“We torched Superior Lumber in Glendale, OR on January 1, 2001. Superior Lumber is a typical earth raper contributing to the ecological destruction of the Northwest. What happened to them should shock no one. This year, 2001, we hope to see an escalation in tactics against capitalism and industry. While Superior Lumber says, ‘Make a few items, and do it better than anyone else,’ we say, ‘choose an earth raper, and destroy them.” — Communication Sent By The Earth Liberation Front (ELF).
IF A TREE FALLS is a well-edited and structured documentary that manages to balance advocacy with objective reality in a thought provoking way. It brings you into the story from many different perspectives moving back and forth through time and events. IF A TREE FALLS keeps you interested throughout the entire eighty-five minutes.
IF A TREE FALLS is a documentary that explores many important issues by focusing on the rise and fall of The Earth Liberation Front (ELF). It does this mainly through the eyes of David McGowan, as he becomes radicalized into the ecological movement and ultimately into its most radical component, ELF. The film opens with archival footage of a ski resort burning. ELF burned it because the resort had plans to expand in to a forest area. The burning of the ski resort contrasted with other more blatant environmental issues shown in the documentary feels like ELF goes to far at times.
IF A TREE FALLS, directed by Marshall Curry, combines interviews with McGowan, who is living under house arrest waiting for a trial, as the film begins. He along with a number of other suspects were arrested simultaneously on December 7th, 2005 and charged with domestic terrorism. ELF destroyed property but never endangered a human life. No person was ever hurt or killed because ELF made sure no one was in the buildings they burned. There is a question as to whether they are arsonists or terrorists?
IF A TREE FALLS is great documentary storytelling, moving between parallel themes highlighting events, McGowan’s experience, and current situation, and the FBI’s hunt for the members of the ELF. There is archival footage of police using pepper spray on peaceful protesters that reminds you of recent violence by police on the Occupy Movement protesters. These attacks on protesters help to radicalize McGowan and others into taking violent actions themselves.
Most of the fires were set in the Northwest in protest of the logging industry and their harvesting trees in forests under the control of the National Forest. Environmental activists had been active there for some time by 2001.
Many interesting and controversial questions arise watching this documentary. One issue is the treatment of protesters by police. Why is all the violence necessary? Environmental concerns based on the deforestation of huge areas of the country where large thousand-year-old trees are cut down and the land left bare. Another topic that comes to mind is the fate of the members of the ELF, many of whom could be facing life sentences for the acts of arson.
By focusing on McGowan’s life story up to the point he goes to court IF A TREE FALLS creates some empathy for McGowan and his fate. The ELF disbanded a few years before the arrests were made. McGowan left the group because things were, in his mind, getting to crazy. The investigators were treating it as a “cold case,” when they got an unexpected break. This aspect is skillfully incorporated into the story.
REVIEW BY – J R MARTIN – AUTHOR CREATE DOCUMENTARY FILMS, VIDEOS AND MULTIMEDIA — See other documentary reviews by J R Martin at http://www.jrmartinmedia.com/reviews
IF A TREE FALLS – A STORY OF THE EARTH LIBERATION FRONT – 2011 – 85 minutes – Directed by Marshall Curry, An Oscilloscope Pictures Release – NOMINATED FOR OSCAR BEST DOCUMENTARY 2012 – Best Documentary Editing Sundance Film Festival.
TRAILER IF A TREE FALLS
