An Inconvenient Development

This film questions dominant ideas of environment and urbanity. It attempts to capture the tensions between communities and urban development by looking at the Aarey forest in Mumbai. The Aarey forest has long been home to different Adivasi communities and contains a diverse ecosystem. The land has been systematically encroached upon by various development projects, the most recent encroachment occurring due to the Metro car-shed project in Mumbai. In conversation with activists from the Aarey movement, An Inconvenient Development attempts to expand our idea of what a forest is. A forest is not just a collection of trees, but also a cultural, social and religious space that is crucial to the lives and well being of indigenous communities. A forest is also a home, and mainstream development not only threatens an environmentally vulnerable space, but also the lives of those who are deeply connected with the forest land. Development for whom, and at the cost of what? This is the question that runs through our film, as it explores the environment, people, urbanity and protest.