Director's Statement

As our population approaches nine billion people, all clamoring for the same opportunities and resources, it would be a risk to ignore
our limits of consumption. Just as Thomas Malthus predicted in 1796, hunger, famine, and malnutrition are still with us today as a result of our inability to foresee potential future dangers. Meanwhile, a small rural community off the coast of Costa Rica prospers from an endangered specimen’s egg. But at what cost does this cash crop come at? And can this lifestyle be sustainable for such communities over a long period of time?

An ironic form of capitalism has won, as an entire community relies on the cash of a natural resource that produces income merely once a month. To compete with other industries in Central America (such as the banana industry) they have found a crop that is in demand, and have marketed it locally and effectively. But the fight for something as fragile and desirable as the turtle egg has held many people back from progress. The town and government have been in conflict for the protection of these turtles and the ultimate fate of the beach. Although the town is supposed to use most of the money for education and community development, it usually only sees the hands of individuals and families.

My goal in creating this documentary goes beyond awareness and education. Entre La Cosecha (Between the Harvest) will demonstrate the need of balance between population and resources throughout the world. There is an urgency to give these communities more sustainable options. I hope to give the community more than just a pair of board-shorts and a few meals, the extent to which foreigners support the community. Essentially tourists and turtles have the same impact on Ostional, arriving out of the blue, bestowing riches upon the town before returning to their glorious lives in other parts of the world. And the local people are left behind to burn away the days until these benefactors return. Hopefully, these rural communities can start relying more on agro-ecological methods as a local resource and skill.

And a very special big thank you to Jose Cruz, my mentor and location coordinator in Costa Rica. Without Jose this film would not be possible in the first place.