Ava Gallery & Art Center in Lebanon, NH October 8th 5:30 – 8:30pm Free & Open to the Public
The film is the remarkable story of Nevada City, torn by clashing values and united by a common love; of how the ‘back to the land’ movement and the outward-looking creative people who live there changed ideas about food, education and respect for nature; and how the fight to save a beautiful river, turned conflict into understanding.
Born in the California Gold Rush, Nevada City was once the scene of some of the most destructive environmental practices on earth and extreme mistreatment of both the native Nisenan Indian people and the immigrant workers who built many of the mines. By the 1960s, the town was a backwater, its extractive industries dying. Then it was discovered by the “back to the land movement.” It was a second gold rush, with a different idea of gold based on nature, community and a sense of place.
The Yuba River brought conflicting factions of the community together while different ideas about the meaning of wealth have led to changes in local food production, education, arts, music and a commitment to building community. Once a place whose essence was individualism, competition and extractive industries, Nevada City is now moving toward a future of solidarity, stewardship, and livelihoods based on renewable resources, husbandry and sustainability.
ABOUT JOHN de GRAAF John de Graaf’s has produced 40 documentary films since 1977 and has received more than 100 regional, national and international awards for filmmaking. Fifteen of his documentaries have been broadcast nationally in primetime on PBS, including the popular special AFFLUENZA. His books include, Take Back Your Time, What’s the Economy for Anyway? and the bestseller, Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic.
de Graaf’s work and speaking engagements invite us to “reach deep” into ourselves and our humanity, to see the world with greater clarity and rediscover what we care about. He reminds us what we are capable of when we come together and commit to the exhilarating, courageous work of creating a healthy, happy and sustainable quality of life for our communities and the Earth.
PLEASE JOIN US AT 5:30PM TO ENJOY LIGHT REFRESHMENTS & EXPERIENCE THE ART AT AVA! The program will begin at 6pm and will include opening remarks, the film, and a community dialog: exploring questions about what we value and how we define prosperity, talking with John and sharing perspectives and ideas for our own community here in the Upper Valley.
Sponsored by Ava Gallery & Arts Center, the Upper Valley Arts Alliance, Arigatozaishoma Studio, BALE (Building a Local Economy), the Center for Transformational Practice, Dazzle Cupcakes and Lucky’s Coffee Garage
“I was very moved by how the fight for beauty brought a very polarized community together… It’s about inspiration. I think we need to think very differently about what wealth is—that is what the film is about.” — John de Graaf
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