Red-Shaded Green is a poignant reminder that green energy can come at the cost of Indigenous life, pointedly asking us if such actions are worth it if we are destroying the land and culture of others.

As the world urgently seeks ways to combat climate change and increase green energy consumption, the indigenous Sámi people in Norway have discovered that there is a price to be paid for such actions. Their land, bit by bit, is being destroyed, stopping their way of life and decimating their culture.

We can all agree that we need green energy to help fight the good fight against climate change, but have we, as societies, become so focused on building technologies like wind farms and plants that we have overlooked the people and the land on which they are built? It’s a delicate balance between progress and preservation that we must carefully consider.

Johannes Vang rightfully believes that is the case. After watching his poetic documentary Red-Shaded Green, it will be difficult for anyone to disagree as Emma Sofie Joma Rustad talks us through the damage that has been done to her people’s land, the fight that not only her generation but the one before it went through to try and force their governments to see sense and limit what has been done. To explore alternative places or means of creating this green energy, you cannot help but feel sympathy for the Sámi people.

When people think of these wind turbines, they often focus on the positives, but as seen in the red-shaded green, we can see the irreversible devastation they have caused. Land once teeming with animals and vegetation is now barren, with endless winding roads replacing the once-mere well-trodden footprints. Bit by bit, the Sámi’s way of life is being taken away from them despite sustained protests, be it through the courts or on foot. Nothing is being done.

You can hear the pain in Rustad’s voice as she shares her fears for future generations, expressing how she believes her people are a mere afterthought, a sad piece of collateral damage “for the greater good”. However, as Red-Shaded Green notes, eliminating a culture, no matter how small, should not be the right course of action. There should be respect not only for the people but also for the land. Something that appears to be continually lost in these ever-growing green energy schemes.

Red-Shaded Green is a visually gorgeous short film (running under 5 minutes) whose message is clear as it is true: that removing traditions should not be an afterthought. More care is needed worldwide to help make it a better place. It is a thought-provoking documentary that will linger with you.

★★★ 1/2

Red-Shaded Green played at the 4th World Media Lab and the cINeDIGENOUS section at the 51st Seattle International Film Festival.

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