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But should I accept the invitation and fly back and forth, how would I justify all the CO2 pollution?
In the end, what could have been a sheer nonsensical festival participation, turned into a full-blown film tour, with 11 free public screenings, organized by farmers associations, students, scientists, permacultivists and anti-glyphosate activists.

I decided to offer the public screening rights to this country, for an undefined time, herewith acknowledging the important role of my Argentinian friends in teaching me how to fight for more autonomous lifestyles. In the Andes mountains they were the Quechua and Aymara people; in Buenos Aires, the anarchist communities like the “Centro Cultural La Sala” and the numerous MTD’s I had visited; and lastly in Patagonia, the permaculture activists from El Bolsón. Thank you, my friends!

(read the full story below!)

Essential for successful lobbying: not to be afraid to get heavy-weight-VIPs to promote your movie!

The premiere screening of „Voices of Transition“ in the Argentinian capital happened in the crammed library of the “Alliance Française”.

The pioneers of agroecology in Argentina, Diego Venica and Irmina Kleiner

Witnessing the testimonial of Diego and Irmina after the premiere screening was very moving: Back in the 70s, this couple was persecuted by the dictatorial regime as “terrorists” because they believed in a world without repression and wouldn’t shut their mouth. Today, for a change, they are being seen as public enemies by the neoliberal elites and by the industrial farming lobbies as they believe in living soils and in the harmonious coevolution of all living beings. The world is still upside-down…

I had the high privilege to attend the movie premiere of “Los del Suelo” in their presence, telling the story of how the young couple hid away from the paramilitary in the 70s, adopting indigenous hunting and gathering methods to survive in the woods during almost three years.

At the Radio Nacional.

Premiere day of “Voces de la transición”. In just 90 minutes, we squeezed in…
– 2x live interviews on the National Radio (German and French speaking channel),
– 1x filmed interview by the Festival (in Spanish) and
– 1x Q&A with the public (in English and Spanish).
Oh yes, did I feel important on that day ;)

Antonio and Nils posing with a rental bike

My favourite film on the festival was “On the bride’s side” (“Io sto con la spossa”), by Antonio Augugliaro. Featuring the greatest trick ever to get over European borders without problems: just dress up as a wedding team!

It’s everywhere. Argentina’s dependency on their cash crop Nr. 1

The exports of genetically modified soy beans today represent approx. 30 percent of the country’s total sales abroad. The trend seems unstoppable: the latest breeds are now allowing the monoculture soy model to sprawl further down into the colder South, and even into Patagonia.
The photo reads: “continue doing it” (ad from an Argentinian bank)

Alejandro Rabinovich, pioneer of “Santa Rosa en transición?”

Santa Rosa: Alejandro and Loli, a couple of professors (history and social sciences, Universidad de la Pampa) invited me to present my film at the movie theater “Amadeus”. Both moved to Santa Rosa recently and used the “Plan Procrear” program to build a house, thinking that here they finally would be safe from the toxic herbicide Glyphosate… Very unfortunately, now they know that their kids might soon be in the reach of the so called “moskito” planes which spray glyphosate death zones, with the “soy frontier” rapidly moving south.
The screening of “Voices of Transition” in the sold-out cinema would be the opportunity for them to launch a transition initiative in their neighbourhood.

intense chatting with the “unknown neighbour” in the theater

I love this! 120 people conversing with their “unknown neigbours” (paradigm of the modern world) for 3 minutes, about why they attended the screening tonight. Playing this sort of game is crucial for a fruitful screening, as it actually represents the very first step for successful transition initiatives to be founded…
NB: Just think of how many more sentences are exchanged than when there’s only one guy talking in front!

Posing with Rosarinos in their best business suits, promoting their first organic soy burger. (Alisandro, with the blue T-Shirt is teaching anthropology at University, building straw bale houses, designing permaculture gardens, and solving life riddles while drinking mate: Any problem you have, ask him!)

