About

Filmmaker Linda Booker spent her formative years in southwest Florida, and after graduating from Florida State University, worked as a graphic designer and Art Director for publications that include Yacht Vacations Magazine, Palm Beach Illustrated and Toy & Hobby World. Her love of movies and a growing commitment to community activism converged after attending the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in 2003. Two years later, Linda completed the Certificate in Documentary Studies program at Duke University and went on to produce and direct MILLWORKER: The Documentary, chronicling a theatre production about cotton mill workers in the American South. Her feature documentary, Love Lived on Death Row (2008), combined a powerful story of forgiveness, healing from domestic violence, and four siblings’ battle to save their father from execution. Her latest award-winning film, Bringing It Home (2013), co-directed with Blaire Johnson, has screened at film festivals worldwide since its release last year, and its audience engagement campaign is reaching communities and college campuses across the USA. The film’s outreach initiative aims to entertain and educate about the environmental, economic and health benefits of industrial hemp, and energize policy change using the unique power of film. In addition to documentary films, Linda’s company, By the Brook Productions, has provided video production services to regional organizations and nonprofit groups. A self-admitted travel junkie, Linda is grateful for being invited to locations such as Hawaii, Sedona and Portland to screen and speak about Bringing It Home. All these beautiful places and her home in central North Carolina inspire a passion for environmental and sustainability issues. How did you first get involved in the green industry? My involvement and knowledge of green issues increased during production (2010-2013) of my documentary film, Bringing It Home, about industrial hemp, but respect and protection of our natural environment and resources has always been important to me. I was fortunate to grow up in a rural area in New Jersey where nature provided my playground and creative tools that influence me still. It’s why my company is called “By the Brook Productions.” What interests you most about being green? Just doing my part by recycling, using nontoxic products, etc., and trying to gently inform others about the importance of these small acts contributing to a collective effort of people and organizations trying to make a difference for the health and sustainability of our planet and its future. What is your biggest “green” pet peeve? Plastics! Bags, water bottles, containers, toys, Styrofoam, etc., that ends up in landfills and littering/trashing our oceans, watersheds, beaches, roads and wildlife habitats. Close behind is all the synthetic chemicals and fragrances in cleaners, body care and cosmetic products. What green trend is most exciting to you or your industry? As a documentary filmmaker, seeing how films and videos are making an impact for environmental and energy issues and policy. In regards to the topic of my film hemp: All the incredible research and findings about hemp nutrition benefits, carbon-neutral hemp-based construction materials; bio-plastics and most recently the experimentation with hemp fibers for nano-cellular use in super capacitors.