All over the world animals and plants are becoming extinct at an astonishing rate, from 1000 to 10,000 times faster than normal. Experts predict that half of all species on Earth may disappear within the next few decades. This accelerating loss of biodiversity has become so severe that scientists are calling it a mass extinction event.
Call of Life: Facing the Mass Extinction is the first feature documentary to investigate the growing threat to Earth’s life support systems from this unprecedented loss of biodiversity. Through interviews with leading scientists, psychologists, anthropologists, philosophers, and indigenous and religious leaders, the film explores the causes, the scope, and the potential effects of the mass extinction, but also looks beyond the immediate causes of the crisis to consider how our cultural and economic systems, along with deep-seated psychological and behavioral patterns, have allowed this situation to develop, continue to reinforce it, and even determine our response to it.
Call of Life tells the story of a crisis not only in nature, but also in human nature, a crisis more threatening than anything human beings have ever faced before.
See the CALL OF LIFE web site for a schedule of upcoming screenings of the feature film, and watch for release of the DVD.
The one-hour educational version of Call of Life is available NOW to schools and organizations through The Video Project.
Along with the release of the film we are undertaking a broad outreach campaign. We will be partnering with large- and small-scale NGOs and nonprofits, socially and environmentally conscious businesses, and other groups to publicize the biodiversity issue and organize screenings and other events. We plan to organize multi-stakeholder dialogues that will include members from industry, environmental circles, civic organizers and people of all political persuasions.
We're working with Specialty Studios to make the film and other materials available to self-organizing groups worldwide through the CALL OF LIFE web site, which will allow individuals or groups anywhere to plan and organize community screenings, forums, support groups, and action networks. Program materials will include a discussion guide, deliberation model, and other tools designed to help people process the difficult material introduced in the film and inspire them toward actively creating solutions.
A critical component of our project is the development of an innovative and creative biodiversity education curriculum that will enhance students' understanding of natural systems. Our curriculum will be balanced, scientifically accurate, and correlated to national education standards. Arts and media will be used as tools to inspire students to personalize and invest in the subjects. The educational version of Call of Life is available now from The Video Project, for use by teachers in classrooms. The Species Alliance and CALL OF LIFE websites will both be portals to comprehensive information and resources relating to the global preservation of biodiversity.