“Why is it we live in a world that only focuses on the symptoms and never the cause? How is it that the very systems that have undermined social and environmental sustainability are now the systems being put forward as a solution? The great developmental paradox of our time.” Jason Taylor, #The Source Project

This realization made Jason Taylor and Chintan Gohil, set-up The Source Project.

“I don’t really know where all this is going,” says Jason, “but I felt I needed to change and begin doing something to re-connect to what we are about to lose. This is all very much work in progress.”

The Source Project is set up to work in a more holistic way within the so called development media as the likes of the World Bank and Bill and Melinda Gates foundation begin to transform the development sector into a business driven model.

It is about using media to engage people in some of the many issues we need to embrace. Story telling from people who are driven by nothing more than a compassion moves away from the traditional confrontational format, which does little more than foster an overwhelming sense of helplessness.

Created in a short film format, the media produced by the Source Project can be easily watched and shared on various social media platforms. The filmmakers believe that this way they are able to not only help counter an imbalance of misinformation within development media but also stimulate consciousness on issues that otherwise would pass unnoticed.

At the heart of the Source Project is agriculture, a system, not only of food production but also one that maintains our ecosystem, our cultures, and our health and the very survival of humanity.

The 9×9 online film festival showcases just 9 of the many beautiful films produced by the Source Project.  It all started when Chintan and Jason, members of the The Rules #community, contacted the organization about collaborating on issues of mutual concern and beyond.

The rest, as they say, is history.

About the filmmakers

Chintan Gohil ~ Filmmaker & Photographer.

Chintan is an award winning filmmaker and photographer based in India. Over the past few years she has been involved in a variety of projects with NGO’s as well as her own personal work reflecting her design background and concerns around agriculture and the environment.

Her training as an architect, focusing on urban planning and sustainable architecture has helped her to not only understand many of the issues communities face but also how to document and communicate them.

Last year she won a residency with Documentary Art Asia in Thailand, resulting in a 20-minute film on PunPun’s farm and the philosophy of Jo Jandai and his vision of sustainability and happiness.

She now runs most aspects of The Source Project and is instrumental in much of the production and development of the various media including social media and the dissemination of the projects.

Jason Taylor ~ Filmmaker & Photographer

After ten years of working as a photographer and filmmaker in what is fashionably known as ‘development’, Jason realised that much of what he was involved in was little more than managed poverty.

He started to realise that he was becoming a part of that system. As he looked around and interacted with media, development, photographers and filmmakers, he began to understand that it was an industry like any other.

He started questioning the work he was doing and the absolute disconnect between those who commissioned him and those he was there to document.

Now along with Chintan he runs the Source Project, making films that go beyond the problem to address solutions often ignored by the mainstream.