Closed Captioned
Grades 7-12, College, Adult
Directed by Mark Dworkin and Melissa Young
Produced by Moving Images
DVD Purchase $79, Rent $45
US Release Date: 2000
Copyright Date: 1999
DVD ISBN: 1-59458-928-3
VHS ISBN: 1-56029-818-9
Subjects
American Studies
Anthropology
Central America/The Caribbean
Community
Conflict Resolution
Geography
Humanities
International Studies
Multicultural Studies
Sociology
Urban Studies
Water
Awards and Festivals
CINE Golden Eagle
Northwest Film & Video Festival
Film Arts Festival of Independent Cinema
Columbus International Film & Video Festival
Big Muddy Film & Video Festival
Equinox Environmental Film Festival
Olympia Environmental Film Festival
(Sister Islands)
Ometepe, Nicaragua, and Bainbridge Island near Seattle work together for a better life for both communities.
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"An inspirational story of two foreign lands...building friendships." Kim Davies, Milne Library, SUNY College at Geneseo, MC Journal |
Filmed on Ometepe Island in Nicaragua, and Bainbridge Island near Seattle, ISLAS HERMANAS [Sister Islands] celebrates a 13 year relationship between people on the two islands. Shade grown organic coffee, produced on Ometepe, is imported to the U.S., and profits are returned to Nicaragua to fund clean water and school building projects.
Each year Ometepe families welcome Bainbridge High students into their homes for two weeks. An enterprising third grade class on Bainbridge creates and sells calendars to support community projects on their sister island.
In an era of many negative impacts of globalization, this program, filled with inviting Nicaraguan music by the Mejia Godoys, conveys a positive story of international friendship.
Reviews
"An inspirational story of two foreign lands providing services for the other, exchanging cultures, and building friendships...Through the personal experiences of each of the island inhabitants, a great sense of enthusiasm and gratitude shines brightly...Recommended for high schools and undergraduate classes in the fields of Central American Studies, Anthropology, Sociology, Spanish, Community, and Geography."
Kim Davies, Milne Library, SUNY College at Geneseo, MC Journal
"If we are to create sustainable futures for our children it will be by creating dialogue through cooperation with others...This is beautifully illustrated in Islas Hermanas."
Danny O'Keefe, The Songbird Foundation
"This informative video powerfully conveys the extraordinary success of one Washington community's effort to make a global impact through responsible buying."
Paul Rice, Executive Director, TransFair USA
"Extremely upbeat, filled with images of tropical scenery and animals, children playing, and festive music...(G)ives a brief but heartfelt description of an inspiring relationship between two completely foreign and unrelated cultures tied together by nothing but the common bonds of humanity and the fact that they are both surrounded by water."
The Nicaragua Monitor