new college cinema: Water, Sacred and Profaned; The Living Land

Monday, 12/10 Water, Sacred and Profaned Many documentaries have focused on the various ways in which the Earth's water has become polluted and otherwise profaned. This program, however, explores the sacred nature of this precious gift which is everywhere, surrounding us, enveloping our lives and those of every other living thing. Without water there would be no plants, no food, no fish, no birds, no people... no life. Six unique men and women share their experiences and insights about water the most abundant and fundamental element of the Earth. Pulitzer Prize winning authors, activists, naturalists, and scientists, give wisdom and descriptions which carry the full majesty of the hydrologic cycle. With their words are the compelling images of water in all its forms - clouds, snow, rain, ice, rivers, lakes and oceans, Featuring Linda Hogan, Robert Hass, Susan Zwinger, Colin Fletcher, Jennifer Greene, David Whyte and music by David Foster. Introduced with a short piece by local video artist Alan Prohm. 27 minutes. 1998. Video The Living Land We were once like all the other animals that inhabit the Earth. We too, were hunters and gatherers, moving across the land to0 feed on grains, the grasses, the berries and fruits - wherever and whenever we found them. Then we discovered we could plant the seeds and grow our own food. And everything changed. Over many years, our methods of growing food have become ever mnore mechganized and more complex. At the same time, we've lost millions of acres of good soil to pollution, erosion, and an ever growing population. However, there is now an ever increasing awareness of the need to change our perceptions about how we grow our food and how we treat the land. This program features four individuals on the frontier of this effort. John Jeavons, founder of Ecology Action, is known internationally for his work developing small-scale sustainable food production techniques. Wes Jackson was born and raised on the Great Plains and holds degrees in both botany and genetics. For more than 20 years he has been developing a revolutionary system of perennial grain cultivation at the Land Institute in Salina, Kansas. Alice Waters is an internationally known chef, author, and proprietor of Chez Panisse Restaurant in Berkeley. She initiated the Edible Schoolyard program at local middle schools which involves children in planting, gardening, harvesting, cooking and eating their own food. Mas Masumoto is an organic farmer and author, having written both Epitaph for a Peach and, more recently Harvest Son. A sansei - or third generation Japanese American - Masumoto grows peaches and grapes on his 80-acre family farm in California's San Joaquin Valley. 27 minutes. 1999. Video New College Cultural Center, 766 Valencia Street. 8:00 pm. A $3-5 donation is requested. For a complete list of New College events, see www.newcollege.edu/events