The Eco Film on Friday, March 12th: Hot Spots: Part 1
Genre: Documentary. Director and Writer: Michael Tobias. USA, 2008. 57 minutes.
Following the work of Dr. Russell Mittermeier, President of Conservation International, and shot over 3 years; Hotspots is an uplifting, emotional experience. The term “hotspots” refer to areas of the planet which are populated by the largest number of unique plant, animal and insect species at risk of extinction, a definition that pivots upon the number of flowering plants and the amount of area that has already been lost to development (at least 70%). Scientists coined the term in the late 1980s and since that time, the number of areas characterized as “HOTSPOTS” has increased to 35 encompassing approximately 2.3 percent of the Earth’s terrestrial surface. While stylistically incorporating behind-the-scenes realities of conservation film making itself, first time footage of numerous rare and endangered animals; the film also provides reasonable, grounded solutions, hope, and inspiration.