Occupied Cascadia

Occupied Cascadia is a journalistic and expressionistic documentary film which explores the emerging understanding of bioregionalism within the lands and waters of the Northeast Pacific Rim.

Filming began during the outset of the populist Occupy movement, and finished by joining the voices seeking to re-contextualize popular revolt within our life-world as a movement to decolonize, un-occupy, and re-inhabit the living Earth.

Historically, the people of each land have been an integral element of that place's life. We need only examine the ecologically adaptive cultures of indigenous populations to witness this.

In the dominant culture, we have lost our way. We have been raped and pillaged off of native lands and forced to occupy others.

This has been done through deception, exploitation, consumption, profiteering and ongoing oppression. At the end of the day, however, we have detached ourselves from the very land that provides life and we no longer know a home.

There is a resurgence of bioregionalism that extends across many lands. Many people are listening to the bioregion where they reside and initiating community once again. Voices from all walks of life acknowledge that we are infinitely dependent upon nature for survival, and many are questioning loudly why we continue down this path of suicide.