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How Activism Saved Tasmania's Old Growth Forests

Young Australian filmmaker Heidi Lee Douglas goes to Tasmania to make a documentary about the destruction of the island's ancient forests. As anti-logging protests escalate, logging giant Gunns Ltd reacts to public pressure by suing Heidi and 19 others for $6.4 million for allegedly conspiring to destroy the company's business. When Heidi discovers Gunns wants to use her footage as evidence to support its claims, she faces a crisis of conscience. Heidi's response is to turn the camera on herself to document her personal struggle as she goes into battle against a corporation out of control.

Director Heidi Lee Douglas began filming the unfolding saga of the community conflict over logging in 2001, following her hunch that this was a story that needed to be told. She self funded her independent film work until she was asked to work for The Wilderness Society as their in-house filmmaker making films about environmental issues of national significance. Heidi continued her independent filmmaking simultaneously, as she wanted to cover the wider story as it unfolded, and this included filming direct action non-violent protests that were occurring.