#HOTDOCS: “TAMING THE GARDEN”

By Justin Waldman

A completely fascinating tale of wealth vs nature and what humans are willing to sacrifice to gain something else. Taming the Garden is so rich in its presentation, and so wild in facts that it almost feels surreal. When former Prime Minister of Georgia wants to buy fully grown trees and remove them to his own private garden, he promised locals infrastructure in exchange, but the question that was never truly asked was at what cost? Give up the gorgeous nature in exchange for a better infrastructure.

The direction and cinematography in Taming the Garden are truly breathtaking, capturing the beauty of nature while the combativeness of humanity and the desire for a ‘better live’ that could be provided. There are far and too few voices asking what if and why, rather than just focusing on the positive. Taming of the Garden is a fascinating look at how money talks, and the people who let it.