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Single Use by Nancie Caraway

Gen is an eco-grief counselor who suffers from ego-grief.  What action does she take when planetary collapse, the carbon economy, and ocean garbage, threaten to make her Island home unlivable?  In this drama, Gen and her 'Ohana clash with "the impotent rot" of mainstream green groups and a harmful tech company.  The stakes are raised in the propulsive days before Opala Solutions dumps the Pacific Garbage patch on O'ahu's shores, testing Gen's non-violent values.

Long Project Description

Hawai‘i, a bit in the future. What do you do when planetary collapse, the carbon economy, endless people, and garbage are making your island home unlivable? This is the crucible that destabilizes GENESIS, activist and counselor, to lose hope and clash with Opala Solutions. The stakes are raised in the propulsive days before the corporation drags the Pacific Garbage Patch to ‘Oahu shores, testing her non-violent values.


Please mail tax-deductible checks to our Fiscal Sponsor.  Checks should be made out to:  Hawaii Women in Filmmaking  - WITH A NOTE "For Single Use Project," and mailed to:  Hawaii Women in Filmmaking, 1050 Queen St. #100, Honolulu, Hi 96814

Developed during the 2022 Wāhine in Film Lab

Artist/Director Statement

I’ve come to understand the concept of Aloha ‘Āina as the piko of all things.  Fast forward to today and the bitter question, “Who profits when our home is soiled?”  I’ve tried to devote what advocacy and political energy I could to mainstream efforts in response to that question. But like Gen, in Single Use, I began to question the same old “blah, blah, blah” that Greta Thunberg pithily deconstructs.

I went granular.  The emotional power of film to evoke and stimulate empathy, curiosity, passion, and political engagement offers a path.

What I hope to share with Single Use is Gen’s emotional journey – how she processes the challenges of environmental chaos.  I don’t see Single Use as a tragedy, or a message vehicle – it offers no absolutes. I think of Genesis extending her hand through the darkness of her, and our, dilemma.

This project is inspired by research, talk-story and fear. The following wisdom gives me courage to try:

People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.   ~Maya Angelou

Connection to the story

Topic

Humans have devolved past the point of collective action against the fossil fuel/garbage economy that despoils our planet and numbs our psyches - unless more radical tactics are imagined and enacted.

Status

Pre-Production

Contact information

Nancie Caraway nancie.caraway@gmail.com

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