«Racing Extinction»: a call alert in favour of animals
A documentary that, from an impeccable audiovisual production, puts humanity as the main culprit of what may become the next great extinction on the planet. But it also invites the viewer to reflect on the possibility and responsibility to reverse this situation.
If we represented the history of planet Earth in one day, mankind would be in just the last few seconds of those 24 hours. So relative arrival is to life, so infinitesimal is our location on a timeline. However, despite this relative aspect and lowest in just those few seconds we have been causing the most shocking and negative damage on the surrounding environment. How is it possible to find a business where it threatens the survival of an entire species? How can we be part of that problem as a consumer? How can we not be able to take care of the only habitat we have to live? How is it that as an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs, our own humanity is the new asteroid extinction?
After his shocking environmental film The Cove (Oscar winner for best documentary in 2010), American photographer Louie Psihoyos presents a new masterpiece with the same level of audiovisual quality, journalistic investigation and environmental reporting. Racing Extinction is an invitation to know how, after the great extinction processes that have characterized the history of the planet Earth, man has begun a new mass extinction that threatens the lives of many species. Even scientists have estimated that in 100 years the 50% of all species could be lost.
Using the resources of the documentary genre, narrative consists of a deep journalistic investigation including interviews with scientists and most recognized professionals in environmental and conservation category like the same Jane Goodall, to hidden cameras to show trade illegal of indispensable species, as the shark. The quality is maintained from the technical resource throughout its 90 minutes of projection. A close to the eyes of one of the last examples of a species. A wide shot of hundred and hundreds of shark fins that are consumed without blame either side of the planet.
The images speak for themselves. Testimonials are equally impressive, with photographs that one can be represented in the mind and estremesen equally. How is not sad and indignant while listening to a photographer who saw a shark swim without fins still trying to get on with life?
Information, emotion, reflection and impact; with special emphasis placed on the importance of the oceans to climate change and vitality for the planet. Racing Extinction is a wake-up call for all viewers around the world aware of the damage we are causing to beings living on Earth long before us and yet today are suffering their existence in quality and quantity. But far from staying only in the complaint, Racing Extinction is an invitation to begin to participate, to be part of the change, act and transform the impact into a more harmonious and positive for all of us -even animals- that inhabit the planet.
We live in an era that was called as «Anthropocentric», that is, the Age of Man. Let this historic time means a before and after, not for being responsible to extinguish more than half of the beautiful creatures on the planet, but for being those who save those animals that look to us for a last legacy trust and respect. Only by this way we will save the Earth… and ourselves. I share one of the considerations of the documentary: «People think they can not make a difference. The truth is that the planet depends on us».
