ECO-HACK!
Film poster for "ECO-HACK!". A man stands with a fishing rod.
ECO-HACK!
Film poster for "ECO-HACK!". A man stands with a fishing rod.
Deep in the Mojave desert, an unconventional field biologist wages a high-tech war against ravens — think laser cannons, drones, exploding turtle shells — in a last-ditch effort to save the last few desert tortoises from extinction

ECO-HACK!

Regular price $129.00
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AUDIENCE AWARD, BEST SHORT DOC - Hot Docs, Palm Springs Film Festival, and InterFilm Berlin JACKSON WILD

Conservation • Technology • Endangered Species • The Environment • Ecosystems • Climate Change


Date of Completion: 2022 | Run Time: 16 minutes​​ | Language: English | Captions: Yes | Includes: Transcript | Directed & Produced: Josh Izenberg & Brett Marty | Edited: Jen Bradwell | Director of Photography: Phil Briggs

Biologist Tim Shields has watched desert tortoise populations in the Mojave Desert plummet since the 1990s. The latest threat? Ballooning populations of ravens, thanks to increased human activity in the desert. Tired of "taking notes on a quiet catastrophe," Tim quits traditional observational biology in exchange for direct intervention. Building specialized drones, desert rovers, laser cannons, and fake exploding tortoise shells, Tim is waging a technological war on ravens in a last ditch effort to save the species, and prove that innovation, technology, and imagination may be the last hope for saving the planet.

One Film Fan
"Nature documentary filmmaking gets a facelift in a most uniquely entertaining, thought-provoking, and ultimately inspirational way via this wonderfully executed sixteen and a half minute Oscar qualifying short film from the...duo of Josh Izenberg and Brett Marty".

UK Film Review | Chris Buick, Staff Writer
"Nothing short of an inspiring film of ingenuity, tenacity and belief in making a difference."

Bain's Film Reviews | Kyle Bain, Staff Writer
"Eco-Hack is truly brilliant, and I’ve honestly never seen anything like it before."

Take 2 Indie Review | Alexis Grusby, Staff Writer
"Eco-Hack! took on a little-known story that could one day inspire. . . change in our world."

Film Threat | Josiah Teal, Staff Writer
"Eco-Hack! uses sublime wildlife footage...to drive home the need for change, resulting in a powerful emotional appeal throughout. Eco-Hack! is well made. Izenberg and Marty have a clear vision, and the film will raise awareness of the challenges facing the desert tortoise population."