Environmental Film Festival: our day by day picks
With crazy weather swings, yet another snow storm and some confused birds flying around, it's perfect timing for the 2014 Environmental Film Festival to give us some silver screen escapism featuring our good friends global warming, endangered indigenous cultures, disappearing animal species and vanishing tropical sanctuaries.Optimists take along your most pessimistic friends. Pessimists look on the bright side, we still have movies!
Our day by day picks for this year's Environmental Film Festival:
Tuesday 3/18
CARPE DIEM: A FISHY TALE // (Canada, 2013, 52 min.)Watch out Asian Carpe, we know what you did last summer.Narrated by David Suzuki. Directed by Scott Dobson. Produced by Charlotte Engel.
Embassy of Canada501 Pennsylvania Ave., NW6:30 pm, free with registration
Wednesday 3/19
ONCE UPON A FOREST (IL ÉTAIT UNE FORÊT) // (France, 2013, 78 min.)From the Director of March of the Penguins, Luc Jacquet dives into the tropical rainforest of the Peruvian Amazon and Gabon with ecologist/botanist Francis Hallé.In French with English subtitles. Directed by Luc Jacquet. Produced by Yves Darondeau, Christopher Lioud, and Emmanuel Priou.
Embassy of France4101 Reservoir Rd., NW, Screening is currently booked, check site for updates
Thursday 3/20
ANGEL AZUL // (USA, 2014, 72 min.)Explore the connection with the underwater eco-system through the documentation of life-like statues and the algae that overtakes their man-made reefs they spawn.Directed by Marcelina Cravat. Produced by Marcelina Cravat, Kath Delaney and Erik Johnson.
Mexican Cultural Institute2829 16th St., NW, Screening is currently booked, check site for updates
Friday 3/21
WOVEN LIVES: CONTEMPORARY TEXTILES FROM ANCIENT OAXACAN TRADITIONS // (USA, 2011, 76 min.)Documentary about the development of woven textiles in Zapotec communities of Oaxaca, Mexico. Discussion with filmmaker after the screening.Written, directed and produced by Carolyn Kallenborn.The George Washington University, Marvin Center, Third Floor Amphitheater, 800 21st St., NW, 7pm, free
Saturday 3/22
SLUMS: CITIES OF TOMORROW // (Canada, 2013, 82 min.)Explore the inspiring and tenacious individuals in slums from Mumbai, India to a tent city in New Jersey.In French, English, Arabic, and Hindi with English subtitles. Directed by Jean-Nicolas Orhon. Produced by Christine Falco.
Petworth Neighborhood Library4200 Kansas Ave., NW, 2pm, free
Sunday 3/23
FIRE AND ICE (USA, 2013, 57 min.)Part of a 4-part series Standing on Sacred Ground, shows how indigenous customs protect biodiversity despite being pushed out by religious groups and threatened by climate change.Directed by Christopher McLeoud.
National Museum of the American IndianFourth St. & Jefferson Dr., SW, 3pm, free
Monday 3/24
THE HADZA: THE LAST OF THE FIRST // (USA, 2014, 71 min.)One of the last remaining hunter-gather groups has lived in the Africa’s Rift Valley for over 50,000 years.Directed by Bill Benenson.
Carnegie Institution for Science, Elihu Root Auditorium1530 P St., NW, 7pm, $10
Tuesday 3/25
Urban Legacies, Rural TraditionsShort film program from journalists showing the social and environmental consequenses of urban industries.
Carnegie Institution for Science, Elihu Root Auditorium1530 P St., NW6:30pm, free with registration
Wednesday 3/26
THE BONOBO CONNECTION // (Congo / USA, 2012, 32 min.)One of our closes relatives can only be found in the Democratic Republic of Congo and may be first to go extinct.Narrated by Ashley Judd. Directed and produced by Irene Magafan.
Georgetown University, Edward B. Bunn Intercultural Center37th & O Sts., NW, 7pm, free
Thursday 3/27
HAPPINESS // (France / Finland, 2013, 80 min.)Winner Cinematography Award for World Cinema Documentary at 2014 Sundance Film Festival, this film shows what happens when eight-year-old monk buys a TV-st.Directed by Thomas Balmès and Nina Bernfeld.
E Street Cinema555 11th St., NW, 7:30pm, $10
Friday 3/28
STOP! RODANDO EL CAMBIO // (Spain, 2014, 70 min.)Follow the crew along the Spanish countryside, France and Portugal to experience those that have chosen to live a simpler life.In Spanish with English subtitles. Directed by Alba González de Molina Soler and Blanca Ordóñez de Tena.
American University, Forman Theater201 McKinley Building, 4400 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 6:45pm, free
Saturday 3/29
NATUROPOLIS: NEW YORK, THE GREEN REVOLUTION // (France, 2013, 89 min.)How do mega-cities like New York incorporate nature and wildlife in urban settings?Directed by Bernard Guerrini.
National Museum of American History, Warner Bros. Theater, 14th St. & Constitution Ave., NW, 2:30pm, free
Sunday 3/30
CALLE LOPEZ // (Mexico, 2013, 80 min.)See daily life on Calle Lopez in downtown Mexico City through the eyes of two photographers, shot in black and white.In Spanish with English subtitles. Directed by Gerardo Barroso Alcalá and Lisa Tillinger
AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring, Md., 7:30pm, $12