Life in the fishing village of Buenasuerte, Philippines seems idyllic – and in many ways, it is. But dive a little deeper and you’ll discover a story of environmental hurdles, economic heartaches and government corruption – all set against a backdrop of culture, community and incredible innovation.
Tim Riedel was born in Winnipeg, Canada. His father was a steelworker and his mother was a homemaker. At the age of 10 he started producing and directing movies with his family and friends using a home video camera. One of these friends was longtime collaborator Joey Forte
After completing his studies, first in radio & television broadcasting and later in film, he was hired to assist in the development of a children’s edutainment character named Eddy the Eco-Dog. This character became the basis of the series Eddy the Eco-Dog Unleashed (1998).
His involvement with the series led him to a more executive role with KidsWebTv, the production company behind the show before moving on to spend the next several years overseeing the marketing and advertising campaigns for a number of companies. During this time he still occasionally consult on TV and film projects.
In 2009, he became involved in philanthropy and returned to TV and film projects on a more regular basis. During this time, he covered humanitarian issues such as the genocide recovery in Rwanda, child soldiers in Northern Uganda, and the child sex trafficking epidemic in Southeast Asia.
Jackstones is a unique documentary. Our story is about the fisherfolk from the beautiful fishing town of Buenasuerte, in the heart of the Philippines. The film documents the fisherfolk’s fight to re-invigorate their failing economy by revitalizing a rapidly dying coral reef.
The documentary was created using the inclusive filmmaking methodology where the story subjects were true collaborators in the telling of their own story. Thus, owning how they are represented in film.
With minimal Canadian involvement, the majority of the crew consisted of talented local filmmakers. The result is a breathtaking cinematic experience comprised of intimate moments between characters at a crossroads in their lives where the decisions made today will have implications that will last for generations.