Forest for the trees : the tree planters
(DVD)

Title from sell sheet.

Wide screen.

DVD-R. The visually and artistically unique documentary explores the physical and emotional aspects of a community of Canadian west coast tree planters. Deftly weaving together still photos and film footage, Rita Leistner, an award-winning photographer, photojournalist, filmmaker, and erstwhile tree planter, depicts the contradictions in the experiences of the tree planters the hardship and the healing; the solitude and the joy of belonging creating an eloquent cinematic metaphor for the human condition. Alone with their thoughts, the planters describe for the camera how the work has helped them overcome a myriad of personal issues ranging from addiction and mental illness to self-doubt, heartbreak, and grief. Finding the common cause, self-knowledge, and meaning in their formidable task, the tree planters restore themselves and each other in the process of restoring the environment.

DVD, wide screen.

English dialogue; English, French or Spanish subtitles.