Under Review: Gold Butte

Made available to the public on Earth Day, April 22, 2019

Under Review: Gold Butte takes place in Gold Butte National Monument outside of Mesquite, Nevada and is the first film in the Under Review Series. The story uses mythology to convey the dichotomy between governmental corruption and the earth's natural purity. Gold Butte's choreography explores three underlying schematics for movement - geological events, folklore of the wolf and coyote, and the oscillating dynamics of a symbiotic relationship. Under Review: Gold Butte premiered on exhibition for the Creative Climate Awards hosted by the Human Impacts Institute at the Taipei Cultural and Economic Center in NYC from Sep 17 - Oct 12, 2018.

Released on Earth Day, April 22, 2019 - Under Review: Gold Butte is the first film in an environmental dance film series that showcases the American National Monuments that are threatened to be opened for industrial development. By drawing attention to public lands that are under review by President Trump, the series aims to increase public awareness of the threatened lands and promote protection of our nation's disappearing wild lands. On December 4, 2017, the President drastically reduced the size of two national monuments in Utah to allow for oil and gas development: Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante. This reduction puts 25 other national monuments and 40 national parks at risk for oil and gas extraction, mining, logging and commercial development, destroying the already limited untouched wildlife and nature in this country. Under Review: Gold Butte, takes place in Gold Butte National Monument outside of Mesquite, Nevada. The story uses mythology from the Paiute tribe to convey the dichotomy between governmental corruption and the earth's natural purity. Gold Butte's choreography explores three underlying schematics for movement - geological events, Paiute folklore of the wolf and coyote, and the oscillating dynamics of a symbiotic relationship. Director/Creator/Producer/Choreographer: Kelly Todd Executive Producer: Ernest Revia Director of Photography: Derrick Belcham Dancers: Evelyn Chen and Jenna Saccurato Sound Design: Marc Cardarelli Poem by: Nick Dillenburg Voice Over: Tori Sparks

While currently referred to as Gold Butte National Monument, this location was once and still is today the ancestral, unceded homelands of the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians and the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe.

Under Review was created to bring to light the fact that these precious wildlife grounds were added to a list of National Monuments under review for industrial development.

While not depicted in this film, we wanted to recognize and acknowledge the continual displacement and violence perpetrated against Indigenous people and people of color in the United States.

This acknowledgement does not serve as a stand-in for the actual decolonization work and is something we will bear in mind as we go forward in our commitment to accountability and equity for those who historically have been systematically oppressed.

Festival Screenings and Awards:
Premiere - 2018 Creative Climate Awards curated by The Human Impacts Institute
*TopShorts Film Festival 2018 - Most Inspirational Film
*Jacksonville Dance Festival 2019 - Best Narrative
Colorado Environmental Film Festival 2019
Women in Dance Leadership 2019
Golden Door Festival 2019
EMERGE Film Festival 2019

*denotes award recognition

Support for Under Review: Gold Butte generously given by:
Ernest Revia, Executive Producer
Keshet Makers Space Residency
Arts on Site, NYC
Gavin Black
Richard Butner
Dominic Carollo
Jamie Edwards
Alexis Huang
Suki John
Qin Li
Susan Douglas Roberts
Lisa Springle
Michael Springle
Amelia Tsai

Under Review: Gold Butte Environmental Installation

Under Review: Gold Butte was commissioned into an installation on Governors Island, NY curated by The Human Impacts Institute’s House of Solutions Residency for Futures for Fridays Environmental Festival June 2019 - October 2019.
Performer: Evelyn Chen

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