Films by Suma Jasson

I Want My Father Back 2007, 50 minutes, Hindi/Marathi with English sub-titles Direction: Suma Josson Camera: Rakesh Haridas, Sachin Gadankush Editing: Krishnendu Sarkar‘ 

 I Want My Father Back’ is a film on the suicide of farmers in Vidarbha. Vidarbha is in the eastern region of Maharastra State in India. The film looks at the reasons behind these suicides, beginning with the fall- out of the Green Revolution, the changing traditional methods of farming, especially with regard to seeds, the globalization process, the debt-loan trap faced by farmers, and the devastating effects of Bt. seeds. The film speaks in favour of organic farming and ultimately shows that the death of the farmer also means the death of the soil. sumajosson@yahoo.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09SoQ7hQvGM&feature=bulletin

Niyamgiri, You are Still Alive 2011, 17 mins, Oriya with English sub-titles Direction: Suma Josson Camera: Rakesh Haridas, Tapan Vyas Editing: J. Valiakulathil, Nisha Josson In 2006 Sterlite, a subsidiary of UK mining company Vedanta built a refinery in Niyamgiri Hills, Orissa, India. The intention was to mine bauxite from the Niyamgiri Hills, which is in reserved forest. It is also home to indigenous communities who are dependent on it for their livelihood. They have been fiercely opposing Vedanta. Mining on Niyamgiri will destroy its rich biodiversity and wildlife. The toxic waste material from the refinery pollutes air, ground and water. On August 24th, 2010 a turning point was reached in the struggle to save Niyamgiri http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJt59wbNI6s

Before The Last Tree Falls

70 mins, 2006; Direction: Suma Josson; Camera: Joselin J. Alphonse, P. Pratapan; Editor: Biju V. Sukumaran

‘Before The Last Tree Falls’ is a 75 min film on the suicide of farmers in Wayanad, Kerala, India. The film looks at the totality of the subject -- the switch to cash crops, the exploitation of natural resources like soil and water to maximize production, the over use of fertilizers and pesticides, which results in diseases to both humans and crops -- and consequently the setting in of an environmental disaster in Wayanad.