PILES OF BRICKS (REVISITED)

THE FOLLOW-UP TO THEOECO'S MINI-DOCUMENTARY COLLECTION: PILES OF BRICKS, THE NEW FILM SHINES LIGHT ON THE REBUILDING EFFORTS FOLLOWING NEPAL'S DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKES IN APRIL AND MAY OF 2015. PICKING UP WHERE PILES OF BRICKS LEFT OFF, WE CONTINUE TO SEEK ANSWERS TO THE ULTIMATE QUESTION: WHERE'S THE $4 BILLION?

A 5-year earthquake anniversary Streaming Event took place on April 25, 2020 live from Kathmandu. ​

For more about the Premiere Event Screening click here.

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Piles of Bricks (Revisited)
On this, the fifth anniversary of the 2015 Nepal earthquakes a documentary about the recovery. 

Piles of Bricks (Revisited) is almost five years in the making and scheduled for release on the mega-earthquake(s) five-year anniversary: April 25, 2020 at a Kathmandu premiere. To check out the trailer click here.

The quake registered 7.8 on the Richter scale as did the May 12 mega-aftershock. Many thousands died and untold numbers of homes destroyed. Over four billion dollars in aid and rebuilding funds were pledged as the world came to Nepal’s relief.  

Piles of Bricks (Revisited) is a feature length documentary - complete with lots of brand new 4K footage - about the earthquake rebuilding efforts throughout the Kathmandu Valley, to see how recovery efforts are progressing. 

While there has certainly been much accomplished in the rebuilding efforts of temples, and many private citizens have rebuilt their homes as best they can, few have received more than a few hundred dollars to rebuild. This all leads to a REALLY BIG question: Where’s the money? 

For a quick update on our on-the-ground view of how things are going in Kathmandu in January 2020 check out: Five Years After the Nepal Quakes There's Plenty Left to Do

Destroyed home in Harisiddhi, September 2015.

TheoEco’s Steve and Bobbie Richards first went to Kathmandu after the monsoons in September of 2015 and filmed for more than two months. They’ve been back every year since. The original Piles of Bricks was released as a series of Nepal Mini-Documentaries; the new feature film will show the before and after, and prompt questions about the mountain of money that would surely have made such a difference in people’s lives. https://youtu.be/_N78ZfThBBo. 

For more about our work in Nepal click here.

​Most with familiarity with Nepal think that corruption and a lack of transparency has much to do with any lack of funds making its way to citizens. This is not surprising given the lack of institutions in this new democracy still finding their way after the Maoist insurgency fought with vestiges of a Hindu Kingdom not long ago. All of this has happened since TheoEco’s Steve Richards first visited in 1998.

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Nepali construction workers repairing a road, December 2016.

Why does it matter? Because there was a great deal of outpouring at the time of the quakes, and many countries, businesses, and individuals promised huge sums (by Nepal standards) when pictures hit the media back in the spring of 2015. In fact, the Nepali government has promised an almost identical sum for $7.6B in total. The monies needed to get to where they were needed most. Not only for the Nepalese, but for the next disaster on par with Nepal’s.

​As we see in the film, people are not counting on the government, or further aid. Many have already rebuilt their homes from resources pooled by extended family members deciding to live together. 

For more about our most recent shoot in Nepal (Jan-Feb 2020) check out: That's A Wrap - Our Month Long Shoot in Kathmandu

The film is produced and directed by Steve and Bobbie Richards, and Amit Nepali who acts as producer, editor, interpreter, guide, and composer, amongst other roles. All of our editing is done in Amit’s Jubal Studio in Lalitpur (Kathmandu). The film would also not be possible without the help of many in Nepal, especially the Anglican brothers and sisters who are so often featured subjects.

For more about the Premiere Screening on April 25th click here.

To see the April 25, 2020  screening version of the film click here.
​This link will be live through April as a remembrance/celebration of the victims of the 2015 'quakes.

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