Musicwood
Directed: Maxine Trump
Rating: 4/5
Maxine Trump is another female filmmaker who has her work on show at the UK Green Film Festival, in the form of Musicwood.
Musicwood is the feature film directorial debut from Trump, as she makes the leap from shorts for the first time.
The world's most famous guitar-makers are on a desperate mission to stop Native American loggers from devastating a primeval forest, threatening their own culture and the future of the acoustic guitar.
Musicwood is about an unknown slice of American history, an unexpected and incredibly serious threat to the acoustic guitar, and a conflict that resists easy interpretations.
Musicwood is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful documentaries that I have seen so far this year; Trump really has captured the forest in the most magical of ways.
She really does show off this element of the natural world in such a wonderful way and it is heart-breaking to see them being torn down.
Trump shows off the devastation of deforestation and the harm that it is doing to our forests, eco-systems, and wildlife.
Greenpeace are battling to save the forest, Native American loggers who want to keep on cutting, while Guitar makers need rare woods to continue making the Gibson and Martin.
You would expect the guitar makers to side with Native American, corporation, but this couldn't be further from the truth. The guitar makers and players have a real connection with the wood used to make their instruments.
The acoustic guitar industry is desperate to save the forest before it is too late for their industry.
Musicwood really is a tug of war over the natural world: Trump looks in the wants and needs of the three players in this dispute.
As well as seeing the harm that all of the logging does to the forest, we also see why Native American loggers continue with their work: corporations are set up to pay the indigenous people of the region dividends.
Trump presents up with images of hardship and poverty for those living in the villages in and around the forest: it is clear that they need the money. It is clear that an economic solution as well as an environmental one has to be found.
From start to finish, Musicwood is a compelling documentary, which delves into an interesting and complex issue.
Musicwood is playing as part of the UK Green Film Festival.