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//The Forest for the Trees// was directed by Bernadine Mellis in 2006. This film centers on the case of Earth Firster, Judi Bari. It shows how far the government will go to label those who dissent as terrorists. But are these activists actually terrorists?

The group of Earth First that Judi Bari was involved in was spending the summer protecting the giant redwoods. These trees can live 2000 years and already 97% of the original trees have been cut down. Judi Bari has a very strict non-violence policy. There was a practice of tree spiking, where a metal spike was driven in a tree so the saws would break. This was dangerous for loggers because a saw breaking could fly apart and injure them. Judi Bari denounced tree spiking and did not allow anyone she was with to use this practice. She would have meetings with loggers and tell them what protests were going to occur so they would be prepared. She did not believe in monkey wrenching their machines. The loggers had a great respect for Judi.

Judi Bari was traveling to a protest when a bomb went off in the back of her car. The police and FBI arrived and Judi was arrested as a terrorist. It was thought she had been carrying the bomb to the protest but it had exploded in the back of her car. It was stated that the bomb was behind her seat in plain view and it was covered in nails that matched the nails in the back of her car.

During the case Judi was diagnosed with breast cancer. Before her death she recorded her testimony with her lawyer. This was shown at her trial. The FBI agents admitted that the evidence showed the bomb had been hidden under her seat and that the nails were not like the nails found in Judi’s car. Judi’s lawyers won the trial.

The film suggests that there was an FBI conspiracy to get Judi Bari arrested. This was not exceptionally compelling. It did successfully show how difficult it is for the activists to win out. Dissent is not well tolerated and there are laws to protect those who do, but they are not followed.

This film gave a real human quality to the lawyers in the case. There was a funny anecdote about having issues with the projector. This should open viewer’s eyes to how activists are viewed and treated by the government and the everyday person.