Director's Statement
A young woman buried in ashes, anchored to the ground, amidst a world fragmented into lifeless dust.
It was this single visual that came across my mind in 2016, captivated my imagination and ultimately became the catalyst for “Pearl Rising.”
It took time and space for this story to grow a heart and soul. “Pearl Rising” delves into the profound theme of Mother Earth sacrificing her own elemental children—Fire, Water, and Wind— to cease all life on Earth, thereby confronting humanity's destructive nature while embodying the essence of rebirth and our own resilience.
While writing about Earth's annihilation, I was profoundly moved by the gravity of such a tragic reality–the prospect of everything we cherish, everything that defines us and our lives, just vanish into thin air. The sheer beauty of our planet, juxtaposed with the good and the evil that we, as humans, have ultimately brought upon it, overwhelmed me. The thought of resetting the story of human life, our story, to the beginning of time seemed frightening, yet strangely peaceful at the same time. It is within this amalgamation of thoughts and emotions that the core of Pearl emerged.
Through captivating dance led by words of poetry, a dialogue blooms between Mother Earth and her daughter, Pearl. This unique narrative perspective allows for two contrasting points of view: Mother Earth envisions a future of tranquility, a rebirth without evil, while Pearl believes that beauty can rise out of darkness, nurturing faith in humanity’s ability to rise above and to be better. This story aims to provoke a vital question: Are we also sacrificing our future by failing to initiate change and adopt more responsible behaviors? Are they the unwitting casualties of our stagnant, unchanging habits?
The story of Pearl has evolved continuously, and its profound message, initially elusive to me, now stands crystal clear. Reflecting upon human behavior and its consequences has been my objective since 2017, a year marked by the devastating impact of hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, and other natural disasters—all a direct result of our actions. Yet regrettably, we don't see a substantial change in our everyday behavior.
With this film, I hope to raise awareness about our self-destructive habits, to shed light on the peril we pose to our home, Earth, and ultimately, to ourselves. By evoking a powerful response in viewers, I aspire to ignite a passion for change and the swift adoption of sustainable practices.
Accessibility
Our vision for "Pearl Rising" extends beyond filmmaking, it encompasses a commitment to inclusivity and accessibility for both our production team and the diverse audience we hope to reach. Furthermore, we recognise the importance of making the film accessible to D/deaf, blind/low vision, disabled, and neurodiverse audiences, which is why we have devised a multifaceted approach:
Multilingual and D/deaf Accessibility
As someone who grew up in a small country and learned multiple languages, I understand the profound connection that language can foster between diverse cultures. As such, one of our core goals for “Pearl Rising” is to translate the film into a variety of languages, especially because the film’s subject has universal applicability. We plan to translate the film into multiple languages, including:
Spanish, French, German, Italian, Hindi, Punjabi, Arabic, Swahili, Farsi, Japanese, Thai, Korean, Portuguese, and Dutch, with the intention of expanding to even more languages.
Each version will feature captions tailored to the specific language, ensuring that deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals from different linguistic backgrounds can fully engage with the film’s message.
Video Descriptions with Museum Partners
“Pearl Rising” is a film told in the form of a poem, surrounded by music, and thus can stand as an auditory story on its own. As such, we understand the importance of making the film accessible to blind and low vision viewers. In our distribution strategy, we aspire to collaborate with museums to screen the film, and we will use this opportunity to provide video descriptions that convey the visual elements of the film. This will enable blind and low vision audiences to have a rich understanding of the narrative.
Neurodiversity Awareness
While production itself may not directly impact neurodiverse participants, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment on set. We will ensure that our crew and participants are aware of neurodiversity and accommodate any specific needs or preferences to create a comfortable and inclusive workspace. In addition, we seek to actively engage with individuals from the neurodiverse community to improve the accessibility of viewers.