PREMIERE EVENTS
“Antarctic Edge: 70° South,” March 24
T
WELCOME
“Pelican Dreams,” March 21
hank you for joining us for the library’s 2015 Princeton Environmental Film Festival. We are excited to bring the community together to explore environmental sustainability from a wide range of angles and perspectives through exceptional
documentary films, presentations and speakers. As always, we are grateful to our sponsors — Church & Dwight, Inc., The Nature Conservancy, The Whole Earth Center of Princeton, The Friends of the Princeton Public Library, and The Waldorf School of Princeton — for making the festival possible. Through their generosity, all PEFF screenings continue to be offered free of an admission charge. We also deeply appreciate all of you who come out every year in increasing numbers to support the festival, the films and filmmakers. It is your presence and engagement with the festival — and with each other — that make this event so special.
Susan Conlon Festival Director
Kim Dorman Festival Associate Director
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Dena Seidel interviews Oscar Schofield for “Antarctic Edge: 70° South,” screening Tuesday, March 24, at the Garden Theatre and at the library.
JERSEY-GROWN PREMIERES O
ne film is about scientists collaborating to study climate change in western Antarctica. The other examines the growing permaculture movement as experienced in the Northeast and Midwestern U.S. These two seemingly different films have more in common than you would think. In addition to having premiere screenings at the Princeton Environmental Film Festival, both had beginnings at Rutgers University. “Antarctic Edge: 70° South,” which has its world festival premiere on Tuesday, March 24, is a partnership between Rutgers Film Bureau and the Rutgers Department of Marine Sciences. Undergraduate film students were involved throughout pre- and post-production of the film, which will have a theatrical release in April. While a senior studying visual arts and film at Rutgers, Costa Boutsikaris took a permaculture design course in New York. It was the beginning of a fascination with ecological design and regenerative agriculture that culminated with his film “Inhabit,” which receives its East Coast premiere on Saturday, March 28. This year’s festival features a third world premiere, a film made even closer to home: “No Pipeline, Say the Friends of Nelson,” was produced and directed by George McCullough and Anna Savoia of Princeton Community Television. “Over the first eight years of the festival, we’ve been committed to introducing our audiences to the very latest environmental documentaries,” says Susan Conlon, PEFF director. “To be able to host premiere screenings of three films with such strong local ties is a major plus for this year’s festival. I think our audiences will be delighted by these films.”
Costa Boutsikaris filming in the Lamoille River for “Inhabit,” which receives its East Coast premiere on Saturday, March 28 at 2:30 p.m.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT “Antarctic Edge: 70° South” and director-producer Dena Seidel, Page 12. “Inhabit” and director-cinematographer-editor Costa Boutsikaris, Page 17. “No Pipeline, Say the Friends of Nelson” and filmmakers George McCullough and Anna Savoia, Page 9.
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THURSDAY, MARCH 19
OPENING NIGHT
March 19, 7 p.m. “Angel Azul”
Marcy Cravat, producer-director “Angel Azul” (March 19, 7 p.m.) Marcelina Cravat trained at The Berkeley Digital Film Institute and Art Center College of Design. Making a transition from photography to film came later in life when her love for storytelling motivated her to return to school to pursue a career as a writer/director. Upon graduating she co-founded ARTiDOCs, a small production company specializing in portrait style documentaries on artists. “Angel Azul” is her third documentary.
The artistic journey of sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor is explored along with conditions that threaten the world’s coral reefs and what it will take to save them. Taylor creates artificial coral reefs by installing cement statues he casts from human models on the ocean’s floor. The reefs provide habitat for marine life and attract tourists, whose presence is harmful to the natural reefs. When algae overtakes Taylor’s reefs, and the corals begin to die, issues related to water pollution and rising sea temperatures become evident and experts and scientists reveal the full scope of the problem. Produced and directed by Marcy Cravat; 2014; 1 hour, 14 minutes. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Marcy Cravat.
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FRIDAY, MARCH 20 FILMMAKER PROFILES
Ian Hinkle
Ian Hinkle and Andy Robertson, directors-producers; “Reaching Blue” (March 20, 4 p.m.)
March 20, 4 p.m. “Reaching Blue: Finding Hope Beneath the Surface”
A writer, an oyster farmer and a marine biologist shed light on the dramatic changes taking place in the waterways of the Salish Sea between the United States and Canada – and worldwide. Undersea and above-water footage was gathered from 22 cinematographers for the film, which emphasizes the need to understand ocean changes including rising acidification that threaten oysters and other seafood. Ian Hinkle, director; Andy Robertson, producer; 2014; 45 minutes. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker Ian Hinkle via videoconference.