Freighter coming for soy beans, Rosario region

It’s impossible to ignore the progress of the soy invasion, and to remain unharmed. Even if you just want to peacefully enjoy a soybean free drink in a bar near the Paraná river, the soy beans will float by in the biggest bulk carriers ever invented by mankind, silently, and relentlessly. They take the road to the ports of Europe and China, where they’ll be fed to industrially-raised, non organic pigs and cattle.

artist’s view on the progress in architecture, Malvinas Argentinas camp, Córdoba region

The protests keep on growing. Tragically, this might also be due to the following: the more people die from Glyphosate and “Round up” (Monsanto’s toxic herbicide cocktail), the less their family members and friends have to lose when they pick the fight against the multinationals and the collaborating state.

The Movimiento nacional campesino indigena is one out of numerous organisations “reclaiming the fields”.

This organisation who is some sort of a “umbrella organization” claims to unite 500.000 farmer families…

under successful siege: the construction site of a Monsanto seed factory had to be abandoned

And the movement is gaining momentum, and has its first victories to celebrate. The (illegal) construction of Monsanto’s seed processing compound (background of the photo) has been stopped, proving herewith that Monsanto is not invincible. But it takes a intolerable toll: people have to give their lives in sacrifice before things start changing…

Listen to Sofía, founder of the local fight against Monsanto, sharing with us her story and the story of her children – partly killed, partly poisoned for life – around a mate. I couldn’t retain my tears during the interview.

(Interview with Sofía Gática, all in Spanish)

The young team of activists around Merce Cohen (yellow T-Shirt) who organized the screening in Córdoba

Me dicen “Santiagueño”

In Santiago del Estero, I’m offered to dress my head with a traditional “guaina” and to celebrate another good news: the province with the lowest contribution to the Argentinian GDP (which, as we all know, seems to be tightly linked to a better quality of life, intact solidarity bonds and healthy traditions) remains the unbeaten “capital de la fiesta” and the “capital del folklore argentine”! After eight consecutive screenings, it’s about time to dance those chacareras, zambas, gatos, carnavalitos, to drink wine and mate… and forget about time.

Zamba del carnaval, euphoric dancing from noon to midnight in the Patio Froilán

The “Patio del Indio Froilán”: where hundreds, sometimes thousands of people, old or young, from Santiago and neighbouring provinces gather each Sunday in order to get high on dancing. As opposed to most countries I’ve visited, traditional dances here still form part of all daily lives. Pachanga, Reggaeton, Salsa? Certainly not! We’re talking about Chacarera, Zamba, Gato, Escondido, Carnavalito! It’s beautiful. And handkerchiefs are finally en vogue again.

The last screening took place in an vacant lot in Valparaíso (Chile)

Valparaiso, on the other side of the Andes mountains. The “Sitio Eriazo” is an occupied building site. It was too dark to take a meaningful picture, but believe me it was a truly beautiful experience, because of the very special mood of this anarchic place with its numerous artistic installations, and last but not least because of the rare privilege for being served a delicious, freshly made pizza directly from the clay oven in the middle of the screening.

With the filmmakers Diego Marín Verdugo, Daniela More and the mathematician Nicolas Libedinsky in the streets of “Valpo”

In Chile you’ll know instantly if you’re going to be friends with someone you just met: If after just a few minutes the other person will be already starting to throw bad insults at you cheerfully, then that’s a clear sign that you’ll be friends. Fortunately enough, I really spent most of my time in Chile laughing.

https://vimeo.com/133295866

After 11 screenings in total, the final day of my stay in Chile has arrived. What a beautiful day. Thanks again to Diego Marín Verdugo for his beautiful and improvized stop motion video (music by Victor Jara).

Last but not least… many, many thanks go to the Instituto Multimedia DerHumAlc for inviting me over and for hosting for an entire week in Buenos Aires!

My warmest thanks go to the following institutions for their friendly support and for financing the plane tickets, herewith making possible this adventure: Alianza Francesa de Buenos Aires, Ambassade de France en Argentine, Heinrich Böll Stiftung Cono Sur.

The post My film tour in Argentina and Chile appeared first on Voices of Transition.

