Ashland, Ore. – Does money make people happy? Kids and family? Work? What kind of living environment values and promotes happiness and well-being? How is happiness part of sustainability? These are some of the questions raised by the documentary Happy, premiering at Southern Oregon University this Wednesday.
Happy is a 2011 documentary film produced by Roko Belic, and Academy Award nominee. The film explores happiness through interviews with people from all walks of life, including but not limited to happiness researchers, a Calcuttan rickshaw driver, and a Cajun fisherman. The film reflects recent research in positive psychology, a branch of psychology that attempts to make normal life more fulfilling, as opposed to just treating mental illnesses.
The Ecology and Sustainability Resource Center (ECOS) is hosting the film as a part of their Winter Film Series. ECOS was founded in 1995, and serves as SOU’s environmental resource center. ECOS’ mission is to “educate the SOU student body and greater community about our collective environmental impact”. They accomplish this through managing the community garden, facilitating the bike program, helping oversee the recycling center, and hosting a variety of fun events for students. Though the subjects of happiness and awareness of environmental impact seem unrelated, there is a closer relationship than first appearances suggest. Come join ECOS in this Happy screening to find out how.
Happy is showing on March 5th at 4:00pm in Diversions, downstairs in the Stevenson Union. The event is free, and refreshments will be served during a panel discussion following the film screening.
