WASHINGTON, DC, March 26, 2018 (ENS) – During the past 10 days, March 15-25, the annual Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital has been a continual feast for the eyes and minds of anyone who cares about the environment – the world’s premier showcase for environmentally themed films.
Each March in Washington, the largest environmental film festival in the world presents 100+ films to audiences totaling more than 30,000 gathered at museums, embassies, libraries, universities and theaters throughout the city.
Talks with the filmmakers and topical discussions are an important part of these showings, which comprise the largest and longest-running environmental film festival in the United States.
Many of the screenings are free, and the Washington, DC location offers the unique opportunity for films and filmmakers to reach national and international lawmakers and decision-makers.
Since 1993 the film festival’s mission has been “to celebrate Earth and inspire understanding and stewardship of the environment through the power of film.”
Four outstanding films were named the 2018 Award Winners.
The Shared Earth Foundation Award for Advocacy went to “The Game Changers.”
“The Game Changers” was executive produced by Canadian filmmaker, philanthropist, and deep-sea explorer James Cameron (Aliens, Terminator, Titanic, Avatar) and directed by Louie Psihoyos (The Cove).
It tells the story of James Wilks – elite special forces trainer and winner of The Ultimate Fighter – who travels the world on a quest for the truth behind the idea that meat is necessary for protein, strength and optimal health.
Meeting elite athletes, special ops soldiers, visionary scientists, cultural icons, and everyday heroes, what Wilks discovers changes his relationship with food and his definition of true strength. (USA, 2018, 88 min.)
The Shared Earth Foundation Award for Advocacy was established for the 2014 Festival. This award recognizes a documentary film that inspires advocacy in response to a compelling environmental challenge. The award includes a $10,000 cash prize.
The William W. Warner Beautiful Swimmers Award was presented to “Silas,” directed by Anjali Nayar (Gun Runners) and Hawa Essuman (Soul Boy).
This film documents a new generation of resistance through the work of Liberian activist Silas Siakor as he fights to crush corruption and environmental destruction in the country he loves.
Siakor was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2006 for his uncovering of illegal logging in Liberia and its connection to the civil war.
“Silas” warns of the power of politics and celebrates the power of individuals to fight back. Siakor’s battle gains momentum and emboldens communities to raise their fists and smartphones, seize control of their lands and protect their environment. (Canada/Kenya/South Africa, 2017, 80 min.)
Established by the Warner/Kaempfer family for the 2015 Festival in memory of William W. Warner, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “Beautiful Swimmers,” a study of the crabs and watermen of the Chesapeake Bay, this award recognizes a film that reflects a spirit of reverence for the natural world. The award includes a $10,000 cash prize.
The Eric Moe Award for Best Short on Sustainability goes to “Water Warriors,” directed by Michael Premo (Sandy Storyline).
Water Warriors is the story of a community’s successful fight against the oil and natural gas industry in New Brunswick, Canada. A multicultural group of unlikely warriors set up a series of road blockades, sometimes on fire, preventing exploration.
After months of resistance, their efforts not only halted drilling; they elected a new government and won an indefinite moratorium on fracking in the province. (USA/Canada, 2017, 22 min.)
Founded in 2013 by Julia and Richard Moe in memory of their son, Eric, to honor his strong interest in film and commitment to sustainability, this award recognizes a short film that best captures efforts to balance the needs of humans and nature. The award includes a $5,000 cash prize.
The Polly Krakora Award For Artistry in Film was won by “Five Seasons: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf,” directed by Thomas Piper (Diller Scofidio + Renfro: Reimagining Lincoln Center and the High Line).
Piet Oudolf is portrayed as the most influential landscape designer of the last 50 years. The film is a journey, visiting many of his iconic works, including his garden in Holland, the Highline in New York, and the great public works in Chicago, the UK. The film visits his sources of inspiration, from German industrial parks to the thick woods of Pennsylvania and a Texas wildflower explosion Oudolf now refers to as his masterpiece – the 7,000 square meter public garden for the art gallery Hauser & Wirth Somerset. (USA, 2017, 75 min.)
Established in 2010 by Joseph Krakora in memory of his wife Polly Krakora, a member of the Advisory Council to the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital, the Polly Krakora Award for Artistry in Film recognizes artistic achievement, craftsmanship, and cinematography in an environmental film. The award includes a $5,000 cash prize.
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