“Cleansing” explores the idea of a distorted ecosystem– parsing the relationship between organisms and bodily structures and what it might mean to bridge the gap between the natural and manmade. It is a reminder to us humans how easy it is to destroy our environment and our planet. Earth Mother becomes the vessel and, when she is broken open through the act of cleansing, she allows us to witness the damage of the human mark, resulting in plastic, oil, and garbage emerging from her mouth. Throughout our current climate, living in an era of global pandemic, humans are exploring notions of cleanliness: physically, emotionally, and psychologically. This pandemic has given us a new lens for looking at the environment, bringing awareness and empowerment in our efforts to minimize our carbon, plastic, and trash footprints and make strides to live more sustainably.

Directed by Lauren Vroegindewey (USA)