Ian Hinkle is a filmmaker and media strategist who grew up on the edge of the Salish Sea, along Canada’s Pacific coast. Credits include “Long Road North,” the award-winning feature “Big Joy:The adventures of James Broughton,” and the soon-to-be-released “Midway.” Andy Robertson is a science communicator and filmmaker living on Canada’s West Coast. In addition to “Reaching Blue,” Andy’s credits include “Funding the Future,” “Ghana: Project Tourism” and “The Thaw: Behind the Scenes.”
Jen Rustemeyer
Grant Baldwin, director; Jen Rustemeyer, producer “Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story” (March 20, 7 p.m.)
Vancouver filmmakers and couple Grant Baldwin and Jen Rustemeyer chronicle the six months they spent eating only food that would otherwise have been thrown away. Sparked by the realization that enormous amounts of perfectly edible food are discarded each year in North America, their experiment led to shocking discoveries of waste occurring on farms, at retailers and in homes. Peg Leg Films: Grant Baldwin, director/editor/composer; Jen Rustemeyer, producer; Melanie Wood of Stranger Productions, executive producer; 2014; 1 hour, 14 minutes. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Jen Rustemeyer via videoconference.
www.princetonlibrary.org/peff
March 20, 7 p.m. “Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story”
Grant Baldwin is a director, cinematographer, editor and composer based in Vancouver, Canada. He has an eye for creative cinematography and a varied background working with sports films, narratives, and documentaries. Baldwin directed the “The Clean Bin Project” in 2010 with Rustemeyer as producer. The film won 10 festival awards. “Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story” earned him the award for Emerging Canadian Filmmaker at HotDocs. Rustemeyer is a writer, producer, and passionate zero-waster who spends time both in front of and behind the camera. She has spoken around the world on the topic of recycling and waste reduction, and was the recipient of the MOBI award for Journalism and Media from the Recycling Council of BC. “Just Eat It” is her second feature film.
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SATURDAY, MARCH 21
FILMMAKER PROFILE March 21, noon “Shark Girl”
Twenty-year-old Australian conservationist and underwater filmmaker Madison Stewart, known to her friends as “shark girl,” has made it her life’s work to protect the sharks she’s been swimming with since childhood. Driven by the realization that the creatures she loves were disappearing fast from the Great Barrier Reef, Stewart began homeschooling at 14 and started advocating for sharks. The film traces her activism in Australia, drawing attention to the imbalances reef ecosystems face from the decline in the number of sharks and the fishing industry’s impact on the shark population. Footage of Stewart learning to feed sharks and remove fishhooks from their mouths is included in this story of a determined young woman’s passion to save the animal she loves. Gisela Kaufmann, director; Gisela Kaufmann and Carsten Orlt, producers; 2013; 58 minutes.
Judy Irving, producer-director “Pelican Dreams” (March 21, 1 p.m.) Irving is a Sundance- and Emmy Awardwinning filmmaker whose previous feature credits include “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill,” the story of a former street musician and his remarkable relationship with a flock of wild parrots, and “Dark Circle,” about the links between nuclear power and weapons. Irving received a master’s degree in film from Stanford University and is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship. Her documentaries are distributed internationally to theaters, television and home video.
March 21, 1 p.m. “Pelican Dreams”
What’s it like to try to get to know a flying dinosaur? Sundance- and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Judy Irving (“The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill”) follows a wayward California brown pelican from her “arrest” on the Golden Gate Bridge into care at a wildlife rehabilitation facility, and from there explores pelicans’ nesting grounds, Pacific coast migration, and survival challenges. The film is about wildness: How close can we get to a wild animal without taming or harming it? Why do we need wildness in our lives, and how can we protect it? “Pelican Dreams” stars “Gigi” (named for Golden Gate) and “Morro” (a backyard pelican with an injured wing). Judy Irving, director; 2014; 1 hour, 20 minutes. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Judy Irving via video conference.
March 21, 3 p.m. “Chuitna: More than Salmon on the Line”
Set in Alaska’s remote Chuitna Watershed, the film chronicles the journey of conservation-minded fly fishermen who travel to this unspoiled wilderness to wade waist-deep into its salmon-rich waters. It also focuses and the fight to defeat the proposed Chuitna Mine,
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SATURDAY, MARCH 21 which would destroy more than 30 square miles of this invaluable ecosystem. Through the eyes of Al Goozmer (Tyonek tribal president), Terry Jorgensen (a commercial fisherman), and Judy and Larry Heilman (founders of the Chuitna Citizens Coalition), these anglers learn about the devastating impact the mine would have on the Chuitna’s residents and its vibrant lands and waters. Trip Jennings, director; Paul Moinster and Sam Weis, producers; 2015; 30 minutes. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers via video conference.
