If a Tree Falls

{{Short description|2011 documentary film}} {{for|the phrase|If a tree falls in a forest}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox film | name = If a Tree Falls | image = IATF poster.jpg | alt = | caption = Promotional poster for ''If a Tree Falls'' | director = Marshall Curry | producer = Marshall Curry <br/>Sam Cullman | writer = Marshall Curry <br/>Matthew Hamacheck | screenplay = | story = | based_on = <!-- {{based on|title of the original work|writer of the original work}} --> | starring = | music = James Baxter<br/>The National | cinematography = Sam Cullman | editing = Matthew Hamacheck<br/>Marshall Curry | studio = | distributor = Oscilloscope Laboratories | released = {{Film date|2011|1|21|Sundance|2011|6|22|United States}} | runtime = 85 minutes | country = | language = English | budget = | gross = }}

'''''If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front''''' is a 2011 American documentary film by filmmaker Marshall Curry. It tells the story of activist Daniel G. McGowan of the Earth Liberation Front (ELF), from his first arson attacks in 1996 to his 2005 arrest by the Department of Justice. The film also examines the ethics of the ELF and the nature of eco-terrorism.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/2012/02/21/147163544/if-a-tree-falls-explains-earth-liberation-fronts-rise 'If A Tree Falls': The Earth Liberation Front's Rise: NPR]</ref>

Premiering at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, ''If a Tree Falls'' was rapidly acclaimed by critics as many considered it one of the best documentaries of 2011 for its thought-provoking portrayal of complex environmental and political issues. It won a number of awards and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTcNX_n3lIQ Undefeated Wins Documentary Feature; 2012 Oscars]</ref>

==Plot== {{Main|Earth Liberation Front}}

Daniel McGowan first became involved with the ELF in 1996.

The Department of Justice launched Operation Backfire to find the arsonists.

In 2006, McGowan was arrested.

Signing a plea agreement, he was sentenced to 7 years in prison.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/22/movies/if-a-tree-falls-documentary-on-earth-liberation-front.html 'If a Tree Falls', Documentary on Earth Liberation Front - The New York Times]</ref>

==Production== Director Marshall Curry knew Daniel McGowan through his wife's work.<ref name=press>{{cite web|url=https://www.ifatreefallsfilm.com/If%20A%20Tree%20Falls-Press%20Notes.pdf|title=If a Tree Falls-Press Notes|publisher=ifatreefallsfilm.com|date=2012-11-13}}</ref> McGowan did not strike him as the terrorist type, so after his 2006 arrest, he was intrigued to find out what led him to his radical course of action.

==Release== ''If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front'' premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the award for Best Documentary Editing. Oscilloscope Laboratories would subsequently pick it up for theatrical distribution.

PBS broadcast the film on September 13, 2011, as part of its ''POV'' series.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2uAKxbDoDA If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front - Documentary Trailer - POV 2011 | PBS on YouTube]</ref>

===Reception=== {{Rotten Tomatoes prose|88|7|33|Rooted in the trials of a fast-moving reality, ''If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front'' deftly connects to a larger system with care and attention.}}<ref>[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/if_a_tree_falls_a_story_of_the_earth_liberation_front Rotten Tomatoes]</ref> {{Metacritic film prose|65|14}}<ref>[https://www.metacritic.com/movie/if-a-tree-falls-a-story-of-the-earth-liberation-front Metacritic]</ref>

Kenneth Turan of the ''Los Angeles Times'' called it "one of the best documentaries of the year"<ref>{{cite web|last1=Turan|first1=Kenneth|title=Kenneth Turan's film picks: 'If a Tree Falls,' 'Honeymoon Killers' |url=https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2011/07/kenneth-turans-film-picks-if-a-tree-falls-honeymoon-killers.html|website=Los Angeles Times|date=21 July 2011 |accessdate=14 May 2015}}</ref> and ''The New York Times'' said it was "an extraordinary documentary... [a] fearless exploration of complexity in a world drawn to oversimplified depictions of events and problems, heroes and villains."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Revkin|first1=Andrew|title=If a Tree Falls, Can it Win an Oscar?|url=http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/13/if-a-tree-falls-can-it-win-an-oscar/|website=The New York Times|date=13 December 2011 |accessdate=14 May 2015}}</ref>

