Forget Tupperware parties. These days, private screenings of movies for a fundraiser are all the go. Just ask Melanie Vandervord.
The corporate events manager for investment bank Goldman Sachs JBWere has sponsored an orang-utan as part of the world wildlife charity Orangutan Outreach.
When she heard about a Hugh Jackman narrated documentary, The Burning Season, that sets out to save the destruction of a rainforest and the primates who live there – she decided all of her friends should see it.
Melanie kicked off the event by inviting 30 to 40 of her own friends including her pal Sophie Faulkner to enjoy a glass of French champagne while they watch the movie with all the proceeds going to the orang-utan charity. Now the numbers have reached 180.
The Burning Season was a much talked about movie at the Sydney Film Festival. Melanie was so moved she decided to host her own screening of the film at the Dendy Circular Quay to raise funds to help save organutans.
But Melanie’s quest has taken another turn. An anonymous donor from New Jersey who has become involved with the plight of the orang-utans after seeing The Burning Season when it made its international debut at the Tribeca Film Festival premiere in New York, has agreed to match proceeds raised from her special screen up to $20,000.
“It is just amazing how things can happen,” Melanie said.
“I just wanted to do something to be proactive and this has come about. It just shows we can all make a difference.”
Dorjee Sun an Australian entrepreneur, law graduate -the main player in this documentary, which looks at Indonesian deforestation. Sun battles to save the forests via carbon trading. Sun saves the forest but makes money - is he a profiteer or prophet?.
The human element of this film sets it apart from the green doco pack. The Burning Season reveals the devastation caused by fires that are deliberately lit to clear forests for palm oil plantations.
It’s about deforestation’s effects on Indonesian wildlife (orangutans), its role in global warming, and, most importantly, practical solutions.
For many Indonesians, saving the environment “comes a far second to the fact that they’ve got 50 million people living so poor”.
Sun rises to the challenge of finding an alternative, sustainable livelihood for impoverished farmers while meeting green goals.
Sun convinces US Bank Merrill Lynch to be the saviour – ironically Melanie’s employer Goldman Sachs JBWere is that company’s competitor proving rivalries can be put aside for a great cause.
The Orangutan Outreach fundraiser screening takes place at 6pm, Friday 31 October at Dendy Opera Quays. Tickets are $30 including champagne.
