Documentary backdrop image for Empire Valley (2019)

Documentary backdrop image for Empire Valley (2019)

201913 minGdoc-short

Agro Ecology Colonialism

Empire Valley

201913 minGdoc-short

Tsilhqot'in territory in central British Columbia shows how agricultural practices, erosion, and colonial ideologies affect the environment.

Agro Ecology Colonialism

Genres

Director

Synopsis

Tsilhqot'in territory in central British Columbia shows how agricultural practices, erosion, and colonial ideologies affect the environment.

People

Ryan Ermacoradirector

Synopsis

Tsilhqot'in territory in central British Columbia serves as the backdrop for Empire Valley. The 13-minute film examines how economic conditions shape the land. It looks at the effects of agricultural practices, erosion, and colonial ideologies on the environment. The documentary addresses the historical and social aspects of the site, revealing how these factors intertwine. Through its visuals, Empire Valley presents a reflection on the changes imposed on the area over time.

Comments

What are people saying?

Play More Like This

Sovereign Soil (2021)

Sovereign Soil

2021•1h31m•★7.0TMDB

In the sub-Arctic town of Dawson City, Yukon, a diverse group of farmers cultivates crops in the harsh boreal forest, showcasing their resilience and connection to the land.

The Whale and the Raven (2021)

The Whale and the Raven

2021•1h41m•★8.7TMDB

In British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest, the Gitga'at First Nation, whale researchers, and the government confront the challenges posed by the gas industry.

The Whale and the Raven

Where the Land Ends (2020)

Where the Land Ends

2020•1h32m•★8.5TMDB

In Quebec, a group of young people reflect on their identity and the historical narrative surrounding the 1995 referendum while exploring their vision for the future.

Where the Land Ends

This Borrowed Land (2025)

This Borrowed Land

1920 acres of farmland in British Columbia's Peace River Valley face threats from development, prompting concerns from women farmers about future food production.

This Borrowed Land

Nechako: it Will Be a Big River Again (2025)

Nechako: it Will Be a Big River Again

After decades of legal battles, the Stellat'en and Saik'uz Nations seek to reclaim the Nechako River in British Columbia, aiming to restore its flow and protect their way of life.

Nechako: it Will Be a Big River Again

When Indonesians Fought Dutch Colonization - And Won (2024)

When Indonesians Fought Dutch Colonization - And Won

Up to 431 people were killed during the Ragade massacre on December 9, 1947, as Dutch soldiers sought to suppress pro-independence fighters in Indonesia.

When Indonesians Fought Dutch Colonization - And Won

Here's how the British stole this Kenyan land (2023)

Here's how the British stole this Kenyan land

Half a million Kipsigis and Talai Indigenous peoples were violently evicted during British colonial rule to make way for tea plantations in Kenya.

Here's how the British stole this Kenyan land

Crimea: March of the Tatars (2014)

Crimea: March of the Tatars

Tatars face renewed oppression in Crimea after its annexation by Russia following a referendum.

Crimea: March of the Tatars

Jamaica Eyes a Break From Monarchy (2022)

Jamaica Eyes a Break From Monarchy

Jamaicans express indifference towards the Queen during her funeral, reflecting colonial history.

Jamaica Eyes a Break From Monarchy

How the Army Got to Bomb Hawaii For $1 (2022)

How the Army Got to Bomb Hawaii For $1

The U.S. Army acquired 30,000 acres of sacred Hawaiian land for just $1, leading to ongoing military activities that desecrate these sites.

How the Army Got to Bomb Hawaii For $1

Secrets of the Flooded Forest - Danube National Park (2011)

Secrets of the Flooded Forest - Danube National Park

2011•53m•★10.0TMDB

A 36-kilometer stretch of the Danube River between Vienna and Bratislava forms the last undeveloped section and largest riparian zone in Central Europe.

Secrets of the Flooded Forest - Danube National Park

Artificial intelligence in agriculture (2025)

Artificial intelligence in agriculture

Artificial Intelligence could transform agriculture and help ensure food security worldwide.

Artificial intelligence in agriculture

Explore Empire Valley

Where else to watch

Sovereign Soil (2021)

Sovereign Soil

2021•1h31m•★7.0TMDB

In the sub-Arctic town of Dawson City, Yukon, a diverse group of farmers cultivates crops in the harsh boreal forest, showcasing their resilience and connection to the land.

No digital watch option in your country

The Whale and the Raven (2021)

The Whale and the Raven

2021•1h41m•★8.7TMDB

In British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest, the Gitga'at First Nation, whale researchers, and the government confront the challenges posed by the gas industry.

