“Melting Greenland” – Chief Director Steven Ko
The 21st Oakland International Film Festival kicks off with two films we hope can inspire future generations to work together to save this planet.
To see climate change in real time, might help ones judgement in taking our climate more serious.
Steven Ko’s “Melting Greenland”, tells the story of ” August 14, 2021, unprecedented rain fell for the first time in recorded history at Greenland’s ice sheet summit, dumping 7 billion tons of water, which is enough to generate hydropower. A study by NASA revealed that Greenland’s ice is melting on average seven times faster than it was at the beginning of the study period. Climate change is inevitable. Led by O’ right Chief Director Steven Ko, the team visited 11 towns to conduct in-depth interviews with experts, scholars, government officials, and local residents from all walks of life by reporters. The documentary reveals how climate change has affected Greenland’s society, economy and livelihood. When it comes to fighting climate change, we are all in this together. We hope that this documentary can resonate with society and galvanize public awareness on the worsening climate crisis and empower people through environmental education to drive change and transition to a sustainable society.
Salut, Gadou! is directed by Hélène Matte
 In our pursuit to find solutions of youth around the world engaged in improving their community, The 21st Oakland International Film Festival received the film: “Salut, Gadou!”
Salut, Gadou! is a fictitious tribute to the Saint-Jean-Baptiste neighbourhood’s history of community involvement (downtown Quebec). It is based on a novel by the same name by Malcolm Reid, published in 1982. Reid’s novel was inspired by the neighbourhood’s Saint-Gabriel movement (1976) and the operation to rescue what is now the community’s youth centre.
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Starting in June 2021, a cultural outreach project transformed an entire inner-city neighbourhood into a playground for fiction and learning about civil society. Readings and group discussions were fuel for writing scenes and poems. Young people imagined how the story might take shape in today’s world before participating in organizing, filming, and creating the original soundtrack.
Salut, Gadou! involved 10 youths for an entire summer, four of whom worked on screenwriting. Twenty-odd youths had speaking parts while just as many were extras. Thirty-odd adults, including historian Réjean Lemoine and four professional actors (Charlie Cameron, Justice Rutikara, Jean-Marie Alexandre, Thomas Langlois) were also involved, as well as a choir of 12 children from immigrant backgrounds who are neighbours. Salut Gadou! also had its own band and features five never-before-released songs. More than 20 neighbourhood businesses supported the project, which was produced in collaboration with the Comité populaire Saint-Jean-Baptiste, the Maison des jeunes Saint-Jean-Baptiste and La Bande Vidéo.
Project directed by Hélène Matte, in collaboration
with the filmmakers of tomorrow
Co-directed by Jérémie Thibault
Camera and editing by Marco Chantal
