Kudos to Anaya Martin

Last month, Black Sustainability, Inc. partnered with Shoe Waste to present an Atlanta Shoe Deconstruction Training over four months.

As our team completed our first month together, one of our students, Anaya Martin, shared she was working on completing a film on plastic waste titled, “Drowning in Air” and wanted to have us offer a PSA at the end. Anaya's film made its debut at the Georgia State University Research Conference (GSURC Awards) this past Tuesday and we are proud to announce that she and her amazing team took home two awards! One award was presented for her sustainability efforts and the other placed first out of all the Film and Media presentations submitted! 

I’m really thankful to have had y’all [BSI & SW] be a part of this project! - Anaya Martin

For those interested in supporting and learning more about Ms. Martin's artistic contributions, her film, “Drowning on Air”, will premiere April 26 on YouTube at @anayacreates.

ABOUT THE FILM

"Drowning on Air" is a short film that explores the environmental dangers of single-use plastics through an eerie and thought-provoking lens. The film follows a young woman on an ordinary trip to the grocery store, where a seemingly mundane act of using plastic bags for her groceries takes a sinister turn. The narrative is a metaphor for how plastic pollution is suffocating our environment, devastating our oceans, forests, and wildlife.

By incorporating close-up shots throughout the film, "Drowning on Air" heightens the feeling of suffocation and discomfort, effectively portraying the destructive impact of plastic waste.

The central goal of the film is to provoke a shift in consumer behavior, encouraging viewers to reconsider their reliance on plastic bags and instead opt for reusable alternatives. Through its unsettling atmosphere, "Drowning on Air" also aims to inspire business owners to take greater responsibility for their packaging practices, pushing them toward more sustainable solutions. The film draws from Anaya's extensive research from an internship with Georgia State’s Sustainability Initiatives, participation in sustainability conferences, and extensive reading of articles, listening to podcasts, and watching documentaries on environmental issues.

The decision to create an eco-horror film stems from the powerful influence of cinema in shaping public perception. Much like Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds or Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, two iconic films that left a lasting cultural impact, "Drowning on Air" aims to instill a sense of urgency and discomfort about plastic pollution. The film’s eerie atmosphere is enhanced by specific song choices and moments of silence, all contributing to the theme of suffocating on plastic. Each detail, from the character names to the visual and auditory elements, has been carefully crafted to amplify the message.

Ultimately, "Drowning on Air" seeks to raise awareness about the environmental crisis caused by plastic waste, with the hope of inspiring both individual and collective action toward a more sustainable future.

Shout out to Sevanada Natural Food Market Coop for supporting the film!

LIKE THIS POST TO SHOW ANAYA SOME LOVE & Tune in or join us for a virtual screening in May!

"Drowning on Air" premieres on April 26th!

CREW:

Director/Writer: @anaya_creates

1st AD: @estheroniii

DP: @chaiwithaneye

Gaffer: @willegial

Wardrobe: @yellowblanket.co @aliciatheseamstress

Sound: Peter Livesay

CAST:

@skyee.el

@clutchman.dre21

@fitphantoms

@_ingodsimage_

@yusuf.corley

@supremeunderstanding

@asiam_soarewe

@phnxx_lghts

@lucdmusic

#DrowningOnAir #AtlantaInfluencesEverything #BlackSustainability #PlasticWaste #film #ShoeWaste