The Burning Season (2008 film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Burning Season |
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| Directed by | Cathy Henkel |
| Produced by | Jeff Canin, Cathy Henkel and Trish Lake |
| Written by | Cathy Henkel |
| Narrated by | Hugh Jackman |
| Starring | Lone Drøscher Nielsen, Dorjee Sun, Achmadi |
| Music by | Nicolette Boaz |
| Cinematography | Leonard Retel Helmrich, Ismail Fahmi Lubis |
| Editing by | Jane St Vincent Welch |
| Distributed by | National Geographic International |
| Release date(s) | 2 August 2008 (BIFF) 10 September 2009 (New Zealand) |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Budget | AU $755,529 |
The Burning Season is a documentary film released in 2008. It is all about the burning of rainforests in Indonesia. This film shows how these fires affect the environment and the animals living there.
The movie features three main people. They are Dorjee Sun from Australia, who is an environmental expert. There is also Achmadi, a farmer from Indonesia. Finally, Lone Drøscher Nielsen is a conservationist from Denmark. She works to protect animals in Indonesia.
Contents
Understanding the Burning Season
Every year, a "burning season" happens in Indonesia. During this time, large areas of rainforest are cut down. Then, they are set on fire. This is done to clear land for palm oil farms. Palm oil is used in many products we use every day.
These fires destroy the homes of many animals. This includes critically endangered orangutans. The fires also release a lot of carbon into the air. This adds to climate change.
Finding Solutions to Forest Fires
The film follows Dorjee Sun, an Australian expert. He wants to find a way to stop the burning. Dorjee starts a company that deals with "carbon credits." This is a way to put a value on keeping forests safe.
His idea is to sell these "carbon credits" to big companies. These companies produce a lot of carbon. By buying credits, they help protect forests. This helps balance out their own carbon pollution. Dorjee travels the world trying to make this plan work.
Stories from the Ground
The film also shows Achmadi, an Indonesian farmer. He burns a part of the forest to grow palm oil. The movie explores why farmers like him do this. It also shows the impact of his actions on the environment.
In Borneo, Lone Drøscher-Nielsen works to save orangutans. She rescues those hurt or left alone by the fires. She helps them get better. Her goal is to release them back into the wild.
The film also shows a big meeting about climate change. This meeting happened in Bali, Indonesia. Countries from all over the world tried to agree on new rules. These rules were about protecting forests and fighting climate change. The movie shows if Dorjee's big idea can help save the forests.
Making the Film
The movie was updated in 2009. It included new parts about the global money problems. It also showed a meeting with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The film was shown in cinemas in Australia. It was also available online in the USA. Many schools still use the DVD to teach about these issues.
Many groups helped pay for the film. This included the Film Finance Corporation Australia and National Geographic. The total cost to make the film was about AU $755,529.
Awards and Recognition
The Burning Season won several awards. It was also recognized for its important message.
- It won the Audience Choice Award at the Brisbane International Film Festival in 2008.
- It received an Inside Film Award for Best Documentary.
- The film was nominated for an EMMY Award. This was for being an outstanding documentary about business.
- Cathy Henkel, the film's director, won an award too. She was named Documentary Producer of the Year for her work on this film.
