
• judy Bari