If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front

 

Story:

Filmmakers Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman examine the case of Daniel McGowan, a member of the radical environmental group Earth Liberation Front who was arrested for committing arson against two Oregon timber companies. Dissecting ELF's self-described use of "economic sabotage" to stop deforestation and other damage to the planet, the film also explores the ramifications of the FBI's decision to classify them as terrorists. (Neflix)

Review:

Marshall Curry is one of my favorite documentary directors of the past decade. His first two films (Street Fight and Racing Dreams) were wonderfully crafted and engaging.  So when his third film, If A Tree Falls, hit the festival circuit, I eagerly sought the first opportunity to watch it and while it isn’t his best work, it’s still a provocative documentary worth seeing.

If A Tree Falls follows the trial of Daniel McGowan, a member of the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) facing charges of terrorism for arsons on an Oregon timber company.  While the trial unfolds, Curry and co-director Sam Cullman look back on McGowan’s life, the radical environmental group he was a part of and how the two became labeled “terrorists.”  The stories interweave, and at times play off each other as you see the result of the group’s actions.

If you are not an outspoken environmentalist (and I am not), it’s hard to imagine destroying buildings and sabotaging companies for the sake of your cause, but Curry and Cullman understand the audience’ mindset and approaches the subject from this angle.  He certainly shows empathy towards the group but does so to show that even these outlandish acts are grounded in a bit of rational thinking.  His message is not to join this radical movement, but to understand them.

Curry and Cullman also use If A Tree Falls to show what the terrorism label does to people who get caught up in their beliefs.  McGowan is found guilty of a single act of arson- not multiple crimes, one.  He has no previous criminal history and his act did not result in the death of a single person.  Yet, because he was tried as a “terrorist” he faced life in a specific, highly restrictive federal prison that limits personal contact to a few hours a month.

If A Tree Falls doesn’t refute or pay homage to McGowan or ELF’s crimes, instead it asks audiences to sit in his shoes, to rethink the term “terrorist” and to help radicals and moderates see a common humanity. Those sound like lofty goals and perhaps it is asking too much from the film, but even so you will find a documentary that puts a human face to a group commonly referred to as “whackos.”

Reviewed by Matthew Abshire for Documentary Film Online on February 07, 2012

In Conclusion: