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2011 Festival Feature Films (March 24-27)

French director Jean-Paul Jaud presents Severn, la voix de nos enfants

director Jean-Paul Jaud screenplay Jean-Paul Jaud
voice Jean-Paul Jaud executive producers Béatrice Camurat Jaud, Lucile Moura director of photography Cyril Thépenier sound engineer Emmanuel Guionet
running time 2 h general audience

Synopsis

At the Rio de Janeiro International Earth Summit in 1992, for the first time in history, a 12-year-old child stood up and questioned those responsible for taking care of our planet. Our actions do not reflect our words: Planet Earth is still in the same state today, and Severn, now an adult, is expecting her first child. She once again takes the floor, explaining that although the situation is urgent, there is still time to make a change.

In this emotional documentary filled with hope, Severn stands as a reference for those who, from Canada to Japan and France, are taking concrete and positive action to respect biodiversity.

director/screenwriter
Jean-Paul Jaud

Interview with director Jean-Paul Jaud

In your new film, Severn, la voix de nos enfants, you present themes that you have already addressed in Nos enfants nous accuseront.
In June 2008, just before the release of the film Nos enfants nous accuseront, I discovered Severn’s speech. It moved me deeply by its passion and content. It was the first time that a child had addressed the entire planet and alarmed humanity. I found that at the age of 12, Severn had a conviction and strength that many adults do not have. I immediately wanted to find her again, hoping to learn what she had become. Nos enfants nous accuseront focuses heavily on food and diet, notably that of the younger generation. To have a healthy diet, it is important to have nutritious food; it is therefore necessary that our agricultural policies evolve.

During the shooting of the film, Severn is 29 and expecting her first child; her opinion is the same as it was in 1992. Why?
For me, things have actually changed very little, or even regressed. Nevertheless, one feels that since 1992, there has been a very strong realization of the necessity to change the current situation. This has happened thanks to NGOs, activists, associations, etc., who, for 20 years, have battled to change people’s mentalities. Now is the time for action. This second take is really there to reiterate Severn’s entreaty: “Make your actions reflect your words.” … Severn’s message is for the whole planet. I also needed to have this international mindset. The facts are the same everywhere: Almost all countries suffer from nutrient-depleted soil due to intensive farming.

In the film Severn, la voix de nos enfants, the ideas of intergenerational links and of passing down things to our children are extremely present. Are these themes important to you?
Man is on the planet to share knowledge. If man has evolved over all these generations, it is because, above all, he passes on knowledge. It has become urgent to pass on healthy soil to our children because that soil is going to nourish them and help them grow.

The next Earth Summit, in 2012, will be held in Rio. Twenty years later, if you were to challenge the most important world leaders, what would you say to them?
The overarching theme of the next Earth Summit will be the emergence of a “green economy” and the renewal of international commitments, which occupy a more and more important place in the world’s political agenda. Following her example, I would say to the leaders exactly the same thing that Severn said to them in 1992: “Stop making children cry at night and make your actions reflect your words!”