March 21, 4 p.m. “En La Orilla”
Gaspar and his family live in Agua Verde, a 256-person town on the eastern coast of the Baja Peninsula in Mexico. Day by day, they struggle to catch enough fish and make enough money to pay for the things they need, living at the edge of their means. Fishing is getting harder every year, but Gaspar still has faith that with enough patience and time, he can maintain his family’s quality of life. He knows that his might be the last generation that can manage this balancing act, so he and his wife Silvia work hard to ensure their children will lead a different life from theirs — one that does not depend solely on fishing. Xavier Basurto and Lisa Hoos, directors; 2014; 12 minutes. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers via video conference.
FILMMAKER PROFILES
Trip Jennings
Trip Jennings, director; “Chuitna: More than Salmon on the Line” (March 21, 3 p.m.) Principal and founder of Balance Media, Jennings has filled many passports with stamps from projects around the world. He got his start creating kayaking videos, then began working with National Geographic. In 2007, he was named National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Honoree. He’s won dozens of awards including Banff Film Festival’s Best Film on Mountain Environment. Jennings focuses that same passion on making sure every project is creative and impactful.
March 21, 4:30 p.m. “Mother Kuskokwim”
Xavier Basurto
Xavier Basurto and Liza Hoos, directors “En La Orilla” (March 21, 4 p.m.) Basurto is an assistant professor of sustainability science in the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. Hoos is a GIS consultant for the National Resources Defense Council and a videographer in the Basurto Lab at Duke University.
Guthrie
March 21, 6 p.m. “Song of the Sea”
Based on the Irish legend of the Selkies, the animated “Song of the Sea” tells the story of the last seal-child, Saoirse, and her brother Ben, who go on an epic journey to save the world of magic and discover the secrets of their past. Pursued by the owl witch Macha and a host of ancient and mythical creatures, Saoirse and Ben race against time to awaken Saoirse’s powers and keep the spirit world from disappearing forever. Tomm Moore, director; 2014; 1 hour, 33 minutes. Ice cream and sorbet, courtesy of the bent spoon, will be served.
Liza Hoos
O’Keefe
Zuegner
Tim Guthrie, director; John O’Keefe, producer; Carol Zuegner, writer “Mother Kuskokwim” (March 21, 4:30 p.m.)
www.princetonlibrary.org/peff
This film is about the people who live in the remote Yukon-Kuskokwim River Delta of Southwest Alaska. Here, the native Yup’ik people continue to practice a subsistence lifestyle in a region suffering from severe economic hardship and climate change. Tim Guthrie, director; John O’Keefe, producer; Carol Zuegner, writer; 2014; 23 minutes. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers via video conference.
Guthrie is professor of design and media at Creighton University, where he teaches video and motion graphics. He has received numerous awards for his work. O’Keefe is a professor of theology at Creighton and moonlights as a documentary filmmaker. Zuegner teaches journalism at Creighton with a focus on storytelling on a variety of platforms.
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SUNDAY, MARCH 22 March 22, 11 a.m. “Song from the Forest”
The stark contrast between the African rainforest and New York City is underscored in this story of a father-son journey. As a young man, American Louis Sarno went in search of the origin of a mysterious song that captured his imagination when he heard it on the radio. Finding its source in the Bayaka Pygmies, a tribe of hunters and gatherers, Sarno spent years recording more than 1,000 hours of Bayaka music. This film traces the trip he made 25 years later to show his 13-year-old son the world he came from. Michael Obert, director; 2014; 1 hour 36 minutes. Tea and coffee, courtesy of Small World Coffee, will be served.
FILMMAKER PROFILE
March 22, 1:30 p.m. “Oil & Water”
The parallels in the stories of two young men are explored in this documentary about the son of the leader of the Ecuadorian Cofan tribe and a 22-year-old American’s launch of a company that certifies oil companies as environmentally responsible. When Hugo Lucitante was 10 years old, his tribe, fearing extinction, sent him to be educated in the U.S. hoping he would return to help them fight against the oil companies that were contaminating their land. At the same time, American sixth-grader David Portiz, having started a humanitarian project to help those affected by the pollution, left his Amherst, Mass., home for the rainforest, where he ended up spending most of his youth. Years later, the two were brought together by the filmmakers to tour the damage caused by 18 billion gallons of oil waste that was dumped on Hugo’s ancestral lands. Shot over a span of six years, the film provides a portrait of the men’s continued efforts to beat incredible odds on behalf of the region. Francine Strickwerda and Laurel Spellman-Smith, producers and directors; 2014; 1 hour, 17 minutes.