What to do with this incredible privilege of being invited to fly all the way (up) to the Southern hemisphere? We’ll try to turn what could have been a sheer festival participation into a tour with free screenings in La Pampa, Córdoba (with the anti-Monsanto movement), Santiago del Estero, Salta, Santiago de Chile, … !*

(read on below the tour dates)

TOUR DATES

10.07. VALPARAISO
Estreno c charla debate con Nils
20:00,
Lugar Sitio Eriazo, Ecuador n°428

05.07. SANTIAGO del. ESTERO
Estreno c charla debate con Nils
entrada libre y gratuita
21:00, Café literario Utopia, calle Indepencia

02.07. CORDOBA
Estreno c charla debate con Nils
19:00, Auditorio de Radio Nacional
organizado por el GRR, facultad de agronomia,
Asamblea “Malvinas lucha por la vida”
entrada libre y gratuita

01.07. CORDOBA
Estreno c charla debate con Nils
19:00,  Plaza Libertador
Festival Cofisu
al aire libre y gratuito

30.06. ROSARIO
18:30 c charla debate con Nils
C.C. Parque España
Sarmiento y El Río
entrada libre y gratuita;
http://ccpe.org.ar/events/proyeccion-del-documental-voces-de-la-transicion-de-nils-aguilar/

25.06. SANTA ROSA / LA PAMPA
Estreno con charla debate con el director
CINE AMADEUS
Cnel. Gil N°31
18:00, entrada libre y gratuita
Organizado por la Univ. de La Pampa

24.06.: BUENOS AIRES
Masterclass con Nils,
Antonio y Taco
16:00-18:00
Auditorio del C.C. Rojas,
Av. Corrientes 2038
entrada libre y gratuita
https://facebook.com/voicesoftransition

22.06.: BUENOS AIRES
Estreno & mesa debate
19:00- 21:00; biblioteca
de la Alianza Francesa
Córdoba 946
para entradas gratuitas, enviar un mail a “info@voicesoftransition.org”
https://facebook.com/voicesoftransition

20.06.: BUENOS AIRES
Estreno y debate con el director, 19:30
Centro Cultural La Sala,
Avellaneda 645,
Caballito
entrada libre y gratuita
https://www.facebook.com/events/419787901479437

18.06., BUENOS AIRES
Estreno simple 16:00-18:00
en C.C.Rojas/Batato Barea
entrada libre y gratuita
https://www.facebook.com/events/991557667556237

Finally, I’ll be able to show the film to my Argentinian friends!, I told myself,  remembering that they had taken such an important role in inspiring “Voices of transition”, roughly 10 years ago, in 2005…

This was for instance when a little journalism study group from the “Universidad de las Madres de Plaza de Mayo” by coincidence witnessed the bloody eviction of an indigenous tribe in the Jujuy area, covering it with rudimentary film equipment. The images of the beaten, broken existences still haunt my thoughts.
Another moment of crucial importance, on the positive side was to learn about “biointensive farming” in Patagonia, to learn how to survive in an economically run-down Buenos Aires by creating micro-businesses, as observed in the MTD’s, or in the very active anarquist center “Centro Cultural La Sala”.

On that tour we’d like to learn how the shaken, but amazingly brave Argentinian people is keeping on with the struggle against corporate take-overs and the soy imperium swallowing up their fertile land, and learn how the transition movement and the self-sufficiency praxis of the “movimiento de trabajadores desocupados” (MTD) could mutually inspire each other.

A warm appeal: Donations would be most welcome, since this tour doesn’t benefit from any financial support whatsoever (apart from the flight back and forth), and the Argentinians don’t have the dime, but a very high cost of living…

Gracias, y saludos muy alegres!

Con mucha motivación:
Nils

If you happen to be in BsAs, read the full festival program here:

http://www.imd.org.ar/festival/descargas/grilla_ficdh_2015.pdf

…or download the catalogue:
http://www.imd.org.ar/festival/descargas/catalogo_ficdh_2015.pdf

*

The post Tour de Argentina 2015 appeared first on Voices of Transition.

As part of  our May 2015 Belgium Tour, Nils hat the great honour to have a fertile little conversation with Iez in Antwerpen, aired on Redactie Radio Centraal just two days ago.

Topics included the real costs of a 1€ chocolate bar, the invention of the dung heap and how bourgeois the Transition Town movement actually is.

