Hand2Earth’s documentary film “Grassmen II” about a prisoner and ex-offender rehabilitation project in St. Vincent’s prisons was screened to Heads of State and Government of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the EU in Brussels in July.
The subsequent meeting was co-chaired by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel and Prime Minister of St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, as pro-tempore president of CELAC.
Grassmen II, directed by Aiko Roudette, was one of three short films selected for the screening and debate, the others from Brazil and Mexico.
The film was sponsored by the SVG Environment Fund and documents prisoner rehabilitation with a focus on land conservation using vetiver grass.
The EU-CELAC Summit was a key political milestone to reinvigorate and strengthen the bi-regional partnership between the two regions.
Gonsalves co-chaired the first meeting for eight years and subsequently stated in the news release: “This is the re-affirmation of the friendship and the relationship between Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. On the basis of this declaration, we have some actions to do a lot of follow up to do – but there is great promise here- we have to go to our bodies’ edges amidst the unbounded elements of the real world of life, living and production.”
Hand2Earth, a local non-profit, focused on soil and land conservation for sustainable livelihoods, stated that their organisation is delighted that the rehabilitation project documented in the Grassmen II has resonated with international leaders addressing developmental challenges.
The film’s prequel, “The Grassmen” has been screened at various international and regional film festivals and will be screened at the Native Spirit Festival in Notting Hill, London UK in October 2023
Hand2Earth is a locally registered non-profit organisation working to improve opportunities for sustainable livelihoods through productive engagement with renewable resources, and the flora and fauna and cultural heritage of our islands.
H2E has been implementing Vetiver Systems Projects for land conservation, soil regeneration, prisoner rehabilitation and vetiver handcraft production in St Vincent and Dominica since 2015.
This is such an excellent and inspiring film. Nothing but respect and admiration for Ms. Roudette and the inmates. I would like to also commend the Government for instituting this program.