The various organizations involved—including the spokesman for the Earth Liberation Front and the prosecutor who put members of the E.L.F. in prison—also responded favorably.<ref name=press/>

===Awards=== *Academy Award, Best Documentary Feature (nominee)<ref>{{cite web|title=The 84th Academy Awards 2012|url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2012|website=Oscars.org|accessdate=14 May 2015}}</ref> *Sundance Film Festival, Best Documentary Editing (winner)<ref>{{cite web|title=If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front|url=https://history.sundance.org/films/6849/if_a_tree_falls_a_story_of_the_earth_liberation_front|website=Sundance Institute|accessdate=14 May 2015}}</ref> *Dallas Film Festival, Environmental Visions Award (winner)<ref>{{cite web|title=2011 DALLAS International Film Festival Announces Award Winners|url=https://www.vimooz.com/2011/04/09/2011-dallas-international-film-festival-announces-award-winners-jess-moss-wins-best-film/|website=Vimooz|date=9 April 2011 |accessdate=14 May 2015}}</ref> *Miami International Film Festival, Knight Dox Competition Grand Jury Prize (nominee) *Miami Film Festival, Knight Dox Competition Special Mention (winner) *Nashville Film Festival, Best Documentary (winner)<ref>{{cite web|last1=Smith|first1=Nigel M.|title="Weekend" & "If a Tree Falls" Win Big in Nashville|url=https://www.indiewire.com/article/weekend_if_a_tree_falls_win_big_in_nashville|website=Indiewire|date=20 April 2011 |accessdate=14 May 2015}}</ref> *Traverse City Film Festival, Founders Award for Best Documentary (winner) *Santa Cruz Film Festival, Earthvision Environmental Jury Prize (winner)<ref>{{cite web|title=Santa Cruz Film Festival Awards|url=http://www.santacruzchamber.org/EXTERNAL/WCPAGES/WCNEWS/NEWSARTICLEDISPLAY.ASPX?ArticleID=181|website=Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce|access-date=14 May 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518090941/http://www.santacruzchamber.org/EXTERNAL/WCPAGES/WCNEWS/NEWSARTICLEDISPLAY.ASPX?ArticleID=181|archive-date=18 May 2015}}</ref> *Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival, Best Feature (winner) *Best Documentary Screenplay from the Writers Guild of America (nominee)<ref>{{cite web|title=Writers Guild Awards: Complete Winners List|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wga-writers-guild-awards-winners-list-292639|website=hollywoodreporter.com|publisher=The Hollywood Reporter|accessdate=18 February 2019|date=19 February 2012}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|https://www.ifatreefallsfilm.com/}} * {{IMDb title|1787725}} * {{Rotten Tomatoes|if_a_tree_falls_a_story_of_the_earth_liberation_front}} * [https://www.pbs.org/pov/films/ifatreefalls/ ''If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front'' website on POV] * [https://www.ifatreefallsfilm.com/If%20A%20Tree%20Falls-Press%20Notes.pdf Press Notes] * [https://vimeo.com/88179532 Trailer on Vimeo] * [https://archive.org/details/2011-if-a-tree-falls-a-story-of-the-earth-liberation-front The entire film on Internet Archive]

{{Marshall Curry}}

Category:2011 films Category:2011 in the environment Category:2011 documentary films Category:American documentary films Category:Documentary films about American politics Category:Documentary films about environmental issues Category:Documentary films about forests and trees Category:POV (TV series) films Category:Eco-terrorism Category:Earth Liberation Front Category:Films directed by Marshall Curry Category:2011 English-language films Category:2011 American films Category:English-language documentary films