TRAILERS

Official Trailer for 'Franklin' Doc About Defending a Tasmanian River

by Alex Billington
September 19, 2022
Source: YouTube

"Hey wait, you're about to destroy something sacred, something important, for all of humanity." Madman in Australia has unveiled an official trailer for an eco activism documentary film titled Franklin. The film takes us back to the 1980s to recall the story of an activism campaign to stop the building of a dam on the World Heritage-listed river called the Franklin River (see Google Maps). Eighth-generation Tasmanian and environmentalist Oliver Cassidy embarks on his own life-changing solo rafting trip down the beautiful yet remote Franklin River. His goal is to retrace his late father’s 14-day expedition to attend the blockade that saved the World-Heritage listed national park from being destroyed by a huge hydroelectric dam project in the early 1980s. Featuring never-before-seen archival footage and interviews with key players such as Bob Brown and Uncle Jim Everett, the eight-year-long Franklin campaign is revealed as the most significant environmental protest in Australia's history; an inspiring example of the power of non-violent direct action. "I have to remind myself to take in the beauty of a place which moved so many to action." Must watch doc.

Here's the official Australian trailer (+ poster) for Kasimir Burgess' doc Franklin, direct from YouTube:

When Tasmania's Hydro-Electric Commission planned to build a dam on the Franklin River, Launceston's Wilderness Society mobilised to protect it, sparking a now-infamous, and ultimately victorious, campaign of blockades, protests, lawsuits, and political wrangling – a major campaign that was a key part of the development of the Australian Greens movement. Franklin recounts this seminal environmental protest through the eyes of Oliver Cassidy, who retraces the journey on the World Heritage-listed river taken some 40 years before by his late activist father. Franklin is directed by the Australian artist / filmmaker Kasimir Burgess, director of the doc The Leunig Fragments previously, plus the film Fell and other short films / experimental work. Produced by Chris Kamen. This recently premiered at the 2022 Melbourne Film Festival. Madman Films will release Burgess' Franklin in Australian cinemas sometime later this year. No US release date is set yet - stay tuned. For more details on this, visit the film's official website. Interested?

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