Contributed By DCEFF
DC’s Environmental Film Festival returns March 16-26 with an exciting line-up of events.
The Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital (DCEFF) gears up for its much anticipated return of in-person events after a three year pause on live screenings due to the pandemic. Entering its 31st year, the festival will resume its public screenings from March 16-26 across multiple venues in D.C., including the Naval Heritage Center, Landmark E Street Cinema, the National Geographic Society, various Smithsonian Museums, Embassies and other cultural organizations. Festival-goers are already inquiring about this year’s film lineup and special events.
The Festival opens with an exciting D.C. premiere of Deep Rising (Matthieu Rytz, narrated by Executive Producer Jason Momoa), fresh from its world premiere at Sundance which tells a riveting story about a destructive secretive organization empowered to extract massive amounts of metals from the deep seafloor. Other film highlights include Oscar nominated All That Breathes (Shaunak Sen) centered around protection of the black kite bird of prey, Geographies of Solitude (Jacquelyn Mills) acknowledged by NY Times for its contemplative presentation of the rich ecosystem of Sable Island, and many other multicultural selections that feature stories from around the globe which will be screened at local embassies throughout D.C.
DCEFF has long been known for its lively programming and dedicated partnerships which entertain and educate about a wide range of environmental topics. This year’s highlights include a return of The Forum, a thought-provoking talk-series that explores critical themes, issues and trends such as Storytelling During Times of War: A View from Ukraine. This particular panel will feature two guest filmmakers from Ukraine to discuss the power and importance of visual storytelling in times of crisis as well as the prospects of a “green” post-war reconstruction for Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
DCEFF also introduces for the first time a live pitch contest which offers emerging BIPOC filmmakers the opportunity to win a $12,500 grant towards the production of a short or their first feature film. Finalists will have a unique opportunity to be mentored by Judith Helfand (co-founder Chicken & Egg Pictures, award-winning filmmaker).
As public interest in environmental stories continues to grow, DCEFF will continue virtual programming in a hybrid festival model to allow for enjoyment outside of the local area. Audiences who cannot attend in-person screenings can look forward to a diverse selection of themes with films that challenge environmental threats and support proactive and sustainable action.
For more information and the full-season program, visit dceff.org.
This piece was prepared online by Panuruji Kenta, Publisher, SEVENSEAS Media