Botanical Shakespeare author, Gerit Quealy is hosting a special screening of ‘The Felling’ on behalf of the Urban Tree Festival at The Garden Cinema on Sunday 1st June.

The Felling is an independent Sheffield Vision documentary produced by Jacqui Bellamy and Eve Wood, which has been described by the Green Party as ‘a masterclass in non-violent direct action’. The Showroom, Sheffield, said it conveyed ‘a mighty message about the true power of ordinary people standing up, together.

The Felling tells an extraordinary but shocking eye-witness account about the tree-lined streets of suburban Sheffield and a small group of local residents who battled to prevent a multinational corporation and the powerful city council from felling thousands of healthy trees in service of a multi-billion private contract.

What began as a simple local protest rapidly became a David & Goliath tale which attracted both national and international support from concerned citizens and environmentalists. With increasingly higher stakes and even the threats of bankruptcy and imprisonment, ordinary people were forced to ask themselves: How far am I prepared to go to save a tree?

Located close to London’s Covent Garden and Bloomsbury, the Garden Cinema is the perfect location for nature lovers to gather in support of trees, to share stories and discuss how they can help to save our precious natural world.

The screening will follow an appearance by Stefano Petroni, whose mission is to Save the Olives and which includes a contribution from Dame Helen Mirren. Tree Hunting author, Paul Wood and Ed Spurr of Acorn vase/Ilex Studio, will also appear alongside Gerit and a few other surprise guests at the one-off event.

This event is a fundraiser for the UTF, a not-for-profit, non-political Community Interest Company run by a passionate group of staff and volunteers who include: “artists, meditators, young people and the old, mothers with prams, tree wardens, conservationists, dog walkers, writers, rappers, health and welfare practitioners, ecologists and urban planners, food growers and restaurant goers, storytellers … and everyone who is inspired to love our trees!”

The show will start at 2.00pm at this wonderful art house cinema, which is located at 39-41 Parker Street, London, WC2B 5PQ.

Book your tickets here: https://www.thegardencinema.co.uk/film/tree-stories-the-felling-other-speakers/