Reel Earth film festival's Massey connection

As an art lover and a bit of a greenie, the Reel Earth environmental film festival is a perfect fit for Victoria Jakobs.

The Feilding mother-of-two studied anthropology at Massey University, worked in the corporate world and admits to an interest in environmental issues.

So when she saw the Reel Earth associate director job advertised she knew it was meant to be.  “When I read the job description I went ‘Oh my gosh’, a job that ticks all the boxes of my study, my work and my personal passions.”

The international environmental film festival runs from May 11-19 in Palmerston North. It features 54 films from 13 countries over the eight days, including documentaries, dramatisations, animations and mockumentaries. Massey University is a sponsor.

Ms Jakobs did a postgraduate diploma then honours in anthropology at Massey in 2001, further developing her interest in visual art and photography, then worked in advertising in London and Auckland. She says her studies shape the way she sees the world and she still calls herself an anthropologist.

She is a strong believer in social and environmental justice, she says, and has always been a “bit green”. When her children, Oli, 8, and Sjaan, 6, were babies she was drawn into the diaper debate, opting for cloth and German disposal nappies that were compostable.

“And that’s what I like about this festival, it’s about helping people to be inspired and to find alternatives, and there is a film in the festival about the diaper dilemma,” she explains.

Now in its eighth year Reel Earth is loved by film-lovers and filmmakers, but also had something for everyone.

“While someone may not be interested in environment film festival they might be interested as a mum in a movie about the nappy problem, or as a farmer about people who leave corporate lives to start farming, or a business person about a business who has done something incredible with carbon credits to save people’s lives, give them safe drinking water and make a profit,” Ms Jakobs says.

Screenings are at Downtown Cinemas but the Clean Bin Project will also be shown at Massey’s Japan Lecture Theatre, University House, on May 16 at 12pm, with a workshop afterwards. The award-winning documentary is about a Canadian couple that challenge each other to produce no garbage for one year.

The top festival films will be recognised at the Reel Big Night Out Gala Awards on 19 May.
For information on Reel Earth go to: http://www.reelearth.org.nz