DocMiami International Film Festival

In the midst of California's coastal redwood region, Green Diamond Resource Company continues to clearcut redwood forests, devastating habitats and leaving scars across the land. Farmer, a direct action environmental activist in his late 20s, decides to tree-sit in the McKay Tract -- a 60-acre grove of ancient redwoods that is home to spotted owls, deer, flying squirrels, and countless other life forms. AMONG GIANTS begins three years into the McKay tree-sit. Stuck on his tiny platform a hundred feet up in the ancient redwood canopy, Farmer must battle the elements and avoid isolation as he fights for a sustainable future.The film uses a verite style that reflects the pace of life in the tree village and shows the forest from Farmer's perspective. As Farmer outlasts a vicious storm, counts the rings on a felled tree, and trumps through a recent clear cut, the film questions what it means to make personal sacrifices for a larger cause, and how a single person can affect real change in the world.At the end of the film, helicopter shots reveal ugly clearcut swaths that show the vast scale of the environmental destruction.

Filmed by the first group of women filmmakers in rural Zambia, "Hidden Truth"provides insight into a world that is rarely exposed â€" the lives of the women and children who are survivors of domestic violence. Long silent for fear of persecution and retaliation, five survivors of domestic violence in Samfya, a remote region of Northern Zambia, summon the courage to release the burden of their secrets and speak out on one of the most urgent problems faced by their community and millions of others around the world â€" on film. Among the voices captured are Leah - trapped in an abusive relationship by economic dependence - and her younger dependent brother, Danny, a regular witness to his sister's abuse. Likewise, trapped by fear, a survivor of domestic violence named Sharon conceals her identity during her first interview. One year later, the filmmakers revisit her, and it is clear that she has been profoundly impacted by the experience of sharing her story. This time, Sharon confidently speaks on film about her new independence, her plans for the future and her dedication to helping other victims of gender-based violence. Challenging taboos by breaking the silence around gender-based violence, "Hidden Truth"is opening up unprecedented dialogue in the communities in which it is screened. In a country where more than half of women over the age of 15 have suffered physical abuse, "Hidden Truth"serves as a profound reminder of the independent media's power to bear witness and reveal truth.