Tar Sands Messiah- A film by Tim Moen – September 19th
In which a Fort McMurray environmentalist goes to Los Angeles to render judgement on the movie industry and shut down the city for its crimes against the environment and teach them the more productive, eco-friendly ways of his people. Along the way he will bring them his own technology ie. the “Smart Car” of dog sledding so they may rid themselves of internal combustion engines, a carbon capture device for joggers so that their excess CO2 emissions need not contribute to global warming.
A satirical movie with a serious message; is demonizing, condescension and hypocrisy the way to solve problems?
Who is Tim Moen?
Tim Moen is a filmmaker and proud resident of Fort McMurray, AB in the heart of the Canadian Oil Sands. Over the past decade Tim has filmed around the world in places like Africa and Japan and has worked locally with environmentalists and celebrities like Neil Young. Troubled by what he sees as the biased narrative that many of his clients come here to film, Tim has loudly defended his community and the Oil Sands industry in the media including Sun News, the CBC and the Huffington Post.
What is Tar Sands Messiah?
Tar Sands Messiah is a film that explores this divisive narrative from the perspective of a Fort McMurray resident who goes to Los Angeles with the same attitude, frame of reference, environmental concern, condescension and judgment that one typically finds in activists that come to Fort McMurray. Tim will poke light hearted fun at this narrative as he tries to save Los Angeles from itself, shut down the movie industry, and explore the environmental blight which is far worse than the oil sands on every environmental measure.
Much of the film will be light hearted and obviously satirical. Tim will bring citizens of LA the Smart Car of dogsleds (his lap dog attached to a childs sled) so they can get rid of internal combustion engines. He will bring them a carbon capture device for runners so that they don’t have to contribute to global warming with their excess CO2 emissions while running. He will bring oil sands reclamation technology so they can return their suburban sprawl and mini-tailings ponds (swimming pools) back to a pristine state of nature.
Hoping to model the way forward to a more constructive narrative, Tim will then turn his cameras to what is alive and inspirational. He will compare community spirit, environmental solutions, and the products that both Fort McMurray and Los Angeles create that improve the lives of so many people worldwide. The film will highlight how problem fixation is itself a big part of the problem we face in this world and that shifting our focus to solutions will give us a better chance of creating the kind of future we want to see.
How you can help
On September 19th, we will be officially unveiling the launch of the crowdfunding campaign at www.tarsandsmessiah.com. We are looking to raise $63,000, symbolic of Highway 63, so that Tim and his crew can go to L.A to film, produce and publish the movie.
For a teaser of the movie see:
I’m pretty sure PayPal is available. The fundraising is being done through Indiegogo.
Pretty sure? Let me know when you’ve actually donated via PayPal, then I’ll be pleased to make my own donation.