The D.C. Environmental Film Festival is now online—here are my top short film picks
The films will be available from March 17–31 on the D.C. Environmental Film Festival website and other platforms.
The film festival, which is now postponed until fall due to the coronavirus, has decided to release most of its films either for free or through third-party platforms for a limited amount of time. These are Part 1 (#6–10) of my top picks to watch (My Part 2 (#1–5) picks will be released on Saturday, March 21):
10. 80° North
Director: Brandon Holmes, Running time: 15 mins
In this short documentary, a group of artists from across the world travel to the Arctic island chain of Svalbard and express their emotions through a variety of mediums. My favorite part of this 15-minute film is the eloquence of the artists and the strikingly beautiful footage of melting ice. As one of the artists put it, the earth has a “fever” and only a few degrees of warming can cause disastrous effects on the “body.”
9. Uncle Elephant
Director: Jon Bougher, Producer: Wild Earth Allies, Running time: 5 mins
In this heart-warming short film, Tuy Sereivathana explains his work as Program Director of Wild Earth Allies and his fight to protect Asian elephants in Cambodia’s Prey Long forest. Combining beautiful, soaring cinematography and Sereivathana’s compassionate speech, director Jon Bougher excels at creating a hopeful tale of unifying the local community and the surrounding environment.
At the conclusion of the film, Sereivathana says, “I know humans and elephants can live together in harmony. We have a very big society in the forest, you know. Nature, you know. It’s everything. And the forest is my life.”
8. Detroit Hives
Director: Palmer Morse, Director: Rachel Weinberg, Running time: 6 mins
A tale of urban resilience and sustainable innovation, Detroit Hives paints a groovy image of a new Motor City. Tim Paule and Nicole Lindsey, a young couple from East Detroit, hope to convert empty housing and parking lots into bee farms. With ambitious plans to prepare the next generation of beekeepers in Detroit, Paule and Linsey become a symbol of defying racial and socioeconomic norms.
Lindsey summarized their operation, “There was a problem that we see in our city. There was a problem that we see with our honeybees. What we’re doing here is solving both of those problems.”
7. Tupí: A Story of Indigenous Courage and Resolve
Directors: Pablo Albarenga, Francesc Badia i Dalmases, Running time: 6 mins
Although it’s only six minutes long, this short film on Tupí’s fight for indigenous and land rights resounds deeply with the human spirit shared among all those searching for a better life. She has struggled beyond the verbal and psychological abuse she has experienced in the past to fight for something greater than herself. Her empathy and determination is evident through her passion for the Suraras de Tapajos Collective, which is comprised of only women, and women’s rights in general.
“This is what I am, my story, what will inspire other young and older women,” Tupí said.
6. Saving the Javan Rhino of Ujung Kulon
Producers: Vanessa Serrao, Christopher Dye, Running time: 8 mins
The Javan rhino, the rarest rhino in the world, has a team of rangers and local community members who spend weeks patrolling the forest and protecting the Ujung Kulon National Park where most of the rhinos reside. Produced by Conservation International, this story is particularly inspiring as almost everyone seems dedicated to protecting these 67 Javan rhinos left in the wild, whether that’s through weeks of staying in the forest for 20 days as part of the “Rhino Protection Unit” or individualized camera traps for each rhino. The collaborative effort among the rangers from the national park, non-profit workers with WWF Indonesia, and even nearby residents lends itself to a unified—almost spiritual—determination.
While I highly recommend watching these films, I have also not watched every single film on the festival’s lineup. So, I suggest checking out the wide variety here. Please look forward to part 2, with my #1–5 favorite films from the environmental film festival, being released on Saturday, March 21.
Happy watching and stay socially distant!