And here’s what they said:

(26:16)

Read the summary from Radio Centraal website article here:

“World citizen Nils Aguilar (a Frenchman with Spanish roots who grew up in Germany) studied sociology. Travelling in Argentina in 2005, he witnessed an indigenous tribe being expelled with violence from their ancestral homelands by a tobacco producer. Back in Buenos Aires he visited the Universidad Popular Madres de la Plaza de Mayo, where he attended two introduction sessions into documentary making. That’s how the plan arose to visualize the perverted side of our current, profit-driven agricultural model.

 Because agriculture touches several hot issues (energy, climate change, land grabbing, hunger, biodiversity, culture …), he ended up with the transition movement: hence the title, voices of Transition. He filmed in France, the UK, and Cuba. The documentary wants to inspire people to break their isolation and, for example, dig a vegetable garden in the school’s parking lot. This inspiration can go in many countries, since there are nineteen subtitle sets so far, among which Japanese, Korean and Mandarine. And also Dutch: Voices of Transition toured a few weeks in Flandres recently, with Nils Aguilar attending. That’s how iez could have an interview with him in Antwerp. Topics in the talk are, among others:

– From what year on will biological methods be competitive with chemical fertilizer (which are based on gas)?
– What’s the real cost of a € 1 chocolate bar?
– In what century was the dung heap invented?
– What’s the advantage of using the term ‘resilience’ over ‘sustainability’?
– How bourgeois is the transition movement?
– Could permaculture be incorporated by big business?
– What’s so great about agroforestry?

Redactie Radio Centraal – Antwerpen
106.7 of streaming / app via www.radiocentraal.be
Herbeluister onze interviews: http://redactie.radiocentraal.be
Like ons op facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RedactieRadioCentraal
Volg ons op twitter: @RdctieRdioCntrl

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We are delighted with the ‘Voices of Transition’ review as featured in the May-June 2015 print issue of Video Librarian.

You can read the review right here right now!

VOICES OF TRANSITION *** (2014) 65 Min. DVD: $49: public libraries & high schools; $139 : colleges and universities. DRA. Green Planet Films. PPR. Closed captioned.

Nils Aguilar’s documentary explores the changing face of agriculture – focusing on France, England and Cuba – putting forth the hypothesis that the Green Revolution, which resulted in huge increases in agricultural production, has begun to falter. Land farmed with monoculture crops, non-renewing seed, and oil-based fertilizers and pesticides is starting to fail, as the earth is stripped of nutrients (and inclined to erode when fallow). The hope expressed by the assorted researchers, activists, and farmers featured here is that intensive, small-scale organic farming can help replenish the soil and end reliance on increasingly expensive petrochemicals. Aguilar visits “agroforests” in France, where trees are integral to holding and enriching the soil, and “transition towns” in England, where communities are being forged as people farm together in the cities. In Cuba, where a U.S. embargo has prevented oil imports, citizens have been forced to be innovative, encouraging the development of small plots and urban agriculture. Organic has become the norm in Cuba because there are no oil-based fertilizers, pesticides, or fungicides; even tilling is done with animals instead of tractors. As the film shows, one often-overlooked side effect of small-scale sustainable farming is an increase in satisfaction of living – a point illustrated here in scenes of smiling people enjoying the results of their hard work. An inspiring documentary, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Gardner)

The post ‘Voices of Transition’ gets Video Librarian seal of approval! appeared first on Voices of Transition.

Dear friend, do you agree that this tumultuous year at its end should at least bring us positive, fertile, changivistic Christmas presents? Well, then just give away our Voices of Transition DVD and seed hope and empowerment :)

If you order this week, we’ll make you benefit from a discount: 20% if you order 1 DVD and 30% if you order at least 2 DVD’s! *

What’s more, by buying the DVD you’ll help us keep going in the particularly important International Year of the Soils 2015 and for the next Climate Conference in Paris (we’ll keep you posted!). 

Thank you from the bottom of our little hearts.

Nils, Eva, Louis, Lauren, Phil, Katie, Timo and our numerous supporters

P.S. In addition to the DVD on our website, we’re also offering a downloadable version of the film on VHX now.

* P.P.S. How to get the discount? Just fill in the field named “Coupon” with “discount1” (for a 20% discount) or “discount2” (for a 30% discount when you buy at least 2 DVDs).

