Photo courtesy of Forested Future WHEN HUMAN TIME DIFFERS FROM TREE TIME, ‘FORESTED FUTURE’ IS A DOCUMENTARY THAT INVITES US TO REFLECT ON OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN USING NATURAL RESOURCES AND CARING FOR FORESTS IN THE LONG TERM
TEXT: THAN DEESAMER
PHOTO CREDIT AS NOTED
(For Thai, press here)
The Southeast Asian premiere of the documentary Forested Future, held at Alliance Française Bangkok on September 17, offered a thought-provoking experience that invited viewers to reconsider the relationship between our present-day ways of life and forest ecosystems.
Photo courtesy of art4d
Petr Krejčí
Photo courtesy of art4d
Produced by the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) and directed by Petr Krejčí, the 90-minute film takes viewers deep into the hardwood forests of the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States, retracing the complex relationship between humanity and nature in the contemporary world.
Photo courtesy of art4d
Photo courtesy of art4d
Photo courtesy of Forested Future
At the heart of the documentary is a profound shift in perspective: from seeing forests merely as abstract ‘carbon stores’ to recognizing them as living environments intertwined with the lives of real communities that depend on them. Rather than presenting technology as the answer to the climate crisis, the film foregrounds questions of time and responsibility through the concept of ‘tree time.’ It reminds us that while humans tend to think and make decisions within short time frames, forests grow and regenerate over decades and centuries. Managing and caring for these resources therefore requires us to look beyond the limits of a single human lifetime and embrace long-term stewardship that extends across generations.
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin | Photo courtesy of Forested Future
Alison Brooks | Photo courtesy of Forested Future
Photo courtesy of art4d
The narrative becomes even more compelling through the perspectives of people whose lives are closely connected to forests—from members of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, landowners, and foresters to artisans and leading architect Alison Brooks. Together, their stories reveal that wood is more than a structural building material. It is also a medium that subtly connects human emotion, cultural values, and spirituality with the natural world.
Photo courtesy of Forested Future
Photo courtesy of Forested Future
Photo courtesy of Forested Future
The documentary also challenges the misconception that using wood must inevitably lead to deforestation. Instead, it demonstrates how sustainable forest management can meet the demand for materials while supporting forest regeneration, expanding forest cover, and restoring ecosystems.
Photo courtesy of art4d
Forested Future is therefore more than a record of environmental issues. It is a documentary that restores a sense of hope and renews our confidence in humanity’s ability to learn from and work with nature in pursuit of a genuinely sustainable future.
Photo courtesy of Forested Future