Helena Kingwill

This film is based on a true personal event, which proved to me scientifically that trusting ones in intuition can save ones life. I dreamt that I had cancer in my leg. When I woke I went to the doctor, who diagnosed a malignant tumour in the skin of my calf. (Melanoma) Fortunately, it was discovered just in time, before it could spread into my veins.

The motivation for the journey of investigation I took in this documentary, was based on a metaphorical vision of nuclear waste as a malignant tumour in the earth's skin, which is threatening to spread into her veins. (It is easy to forget that we are part of nature and that our bodies are microcosmic reflections of the earth.)

I had heard a rumour that the underground water in Namaqualand that was being poisoned by nuclear waste. I set off on a road trip and met some amazing people along the way, like the women of the Namakhoi tribe, who live close to the earth, and are so intuitively wise to it. The ancient earth- wisdom of the elders of the earth's first peoples is so simple and clear. The Navaho elders say that Uranium is a poison from the depths of the earth, which should never be removed, and that if it is, it will unleash terrible danger. It echo's the Greek parable of Pandora's box. Never open it, or all ills will be loosed on the planet. It is so tempting to those who wish to have power over others- to open that box, but they can never take full responsibility for what they have unleashed if it is stronger than them. In making this film however, I tried to focus on keeping it as balanced and scientifically investigative as possible, so as not to be discredited by those in the industry who do not take things like intuition seriously. It was also my intention to give back some power to the marginalized communities- the poorest of the poor- who have the greatest wealth of earth wisdom- by giving them a voice. It is a great delight that it is to be screened in Rio on the year of the Earth Summit Rio+20, because the journey of raising funds for the film began at the World Summit in Johannesburg 2002, and my vision for the film, was to have it screened in the context of such an event.

 

South-Africa, 2009, 50 min, English & Africaans Latin American Premiere Inspired by a dream of nuclear waste as a malignant tumour in the earths skin a woman journalist sets off on a road trip. She follows the route taken by the trucks carrying nuclear waste from the nuclear power plant in Cape Town to their destination in the pristine semi-desert region of Namaqualand. There she meets men and women of the Nama-Khoi tribe, who live in the area, and listens to their untold stories. Over 8 years, her investigation leads her to the homes of other communities living and working in close proximity to nuclear facilities - from nuclear fuel manufacturing plants to nuclear waste dumps and future nuclear power plant sites. Buried in Earthskin subtly demonstrates how energy and political...