The Reclamation of Dark

The Reclamation of Dark is meant to be a multiple point of view project, drawing from "user-submitted" content to tell the story of the disappearance of the night sky in urban environments.

INSPIRATION/BACKSTORY
On August 14, 2003 much of the Northeast and Midwest of the United States experienced a significant blackout. I lived on the Upper West Side of Manhattan at the time, having recently relocated from Palo Alto, CA. I took my dog on a walk in Central Park - they city was full of life! Nobody had power, it was very hot outside, and everyone spilled out into the streets to bar-b-q meat that would rot otherwise, and drink beer before it got warm. As the sun set, and darkness enveloped the city, the stars were glorious. I overheard so many kids in absolute wonder (and sometimes even fear) as they marveled at the Milky Way, never having seen it before.

This prompted a sad reaction. These children, like many others in urban cities, had been robbed of their right to darkness. The night sky inspires man across the globe to think big, to imagine heaven. It was once a primary navigation tool. It is a basic human right to be able to see the stars, and to experience the dark of night, uninterrupted by egregious light polluters.

RESULT
This experimental film is meant to capture the story of darkness and light across cultures, continents and communities. It will be edited in Durham, NC, but the raw materials will be gathered from filmmakers, astronomers, astrologers, activists, NASA and NOAA, archival news footage sources, etc around the globe. The project is currently in the development phase. Collaborators welcome....