The Whale and the Raven

No digital watch option in your country

Where the Land Ends (2020)

Where the Land Ends

2020•1h32m•★8.5TMDB

In Quebec, a group of young people reflect on their identity and the historical narrative surrounding the 1995 referendum while exploring their vision for the future.

Where the Land Ends

No digital watch option in your country

Secrets of the Flooded Forest - Danube National Park (2011)

Secrets of the Flooded Forest - Danube National Park

2011•53m•★10.0TMDB

A 36-kilometer stretch of the Danube River between Vienna and Bratislava forms the last undeveloped section and largest riparian zone in Central Europe.

Secrets of the Flooded Forest - Danube National Park

No digital watch option in your country

Battle for the Trees (1992)

Battle for the Trees

1992•57m•★10.0TMDB

In British Columbia, citizens, scientists, loggers, environmentalists, and First Nations confront the liquidation of public lands amid rising tensions over resource access.

Battle for the Trees

The Scattering of Man (2021)

The Scattering of Man

2021•1h15m•★10.0TMDB

Built in 1968, the W.A.C. Bennett Dam flooded vast territories, impacting the Tsay Keh Dene First Nation for generations.

The Scattering of Man

Jumbo Wild (2015)

Jumbo Wild

2015•1h•★5.8TMDB

Decades of conflict surround British Columbia's Jumbo Valley, a key area for outdoor activities and a vital part of North America's grizzly bear corridor.

Yellowstone: The Mystery of the Wolves (2018)

Yellowstone: The Mystery of the Wolves

2018•1h30m•★7.8TMDB

41 wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park between 1995 and 1997 after a 70-year absence, leading to significant ecological changes.

Yellowstone: The Mystery of the Wolves

The Vanishing World (1987)

The Vanishing World

1987•1h40m•★9.0TMDB

Thirteen piglets are born to a twelve-breasted boar's sow, but only twelve can survive due to limited space for nursing.

The Vanishing World

Between Earth & Sky (2023)

Between Earth & Sky

2023•25m•★8.0TMDB

A life-threatening fall from a tree leads ecologist Nalini Nadkarni to question what recovery looks like after significant disturbances in her life.

Between Earth & Sky

World Natural Heritage USA: Grand Canyon National Park (2012)

World Natural Heritage USA: Grand Canyon National Park

2012•50m•★10.0TMDB

More than 4,000 meters deep, the Grand Canyon reveals five distinct climate zones and nearly 2 billion years of geological history.

World Natural Heritage USA: Grand Canyon National Park

The Age Of Aluminium (2013)

The Age Of Aluminium

2013•1h33m•★7.5TMDB

Research links aluminum exposure to serious health concerns, including Alzheimer's disease and breast cancer, while mining poses ecological challenges in Brazil and Guinea.

The Age Of Aluminium

Browse more like this

This Borrowed Land (2025)

This Borrowed Land

1920 acres of farmland in British Columbia's Peace River Valley face threats from development, prompting concerns from women farmers about future food production.

This Borrowed Land

No digital watch option in your country

Nechako: it Will Be a Big River Again (2025)

Nechako: it Will Be a Big River Again

After decades of legal battles, the Stellat'en and Saik'uz Nations seek to reclaim the Nechako River in British Columbia, aiming to restore its flow and protect their way of life.

Nechako: it Will Be a Big River Again

No digital watch option in your country

Artificial intelligence in agriculture (2025)

Artificial intelligence in agriculture

Artificial Intelligence could transform agriculture and help ensure food security worldwide.

Artificial intelligence in agriculture

No digital watch option in your country

El Valley Centro (2000)

El Valley Centro

2000•1h27m•★7.4TMDB

Thirty-five shots, each lasting over two minutes, depict the tension between nature and commercial interests in California's Central Valley.

El Valley Centro

Blockade (1993)

Blockade

1993•1h32m•★9.0TMDB

22,000 square miles of land in northern British Columbia are claimed by the Gitksan and Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs as their rightful territory.

Natural Farmer JIA (2012)

Natural Farmer JIA

A farmer on Chongming Island manages 25 acres of land using natural farming methods, avoiding all fertilizers and chemicals.

Natural Farmer JIA

Mater inerta (2022)

Mater inerta

2022•28m•★10.0TMDB

In the Catalan mountains, Teresa's farm faces environmental threats as the loss of her dog symbolizes changing relationships between locals and their land.

Browse more by Ryan Ermacora

View all films →

Anyox (2022)

Anyox

2022

Concrete Turned to Sand (2026)

Concrete Turned to Sand

2026

Ocean Falls (2015)

Ocean Falls

2015

Labour/Leisure (2019)

Labour/Leisure

2019

Is this your film?

If you made this film or hold the rights to it, we'd like to talk. We can license it and pay you a share of what it earns.

License it with us →