THE ISSUE WITH TISSUE – A BOREAL LOVE STORY
6 x 52 minutes, Documentary series, Canada, 2022Directed byMichael Zelniker
Produced byAion Pictures
LanguageEnglish
Film details
Synopsis
”What we do to the land, we do to ourselves.”
The Issue with Tissue documents the little known, largely untold story of the boreal forest and the Indigenous First Nations who call it home, that it is being clearcut for the manufacture of toilet paper and that protecting and conserving the boreal is an existential imperative.
Told in the words and voices of the First Nations Elders and Leaders of the boreal, leading scientists and activists, The Issue with Tissue creates a kind of talking circle that inspires our storytellers to speak with candor and intimacy about the issues confronting us all, and that the way forward lies in elevating and supporting Indigenous knowledge and stewardship that is rooted in an ages old connection to the boreal forest and the trees that are housed therein.
We learn that the boreal is critical to our survivability, that it is the largest remaining intact forest on planet earth, it stores more carbon than any other terrestrial landscape, it is the largest fresh water source with countless lakes, rivers and wetlands. The boreal is North America’s bird nursery – approximately 2 billion birds nest in the boreal each year, as many as 5 billion migrate south in the fall. It is home to iconic species like caribou, bears, moose and wolves – many listed as endangered because of unfettered extractive industrial exploitation.
It is also home to more than 600 Indigenous First Nations communities who have lived sustainably on the boreal for thousands of years. That the logging industry, mainly to feed American consumer products companies, is clearcutting these last remaining old growth, large intact forest landscapes so we can wipe our bums with softer, more plush toilet paper.
All of this, and more, makes up The Issue with Tissue, told powerfully and poignantly by a stellar group of First Nations Elders and Leaders, scientists and activists, including Senator Michèle Audette, Innu First Nation, Dr. Suzanne Simard, author of “Finding the Mother Tree”, the late Elder Dave Courchene, founder of the Turtle Lodge, Valérie Courtois, Executive Director Indigenous Leadership Initiative, and Dr. Nigel Roulet, a lead author of the United Nations’ IPCC reports, to name but a few of the assembled group who open their hearts and share their stories, lifting their voices in a unified outcry: The boreal must be protected and conserved.
Crew
Writing: Michael Zelniker
Cinematography: Michael Zelniker
Editing: Michael Zelniker
Music: Victoria Yeh
Executive Producer: Paul Cadieux, Michèle Audette, Dave Porter, Allen Edzerza
Direction
Michael Zelniker
Having starred in more than 20 feature films and on television countless times, Zelniker is perhaps best known for his portrayal of trumpeter Red Rodney in Clint Eastwood’s award winning bio-pic BIRD; and for his Canadian Academy Award (Genie Award) winning performance in THE TERRY FOX STORY, with Robert Duvall. Zelniker was born and raised in Montreal where he received his professional training as an actor at Dawson College’s Dome Theatre School. After graduating, he began working in theaters all across Canada doing everything from Shakespeare to David Mamet, appearing in numerous Equity productions, including AMADEUS, HENRY V, MOTHER COURAGE, TOTAL ECLIPSE and AMERICAN BUFFALO. During this period, he also co-starred in several award winning feature films including TICKET TO HEAVEN, HEARTACHES and THE TERRY FOX STORY.
Since moving to Los Angeles, Zelniker has worked extensively in both movies and television including co-starring with Peter Weller in David Cronenberg’s NAKED LUNCH; QUEENS LOGIC with John Malkovich and Kevin Bacon; TOUCH AND GO with Michael Keaton; and BIRD with Forest Whitaker. Some notable television movies include the Showtime mini-series THE NEON EMPIRE; Masterpiece Theatre’s GLORY ENOUGH FOR ALL for PBS; and the ABC mini-series CROSSINGS with Christopher Plummer. Zelniker guest starred numerous times on series such as THE DEAD ZONE, CHICAGO HOPE, MILLENNIUM, PROFILER, THE INSIDE, STRONG MEDICINE, VERITAS THE QUEST, FOR THE PEOPLE, IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT and MURDER SHE WROTE.
Zelniker starred in a number of independent films including, SNIDE AND PREJUDICE, directed by Philippe Mora; AIR TIME, directed by Gary Fleder that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival; and the Sundance Lab developed feature, AFTER IMAGE. Zelniker’s theater directing credits include the critically acclaimed CHILD’S PLAY, at the John Anson Ford Theatre, the sketch comedy show, WHITE HOUSE CHICKS at the HBO Workspace, MOONCHILDREN and WAITING FOR LEFTY at the Lillian Theater, and ONE LOVE and LOVE AND DEATH AND OTHER TRIVIAL MATTERS at the Artworks.
As a filmmaker, Zelniker co-wrote, produced, and played the title character in the critically acclaimed, multi-festival award winning feature, STUART BLISS. He also directed, co-wrote and produced the experimental feature, FALLING… that premiered at Indie Fest USA International Film Festival, winning their Best of Festival Award. Zelniker taught Acting for Film, Chekhov Technique and Performing Shakespeare at the Los Angeles campus of the New York Film Academy between 2013 and 2018 after working at AMDA for nine years where he taught Acting for the Camera, Acting Technique and Playing Shakespeare. Zelniker is a member of the Climate Reality Project Leadership Corps, (Vice President Al Gore’s organization), serving as the Co-Chair of the Los Angeles Chapter from 2018 – 2021 and as a mentor at numerous climate leader trainings.
THE ISSUE WITH TISSUE marks Zelniker’s first foray into documentary filmmaking.