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Tale of a Toxic Nation

Tale of a Toxic Nation is the story of a nation rich in resources but weak in political influence. The Navajo Reservation has been left with over 500 abandoned uranium mines, toxic surroundings and an impossible clean up. The story has never been more relevant under the Trump administration threatening to reinstate uranium mining in the area.

  • Louis Berry
    Director
  • Louis Berry
    Producer
  • Callum Pearson
    Producer
  • Toby Leary
    Producer
  • Callum Pearson
    Editor
  • Toby Leary
    Director of Photography
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    documentary, environmental, politics, injustice
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 3, 2018
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Louis Berry

I have always tried to keep up with current affairs, read behind the headlines and understand the agenda of where I get my news from. The impact social media has had on fake news and ‘copy and paste' journalism is one that makes me thrive to find a way of telling real stories to an audience that is harder than ever to engage.

Combining my interest in social injustice with technical understanding, I have established an area of expertise that is investigative documentary filmmaking.

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Director Statement

The original reason that I was going out to the US was Monument Valley. I loved the idea of this Western backdrop that had been used in so many classic films and I wanted to find a way of putting that into a documentary format. It was in researching around Monument Valley that I then discovered the sinister history of the area, a photograph of John Wayne holding up a geiger counter triggered the idea.
The role between settlers and natives is a haunting one to me. The persecution and neglect native tribes have historically faced is something that is still engrained into society.
Meeting Navajo people directly impacted by uranium mining reenforced the need to have their story told and find out how this has all been able to happen. It comes as no surprise that the capital have corporate interests at heart but to the extent of which I feel needs to be highlighted.