In 1994, an international conference on the population problem was held in Cairo (offering a good opportunity for some first-hand observations) and groups representing a variety of causes were represented. Whether anything beneficial came out of that conference is still under debate, but that's not the reason for my less-than-enthusiastic rating. While the information on overpopulation in developing countries offered in this video is valid, informative, and certainly challenging (no rational person would disagree that there are some countries that are burgeoning with people, but lack the natural resources to provide them the basics) it's offered in such a heavy-handed manner, including an unwarranted denouncement of any church, organization, political group, or country that dared to question the agendas promoted at this conference. Catholics, Republicans, pro-choice advocates, and the United States all received more than their fair share of scorn and ridicule from conference attendees, and while some of this criticism may be deserved, the strident nature in which it was presented makes this more of a propaganda piece than a thought-provoking examination of a major issue. Not recommended. Aud: C, P. (J. Carlson)
Future in the Cradle: The International Conference on Population & Development
(1997) 22 min. $59.95. The Video Project. PPR. Color cover. Vol. 12, Issue 4
Future in the Cradle: The International Conference on Population & Development
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.