Barred Films Podcast: If You Love This Planet
Check out this podcast discussion I had with Frozen Shoulder Productions where we discuss the 1982 academy award winning documentary film that is banned in the US.
About The Podcast: Frozen Shoulder Productions was created to fulfill one mission: combat fascism through storytelling. Our podcasts discuss banned or controversial books and movies. Our film division creates and produces stories that reflect the world we live in today. What you will find: imperfect authenticity. What you won’t find: spin, dishonesty, or bullshit.
LINK: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2602281/episodes/19707200
From my recovery bed last summer, after a surgery knocked me on my ass for six months, I started a threads account and a Substack. (My threads account was deactivated) when meta’s ai made a mistake. I am still fighting to get it back.) My goal was to focus on forging connections with more creative working women in Chicago by simply being myself. Within a few months, I started gaining traction. That’s how I got connected to Kelly, who’s current project is discussing banned books and barred films. “Frozen Shoulder Productions,” immediately captured my peri-menopause sweat soaked attention. Her current podcast invites creatives and filmmakers to discuss barred movies. She sent me a long list asking me to choose a film I was interested in talking about. That list included everything from The DaVinci Code to Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Sidebar: I ALMOST chose The DaVinci Code for it’s laughable banning by the Vatican but as I looked into the films on the list, I decided to choose something I had never seen. I picked a documentary that was in my wheelhouse.
If You Love This Planet is an academy award winning documentary short created by two women. I felt that was appropriate given my goals and the podcast Kelly created. The film captures a speech given by Helen Caldicott that filmmaker Terre Nash heard at McGill University about the dangers of nuclear weapons. It cuts back and forth from the lecture to footage from the aftermath of Hiroshima and US propaganda news reels. It’s currently free to watch in it’s entire on Youtube. I’ve embedded the links in this article.
In our discussion we talk about the structure of the film itself and compare it to two others: The Atomic Cafe and Radio Bikini. All three films are made within a few years of each other but only one is banned. If You Love This Planet is a horror film. One of the scariest documentaries I’ve had to sit with. We argue that it might be the scariest film on the list of banned films. I’ve often felt like the lone woman screaming into the void that we can do better and creating films to combat the doom. Dive in with us while we discuss it. Give the podcast a listen here.
They pair every episode with a cocktail and asked if I had an idea for our episode. So I chose a glass of ice water. Given the nature of our current geopolitical struggles and what a nuclear bomb would do to the water on our planet - a joke but also not. Kelly and Brandon were gracious enough to fit into my schedule and record this around my dining room table. I’m grateful for the opportunity to get nerdy with other creatives and talk films. Give them a like, follow and subscribe! LINK TREE: https://linktr.ee/frozenshoulderproductions
Like what you hear and want me on your podcast? I’m looking for more women to connect with to talk about film, chicago, women lead projects , combatting scarcity, career pivots and storytelling. Send me a message!