The Fair Trade Movie Blog

Anti-Body’s most recent e-mail update had some information on Tamara’s trip to Liberia:

Anti-Body’s recent trip to Liberia was organized to officially launch Phase One of Cooperation Coconut! Though we’ve been working out details for months, it was the trip that allowed us to start building a relationship with the future employees of the co- operative. Each person has their unique story and we look forward to introducing them to you over the next several weeks so that you too find yourself invested in the lives of those who will provide Anti-Body with fair trade and unrefined coconut oil. (more…)

I keep forgetting that many who read this blog have not yet seen the movie. So I am going to post the full synopsis, from the press kit (wonderfully put together by Rayne Roberts):

In the innovative documentary The Fair Trade, director Lauralee Farrer explores the murky territory between life, death, and the sustaining hope offered by abandonment to faith. The Fair Trade is the story of a young woman’s journey through paralyzing grief and her ultimate determination to exchange a death wish for a meaningful life. (more…)

Fair Trade for All is a book written by Nobel Prize-winning economist and ex-World Bank official Joseph Stiglitz with development expert Andrew Charlton. Because of his background, he dwells on the more “macro” arguments for fair trade, but what is wonderful about his ideas is the “comprehensiveness” of his proposals for changing world economics. Highly recommended. From way back in 2006.

Ben Muse uses arguments from Stiglitz to inform a discussion on unfair tariffs on imports from poorer countries here. Robert Reich (former Labor Secretary) even gets into the discussion in a review of the book for the NY Times, saying that “Stiglitz is worth listening to.” Sage advice.

So far, we have two online distribution channels: filmbaby.com and fullerseminarybookstore.com. And they have both been wonderful to work with. So here’s some details: (more…)

The bath bombs that were featured in the movie The Fair Trade now have a new springtime look, and some new flavors too. Check these out!

We’re so excited about everything that is happening with The Fair Trade, but there are also some exciting things happening with Anti-Body, Tamara and Steve and Shelby’s fairtrade skincare company. As soon as I get word that some of these developments are public, I’ll let the community know…

So, several people have asked for the more technical details about how we managed to get such a beautiful film on such a small budget. The easy answer is “hard work” and a shared vision amongst everyone working on the film. But, in the first installment of a technical rundown of The Fair Trade, we’ll cover the various cameras and techniques used while making the documentary.

First, the decision was made to shoot the entire film at 29.97 frames per second (29.97fps) and standard definition (SD), not high-def (HD). These were entirely budgetary considerations: the common denominator amongst all cameras was SD and 29.97, so that’s what we used. We didn’t rent any cameras, so we used what was available. Here’s what got us our footage: (more…)

Salem Film Festival found out about us, and asked us to be in their festival! More details as they become available, but I thought you all would like to know.

We’re pretty excited. I’m sure you understand.

Last night we had the privilege of watching The Fair Trade with a group from Ecclesia Hollywood, on the biggest screen we’ve viewed it on up til now. The experience was incredible, and the group had a great time discussing various issues brought up by the film.

If you would like to host a screening for a school, fair trade organization, church group, or just sponsor a screening in your city, don’t forget to contact screenings@thefairtrademovie.com for more information on opportunities for screening in your area.

And don’t forget to tell everyone you know about The Fair Trade!

The Fair Trade movie will be screening several times during the Ashland Independent Film Festival. Here are the showtimes:

April 4, 2008, 6:20 p.m. – The Fair Trade
April 5, 2008, 10:30 a.m. – panel discussion: The Drama of Real Life: Documentary Storytelling with Lauralee Farrer and Tamara Johnston McMahon
April 5, 2008, 3:20 p.m. – The Fair Trade
April 6, 2008, 9:50 a.m. – The Fair Trade

If you are in Oregon, or planning on attending the festival, make sure to come and see us!

Someone in Western Africa found a way to salvage a part of the shea tree that was going to waste with all the shea butter being produced: make shea jam from the fruit!

I’d like to try that someday…