John Feldman’s Regenerating Life Journal 2

In contrast to the devastated landscapes of Greece, the area I visited in Uberlingen, Germany in April was lush, moist, and biodiverse. I was there for a screening of Regenerating Life at Andreashof, in the heart of the biodynamic farming community.

One morning I got up at dawn to take a walk and I was immediately struck by the rich morning bird ambience. It was reminiscent of mornings in northern Virginia when I was 13 – a cacophony of bird songs. Sadly such mornings are not the case anymore in northern Virginia or where I live now in the forested mountains of the mid-Hudson Valley of NY.  In Uberlingen, everywhere I looked were signs of people caring for nature, loving the land. And it wasn’t wild land – far from it. The land has been under the hand of humans for hundreds of years.

So I was not surprised at the screening that night that the audience was well informed – and well in touch with the power of nature to regulate the Earth’s temperature.

When I got back to the States, I received an email from Jannis Keuerleber at Andreashof sending me a thoughtful review of the film:

From Creature to Creator
Regenerating Life: A film that reminds us of the profound task climate change presents to humanity 

Life – it is still one of humanity’s great mysteries. Yet, we should quickly learn from it. For without a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of life, we surely will not succeed in preserving our planet’s ecosystems from crossing a tipping point. We are creatures of this Earth – but it is increasingly clear, especially since we are aware that we can destroy this unique place in the universe, that this planet and its future are also entrusted to us. We are co-creators of this future.

On Friday, April 12th, the film “Regenerating Life” by US filmmaker John Feldmann premiered in Germany at Andreashof in Überlingen, guiding the audience into these questions for over two hours. It not only illustrates how purely technical, reductionist solutions only exacerbate problems, but also how we can learn to enliven life by understanding the lawfulness in everything alive and working together with nature. The film balances science with cinematic poetry, humor, and insights from best practice approaches that make a real difference.

This also engaged the audience, and a lively discussion with the filmmaker rounded off the evening at the “greenhouse cinema.”  Strongly recommended!

A few weeks after my return from Europe, I took part in a post-screening discussion of Regenerating Life with Morag Gamble, the director of the Permaculture Education Institute in Conondale, Australia. She screened Regenerating Life on May 8th as part of her online Mind Food Films series during the International Permaculture Festival of Ideas. She also screened Symbiotic Earth on May 1st as part of the film series. She sent me an email. She wrote: “Regenerating Life was received so well. I have had many conversations with people since saying how much it opened their thinking, and asking how they can access the film to screen in their communities.” You can watch our post screening discussion here.

The devastated landscapes we saw in northern Greece during our April visit with Nikos Giannakis continue to haunt me – enormous solar power farms covering entire mountain sides. I am continually reminded that the solutions to the energy crisis are not the same as the solutions to the climate crisis, and this confusion has let to the mistaken idea that renewable energy can solve the climate crisis. In a recent article in Mongabay Judith Schwartz, the author of Cows Save the Planet and Water in Plain Sight, looks at this very question. The article titled “Cutting Forests for solar energy ‘misses the plot’ on climate action.” (24 May 2024) examines the problem with industrial solar power projects being sited on forestlands, particularly focusing on a project planned for a forest in her home state of Vermont.

I’m delighted that Regenerating Life will be having its Brazilian premiere this week on June 6 presented by Selvagem Cycle of Studies at Tropigalpão, an art and cultural center located at Rua Benjamin Constant, 18 – Glória in Rio de Janeiro. The screening starts at 7pm and the post-screening discussion will be led by Selvagem’s founder Anna Dantes. Selvagem is a grassroots organization whose mission is “to disseminate reflections on life, spirituality, indigenous cosmologies and environmental issues through learning cycles and arts.”