The Tree and I: Irons vs. Woods, is a 30-second public service announcement and first place recipient at the Rainforest Partnership's 1st Annual International Films for the Forest. In it, a wayward golfer encounters one tree after another — directly in his flight path — and finds himself in desperate need of a solution. As it turns out, the logical resolution is a little more than he bargained for.

"We saw the golfer's plight as a metaphor for any individual's first reaction when he encounters a tree that's 'in the way,' " said Chic Bain, who collaborated on the project. "We hope our efforts encourage more people to take a long look at the ramifications of the urge to cut first and ask questions later."

The film was scripted, shot and edited in a little more than 48 hours.

Filmmakers from countries as far away as Brazil, Italy and India, as well as from cities throughout the U.S., were given a week to produce a short film of 30 seconds to three minutes in one of three categories: PSA, Documentary and Narrative/Experimental. Judges for the contest were director Richard Linklater (Slackers, Me and Orson Welles); producer Lisa McWilliams (Disappearances); filmaker Michel O. Scott (The Horse Boy) and journalist Evan Smith (The Texas Tribune, Texas Monthly).

Rainforest Partnership is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to protecting tropical rainforests from deforestation by creating a connection between communities worldwide to raise public awareness of the role rainforests play in climate protection.

For a complete list of winners and their works, visit the Rainforest Partnership website.


first place Public Service Announcement Rainforest Partnership's International Films for the Forest Films for the Forest