Recap — Experiential Education and Training at the 2022 Planetary Health Film Lab in Ecuador

In the months leading up to the workshop, Indigenous youth received filmmaking training virtually and began to collect footage for their documentary. Students had access to cutting-edge camera equipment, drones, and video editing software. A recurring theme seen in their documentaries was that the planet is sick. It has been poisoned by capitalistic interests that drives deforestation and mining projects which have polluted the environment, reduced crop yield, and created unsafe drinking water. Several films recognized how stories, from their Indigenous communities could assist other indigenous communities around the world by sharing their experiences and solutions.

The PHFL had another successful year as all 16 students completed the program with a 100 percent participation rate. The short documentaries they produced were made in the languages of Kichwa and Shuar, and it was especially significant that 2022 also marked the first year of the International Decade of Indigenous Language. All the documentaries can be found on the Youth Climate Report YouTube channel, with English subtitles. The documentaries were presented at the annual Dahdaleh Micro Film Festival, the 2022 COP27 conference, and at Harvard University for the annual conference of Planetary Health Alliance.