News & Reviews - Endorsements
"The Economics of Happiness takes hold of the baton dropped by former Vice-President Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth and runs it all the way to the finish."
Andrew Dash Gillman, Local First Utah
"This passionate film presents a clear and articulate vision of what a shift in the scale at which we do things would look like...Very timely and powerful."
Rob Hopkins, Co-founder of the Transition Network and Transition Town Totnes.
"A powerful new film that cuts deeply to the heart of the global crisis. Magnificent!"
David Suzuki, Television presenter and environmentalist
"It's a superb movie. I think it ought to win an Academy Award for documentary."
Rob Kall, exec. direc. of OpEdNews.com. See the full article.
"While some American reviewers have predicted an Oscar for Best Documentary, others have said that this will do for localization/globalization schism what An Inconvenient Truth did for our understanding of climate change."
Roger Hanney, writer for The Alternative Media Group of Australia. See the full article.
"A rare, thought-provoking and inspiring new film, sure to make BIG NEWS in the local/global debate."
Press release, The Santa Barbara Independent
"A deep and pervasive positive outlook is what makes The Economics of Happiness so great."
Erik Curren, Economy So Old that it's New, Transition Voice
"It is good news indeed to find so persuasive an explanation of our ailing world as The Economics of Happiness. This film connects the dots between climate chaos, economic meltdown, and our own personal suffering--stress, loneliness, and depression. It presents the localization movement as a systemic alternative to corporate globalization, as well as a strategy that brings community and meaning to our lives."
Joanna Macy, author World as Lover, World as Self.
"The Economics of Happiness offers a unique global perspective on a movement that is often reduced as being too small. Not so. The film tells the story of a grassroots movement for localization that is bubbling up from the cracks of a faltering global economy, in every corner of the world. These are the real 'green shoots' to be hopeful about."
Anuradha Mittal, Executive Director, The Oakland Institute
"I think this is the best, most holistic film I have seen on the subject."
Jacob Bomann-Larsen, Coordinator of Nordic New Economy Network
"A must-see film for the future of the planet."
Zac Goldsmith, Member of UK Parliament
"Helena Norberg-Hodge delivers a powerful message about globalization: It is the small, local economies around the world that are preserving traditions, cultures, and communities, and ultimately safeguarding our happiness."
Alice Waters, chef, author, and the proprietor of Chez Panisse
"...it is a great honor for me to endorse such an historic work."
Samdhong Rinpoche, Prime Minister of Tibet's government in exile
"A remarkable new documentary... Get a copy of this DVD. Then get the kids. Pull them away from their smartphones and video games... And show them this movie."
Russell Mokhiber, editor of The Corporate Crime Reporter
"A genuine addition to the pantheon of great films."
Ashwani Vasishth, Professor of Environmental Studies, Ramapo College
Audience Endorsements
"Last night we had a very successful screening of 'The Economics of Happiness'. We had 53 people in attendance. After the film we had a discussion led by a Transition Town leader in a nearby town. We are all impressed by how the film was able to describe so many issues, show existing responses to the issues, and do it all in 67 minutes. Wow! Thank you for producing such a powerful film."
- Leo Immonen
"Tonight in Roermond, the Netherlands, we watched [the movie] with 25 people of Transition Town Roermond. Super, lots of idea generation on local activities."
- Floris Mokveld (via Facebook, 01-24-12)
"A great movie of common sense."
- Jerrie Drinkwine (via Facebook, 01-22-12)
"Zeer moeite waard om te bekijken. [Well worth watching]"
- Gwen Risjdijk (via Facebook, 01-21-12)
"About buying locally! Inspirational..."
- Jo An Gaines (via Facebook, 01-19-12)
"L'ho visto in inglese, mi è piachiuto molto. [I saw it in English, I liked it a lot]"
- Fabio Corsi (via Facebook, 01-10-12)
"A compeling film and concept - the power and promise of localism. Check it out."
- Susan Barnard (via Facebook, 01-08-12)
"[I've] just seen the movie; I think it's the best message for people all around the world I have ever heard! This movie is sincere and appoints the global problems at their core...Thanks for this message."
- Roman Aalbers (via facebook, 5-10-11)
"Thanks for the message...and the movie."
- Rob Swales (via facebook, 5-10-11)
"I LOVED this movie and the wonderful discussion that followed here in Sydney on Thursday night! I bought the DVD and will be sharing it with many people!!"
- Nancy Georges (via facebook, 5-8-11)
"Absolutely wonderful documentary!! I hope lots and lots of people are able to see it. I'm forever changed for it."
- Jenn Knight (via facebook, 5-7-11)
"I have just attended the Sydney screening and had tears in my eyes. A real wake-up call. Let's hope enough of us wake up before it's too late. I know I will make every effort to support local business where ever I am in the world. Thank you for making a difference."
- Michelle McLeod (via facebook, 5-5-11)
"[I] recently purchased the dvd Economics of Happiness...it's excellent...[I've] been passing it around to friends and it's made a deep impression on everyone. This kind of thing needs to be circulated to the general public. Keep up the good work ISEC."
- Robert Curry (via facebook, 5-4-11)
Brilliant film. [I'm] feeling empowered and want to help get the message out there. I hope who sees this film shares the message with their family and friends!"
- Prudence Nuck (via facebook, 5-3-11)
"Wonderful film. Thanks for producing this, I feel so enriched and overwhelmed at the same time. [I] really would like to organise a screening - Perth/Australia needs one too!"
- Sarah Bednarska (via facebook, 5-3-11)
"I watched The Economics of Happiness at Slow Food Calgary Local 101 event and it was terrific!"
- Capri Rasmussen (via facebook, 5-1-11)
"Excellent film!"
- Lynda Obershaw (via facebook, 4-30-11)
"[I] saw the film last night, it was fantastic."
- Angela Hanton (via facebook, 4-29-11)
"[I] got to see this movie at an ASU [Arizona State University] film festival - great documentary..."
-Nayeema Eusuf (via facebook, 4-29-11)
"This is, hands down, the most pertinent and timely journalistic effort I have ever seen."
Robert Foster (4-1-11)
"What a beautiful, engaging and positive film! Well Done!"
Sebastian Von Holstein (via facebook, 4-23-11)
"Thanks for your remarkable film. We've been doing our documentary series for seven years, waiting for a definitive film on globalization that also presents an alternative. Now we have seen it, and it gives us direction and impetus to move forward."
Robert Brummel, Conscientious Projector, Pasadena, CA (4-20-11)
"[I] saw the movie tonight in Amherst, NH. Wow! An incredibly powerful analysis of what is wrong and what we have to do to fix it. [I'm] joining our CSA tomorrow!!!"
Michael Conley (via facebook, 4-20-11)
"I saw the film today ~ Excellent: not just a clean analysis of the problems, it also presented hope and solutions for a more sustainable future."
Cheri Smith Damkoehler (via facebook, 4-12-11)