P.P.S.

It’s UK LAUNCH TIME! Get involved now for February 5th 2015

Do you want to join in and host a screening with your local community group, as a fund-raiser, campaign starter, membership booster or social event?

Then please download the more detailed pdf and get in touch with Phil and Lauren at voicesoftransitionuk(at)gmail.com
We hope to see you soon!
Your Milpa Films UK team

The post Seeds for a fertile spring! appeared first on Voices of Transition.

* 5th February 2015 *

Please find the list of screenings here. It’s not too late to join in and host a screening, with your local community group, as a fund-raiser, campaign starter, membership booster or social event!

Please get in touch with Phil and Lauren at voicesoftransitionuk(at)gmail.com and download the more detailed pdf.

Best greetings,
Phil and Lauren

Lauren and Phil (Milpa Films UK team)

The post get involved: UK launch on February 5th 2015 appeared first on Voices of Transition.

The magazine @Eco123 has invited both my film “Voices of Transition” and me to a 2 weeks “TOUR DE PORTUGAL”!

What’s more, I’m already on my way!! From 12am today – November 2nd – I’m going to be sitting in the train for a 48h (really?! really) train ride to Santa Clara, ready to learn a lot about the Portuguese art of transitioning while being at it…

To all Portuguese friends interested in hosting a last-minute-screening, please contact the editor M. Heitkamp editor@eco123.info!

So much looking forward!

Muitos saudes e obrigado
Nils

*********************

→ Here goes M. Uwe Heitkamp’s letter in Portuguese, in case you’d like to forward it:

Caro amigos.

O filme “Vozes de Transição” está disponível para divulgar a partir de hoje em todo o Portugal, com subtítulos em Português e em mais 15 outras linguas.
Durante o mes de Novembro o realizador Nils Aguilar esterá conosco entre os dia 5 e 15. Se quiserem organizar com os amigos um evento com uma sessão do filme, podemos fornecer o filme tanto para o cínema como para sala da reunião – agora também junto com o realizador em Novembro.

Força!

Um forte abraço,
Uwe Heitkamp

Email: <editor@eco123.info>
Web: http://eco123.info/media/voices-of-transition/ (translated in 1,2,3 languages!)

The post Voces da Transiçao em Portugal! appeared first on Voices of Transition.

A TOOL to create impact

Our movie’s aim is to catalyze transition wherever possible: ‘Voices of Transition’ isn’t just a documentary film – it’s a tool to inspire communities to rediscover their collective potential.  

Watch our trailer

some milestones reached

1. The film has already sparked the founding of 18 Transition initiatives! (mainly in Germany, Austria, France, Belgium).
2. Volunteers have translated the film in 17 languages!

Please read along if you want to know more about the goals of our campaign:

Goal One – Amplified Voices

We’d like to be able to place advertisements in publications of different countries. We also want to gather feedback from screenings and publish it online so that people can learn from each other’s responses, ideas and experiences and support each other in the transition.

Goal Two – Strengthened Voices

We’d like to increase the film’s impact by creating an accompanying booklet. This will include background information along with practical ideas on how to start the transition in your own community. The booklet will be beautifully illustrated and appropriate for use in schools and community groups. It will be translated into ● English ● French ● German.

Goal Three – Translated Voices

We’d love to have an English synchronized version, but it’s a pretty expensive thing to make. Also, for sure we’d like to create subtitles in Russian, Arabic and (insert your favourite language here)!

And what else can I do?

Please tell your mother and your lover,
find us on twitter and facebook,
and post the news on your blog and website!

.. and this beautiful poster as well, if you wish!

The post Help us spread the word appeared first on Voices of Transition.

The compact, entertaining and thoroughly practical book explores concrete examples which show how just getting started can get the ball rolling towards the transformation of your community.

And now: in German! Einfach. Jetzt. Machen! (“Just do it, now!”) is NOW available from renowned green publisher, Oekom Verlag.

Do you have German-speaking friends/relatives/colleagues/contacts/lovers? Spread the word!

The post The Power of Just Doing Stuff: now in German! appeared first on Voices of Transition.