Nov. 4, 2008
Mexican filmmaker portrays indigenous
people’s fight to protect the environment
Mexican filmmaker Francesco Taboada, accompanied by his
Brazilian-born producer Fernanda Robinson, will share his new
documentary, “13 PUEBLOS en defensa del agua, del aire y de la
tierra” (“13 Indigenous Peoples Defending Their Water, Air, and
Land”), at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Tuesday,
November 11.
The campus and community are invited to attend the free program in
Room 221 at the Noel Fine Arts Center. A reception will be held at 6
p.m., followed by Taboada’s presentation at 7 p.m. Taboada also will
present his documentary Wednesday, November 12, at 5:30 p.m. at the
Portage County Public Library in Stevens Point.
In recent years, the State of Morelos in Mexico has seen increasing
industrial development that is threatening its natural resources,
according to Taboada. The original inhabitants of this area are
tired of the contamination and loss of land and have organized a
movement called “13 PUEBLOS” to defend their water, air and land.
Born in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Taboada studied communications and has
worked in radio, print, and film since 1995. His documentary
received the Rigoberta Mench� (1992 Nobel laureate) prize at the
“Native Presence” Film Festival in Montreal, Canada, and the “Panel
of Judges’ Special Prize” at the Los Angeles International Latino
Film Festival. He has produced a radio series is a regular
contributor to several publications, including the Morelos newspaper
La Jornada and the Voices of Mexico magazine.
Taboada’s work includes a variety of themes pertaining to Mexican
history, culture and politics. Since he began working in film in
1995, his productions have won more than ten international awards.
On Monday, November 10, Taboada will present “The Mexican Revolution
for Younger Generations” for UWSP’s Spanish 313 class led by Marcia
Mace, lecturer in Spanish.
This special program, coordinated by Beverley David, senior lecturer
in French and Spanish, is sponsored by the College of Fine Arts &
Communications Great Artists/Great Speakers Fund, a College of
Letters and Science Enhancement Grant, the College of Natural
Resources, Office of the Chancellor, Office of the Provost and Vice
Chancellor, Multicultural Affairs Office, and the departments of
Foreign Languages, Communications, History, Philosophy, Political
Science and Sociology.
Contact: Beverley David, 715-346-4535 or
bdavid@uwsp.edu
