Oscar Movie with Abe: If a Tree Falls

If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Directed by Marshall Curry & Sam Cullman
Released September 23, 2011



This Oscar nominee for Best Documentary, now available on DVD, spotlights members of the Earth Liberation Front, an ecological action group that has been branded as a domestic terrorist group. It presents an intriguing ethical date about the implications of arsons that create immense property damage but take no human lives, regardless leading its instigators to be aggressively charged and subject to life sentences. Its interviews are perhaps its strongest asset, allowing each of the members to give their side of the story and stand true to their beliefs, as much as they still might after being caught and forced to face up to the consequences of their acts. It’s an unconventional subject that deserves to be spotlighted, particularly because it showcases complicated and uncertain issues.

B+