‘Silvicola’ Documentary: Hot Docs Summer Screening Series

Winner of the John Kastner Award

There are trees that have stood for thousands of years in Canada’s Pacific Northwest. These old-growth forests have a priceless value economically, culturally, and environmentally, yet their existence is in peril. In the past one hundred years, reckless forestry practices have decimated these towering pillars and now our dependence on lumber has reached a point of reckoning. From seedlings to cedar shakes, every facet of this industry is patiently revealed in stunning detail. Travel deep into the woods and listen to those who have invested their lives in so many unique ways with these trees, from loggers to carvers, tree planters to conservationists. Each perspective helps make clear what is at stake in this beautifully composed observation of one of nature’s greatest gifts. The one thing they all share is a fundamental belief that there is a better way to go forward and there’s not a moment (or tree) to waste.

– Alexander Rogalski