Evan’s ‘Last Stand’

There is probably nothing as compelling or motivating as a real life experience, but film definitely comes in a close second. And when film is devoted to bringing about positive change, we just have to applaud both the film and the filmmaker.

Evan Abramson is a New York-based photographer and filmmaker who specializes in long-term documentary projects with a specific focus on issues of social and environmental crises. His first film When the Water Ends, made in conjunction with MediaStorm,  tells a story of climate change and the semi-nomadic tribes along the Kenyan-Ethiopian border. As drought conditions worsen, they frequently come into conflict with each other as they move in search of new water sources. This pits groups and nations against one another — a problem caused by climate change and further complicated by deforestation and land degradation, and due in large part to population pressures. The biggest toll is felt by the impoverished farmers and nomads who struggle to survive as their land becomes more and more barren.

Last Stand on the Island

Currently Evan is working on Last Stand on the Island. This compelling piece is the story of Isle de Jean Charles — an island off the coast of Louisiana that is fast losing its war against the encroaching Gulf waters — and the native tribe of people who are losing their home at an alarming rate. Shrinking from 24 square miles to a mere 1/2 mile wide and a 1/4 mile long, the entire island is slowly sinking into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. For decades, oil and gas companies have been carving canals through Isle de Jean Charles allowing saltwater into marshlands and eroding everything in its path. The increasing number of hurricanes has also added to the devastation.

 The film focuses on 74-year old resident Edison Dardar’s passion for his home and his stubborn refusal to leave, even as the tribe’s Chief Albert Naquin is working hard to find a way to relocate them. 

But the clock is ticking. There is a chance this film will never be completed — and the story won’t be fully told. Evan is actively raising funds to finish this project so he can help bring awareness to the issue of coastal erosion due to industry negligence. We invite you to view the trailer. If you can, even the smallest donation could make a difference and help this story reach a wider audience. Invitations have already been received to screen Last Stand at the 2012 Human Rights Watch Film Festival and the 2012 DC Environmental Film Festival.

Good luck, Evan…

Sam is the PR and Photographer Relations Manager for Lowepro’s Worldwide Marketing team.

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