November 7, 2002
7:00 PM - Thursday

50 minutes
Language: English
Year and Country of Production: 2001. Canada
Directors: Mort Ransen

"Saltspring Island...close to a city, but full of magical, almost untouched places. A small town with a Saturday market. And in the middle of the island... trees, lots of trees."

When the roar of chainsaws shatters the quiet of this idyllic setting, director Mort Ransen and other residents awake to an unexpected intrusion. A logging operation is underway in a pristine central valley. When islanders rally to oppose the cutting, they discover that land developers have purchased one of the largest expanses of undeveloped wilderness in the Southern Gulf Islands. Concerned about its potentially devastating impact, the residents set out to stop the logging.

The award-winning director of Margaret's Museum, Mort Ransen, documents a lively and provocative debate. On one side -- the developers, who defend their rights as private landowners. On the other -- Saltspring residents, who blockade roads and chain themselves to logging to protect their island, its natural habitat, and their way of life.