Planet in Focus International Environmental Film & Video Festival 2010

Shot over a period spanning 1997 to 2009, We Live By the River, made by Multinesia Productions (a company whose mandate is to tell authentic stories from indigenous perspectives), tells the awe-inspiring story of the Inter-Tribal Watershed Council—an amalgamation of all the indigenous nations and communities of the Yukon River across national borders—who combine forces to heal the river. Working with traditional and modern ecological sciences and grassroots communities, the ITWC proves their effectiveness against the ravages of military, municipal and mining waste. Signing one of the largest treaties between sovereign nations, and creating peaceful, respectful relationships with no interest in proprietorship, but rather in stewardship and caretaking, the communities of the Yukon River set an inspiring example for global ecosystem protection. Juana Awad