TIAFF: TerraForma

TerraForma tells the story of the remote volcanic island of Ascension, which was largely devoid of life until the arrival of natural scientists in the nineteenth century. Through a radical process of “terraforming”, they transformed the island into a tropical paradise.
The ecology was reshaped to meet the political and economic demands of society; at the expense of what existed before. Drawing on insights from experts in geo-engineering, ecology, politics and design, TerraForma explores the lessons we can learn from Ascension, and what these might mean for our planet in a future where human-designed environments threaten to reshape our very understanding of “nature”.

After the film there will be a discussion with Paul Roncken. Roncken is a landscape architect, lecturer, writer and scientist. As Provincial Architect of Utrecht (2015–2023) and Director of the NatuurCollege, he works to make research, education and future imaginaries accessible, aiming for a reciprocal relationship with the living systems on which humans depend. His work is characterised by connecting citizens, policymakers, experts and artists, with a strong interest in experience and meaning-making. During his PhD research on the sublime experience in nature and landscape, he developed the concept of the landscape machine: an innovative intertwining of nature development and agricultural production as a nature-based solution.