The Giants: a must see
I’m ashamed to say that when my friend Ruth invited me to go on a senior’s march for the climate today, Tuesday, I sighed. A tiny, useless gesture, I thought. And then last night I went to see a film sponsored by the David Suzuki Foundation. It’s called The Giants, and it – as they say – blew me away.
It’s about the life of an extraordinary man, Dr. Bob Brown, an Australian eco-activist, Green leader, and the sort of great human being we need to protect our planet. He’s idealistic but realistic, kind but tough, and he rallied the troops to save a river and then vast swaths of landscape about to be pillaged by lumber barons and mining companies. It’s gruelling work; we see how often he’s arrested and taken to jail, always polite, because many in his family, including his father, are police officers. He’s insulted and shunned over and over, especially because as well as being an activist far ahead of his time, he’s gay at a time when homosexuality was illegal. But he never gives up.
David Suzuki is often heard interviewed in the film; his love for and knowledge about trees and soil is, as always, infectious and inspiring. Afterwards, he spoke in the lobby to admirers, including me, about environmental degradation leading to a huge increase in cancers, how money controls everything in our western world without regard for the future — “You can’t eat money,” is the song that ends the film — and how he worries the environmental movement in Canada has been too timid.
As we left the cinema and he and Tara went out into the mad swirl of Yonge-Dundas Square, I thanked them again for their work trying to save the earth. And David said, “Your father was my hero. I loved him.” Tears in my eyes, and a renewed determination to tell Dad’s story so others can meet him too.
It won’t surprise you to know that I’ll be on that march today. But also, I want everyone, locally at least, to see this inspiring, powerful, and extremely beautiful film. I’ve applied to sponsor a screening, possibly in late November or in January — specifics anon. If I can sell enough tickets, Demand Films will show it again. My first activist activity.
Adding this to my tiny list of Things To Do.
I was in the same cinema on Saturday to see One Hand Clapping, a less serious but also stirring film about Paul McCartney and his band Wings in the studio in 1973, recording an album. What’s breathtaking is the sheer musicality of the man, his genius, his joy; the music pours out of him, it’s almost insufferable, so much talent. And there’s his wife Linda, singing backup and banging the piano. How many rockstars record with their wives? Another stellar human being.
Bob Brown, David, and Tara have worked tirelessly to induce respect for the natural world. Macca brought and still brings joy to millions. Thank you to them all from a grateful citizen of this embattled planet.
The post The Giants: a must see appeared first on Beth Kaplan.
