For Immediate Release:	May 24, 2005
For More Information:	Tawana Jacobs, Population Action International, tjacobs@popact.org, 202-557-3422 or 240-893-2725
Sponsor Organization:	Population Action International (PAI)
Finding Balance: Forests and Family Planning in Madagascar Documents Innovative Approach to Conservation
With 90 percent of its forests already destroyed, the need for balance in Madagascar’s fragile ecosystem is great. Population Action International’s (PAI) award-winning film, Finding Balance: Forests and Family Planning in Madagascar, draws attention to the impact of rapid population growth on the country’s rural villages and emphasizes the vital links between population pressures, reproductive health needs, and environmental sustainability. This 9-minute documentary—filmed entirely in Madagascar—explores the work of Voahary Salama, an innovative local organization that works to reduce pressure on the environment while improving the health of the country’s population, and features rare interviews with local women who reveal their desire to have smaller families. View an excerpt of Finding Balance: Forest and Family Planning in Madagascar on the Web at http://www.populationaction.org Upcoming screenings: · 2005 D.C. Premiere Event (Woodrow Wilson Center) – May 31, 2005 · 2005 Boston International Film Festival (Boston, Massachusetts) – June 22-26, 2005 Notable Recognitions Received: · Received Honorable Mention at 2005 Media That Matters Film Festival · 2004 IUCN World Conservation Congress in Bangkok, Thailand—International Preview