March 22, 4 p.m. “Field Biologist”
Tyler Christensen, a high-school graduate who loves the outdoors and wildlife, decides to begin his own research on birds in Costa Rica. His adventure took him from the cloud forests of Monteverde to the mangrove swamps of the Nicoya Peninsula and culminated in a plan to try to help save the highly endangered mangrove hummingbird. Jared Flesher, producer and director; 2014; 53 minutes. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Flesher and Christensen.
Jared Flesher, producer-director “Field Biologist” (March 22, 4 p.m.) Flesher is an award-winning reporter, photojournalist, and documentary filmmaker. He is also the editor of Edible Jersey magazine. In addition to “Field Biologist,” Flesher has directed two documentary films that have screened at film festivals around the world: “The Farmer and the Horse” and “Sourlands.” His articles have been published by The New York Times Online, The Wall Street Journal Online, The Christian Science Monitor, Grist.com, and many others.
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MONDAY, MARCH 23 March 23, 4 p.m. World Premiere “No Pipeline, Say the Friends of Nelson”
Residents of Nelson County, Virginia, tell how a proposed natural gas pipeline would impact their property, community and lives. They also air their concerns about the controversial hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) process used to retrieve the gas and discuss their efforts to fight the project that threatens the beauty of the countryside and their way of life. Julie Burns, George McCollough and Anna Savoia, producers; 2014; 29 minutes. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmakers George McCollough and Anna Savoia.
FILMMAKER PROFILES
March 23, 5 p.m. “Switch”
With a nonpartisan, neutral and science-based approach, ecologist and energy researcher Scott Tinker travels the world to discover how the shift from coal and oil is likely to happen. For coal, replacement energies including geothermal, solar, wind, natural gas and nuclear are examined. Biofuels, natural gas and electricity are evaluated as replacements for oil. Tinker’s journey leads to the world’s leading production facilities for each energy type and includes interviews with top experts. The film culminates with Tinker’s assessment of a likely energy future. Harry Lynch and Scott Tinker, producers; 2012; 1 hour, 38 minutes.
George McCollough
Anna Savoia
George McCollough and Anna Savoia, filmmakers “No Pipeline, Say the Friends of Nelson” (March 23, 4 p.m.)
www.princetonlibrary.org/peff
March 23, 7:30 p.m. “Above All Else”
McCollough, executive director of Princeton Community Television, is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and community media educator. Savoia is an amateur photographer and videographer who loves to record Princeton events and people.
In this first-hand account of activists on the front line of the climate fight, one man risks everything to stop the tar sands of the Keystone XL oil pipeline from crossing his land. Shot in the forests, pastures, and living rooms of rural East Texas, “Above All Else” follows David Daniel, a retired stunt man and high-wire artist, as he rallies neighbors and activists to join him in a final act of brinkmanship: a tree-top blockade of the controversial pipeline. John Fiege, producer and director; 2014; 1 hour, 35 minutes.
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SPECIAL
Photos from Trashion Workshops held at the library Feb. 21 and Feb. 28
EVENTS
T IT GO!
P
rinceton residents are invited to participate in a community-wide day of letting go of items they no longer use or need. Registration at
princetonlibrary.org/yardsale is required and includes your sale’s location on a digital map of participants so buyers can find you. Residents are responsible for setting up, managing and taking down their own sales. Co-sponsored by the library and Sustainable Princeton.
WHOLE EARTH CENTER TOURS See Page 16 for details
TUESDAY, MARCH 24
Scenes from “Antarctic Edge: 70° South,” which screens March 24.
FILMMAKER PROFILE
Dena Seidel, producer-director “Antarctic Edge: 70° South” (March 24, 7 & 7:30 p.m.) Seidel is the director of the Rutgers Center for Digital Filmmaking and also supervises the Rutgers Film Bureau, the university’s professional documentary office. In 2010, Seidel and her students completed the award-winning feature length documentary “Atlantic Crossing: A Robot’s Daring Mission.” Prior to Rutgers, Seidel worked on films for National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Channel 13/WNET, HBO, ABC and more. She is the recipient of a New York Emmy Award for Outstanding Editing and a New York Festivals Award for Best Editing. Seidel has a bachelor’s in film from Bard College, a master’s in anthropology from CUNY and is a published short-story author.
ANTARCTIC EDGE: 70° SOUTH will be screened twice on March 24: at 7 p.m. at the Garden Theatre, 160 Nassau St; and at 7:30 p.m. at the library. Reserved tickets recommended for the Garden Theatre event, which will be followed by a panel Q&A. Reserve: http://ae70.eventbrite.com
A reception following the library screening will feature refreshments courtesy of The Nature Conservancy and a chance to meet the panelists.
March 24, 4 p.m. “The Walking Revolution”
The health benefits of walking are outlined along with how walking and walkable communities support a healthier environment, strong local economies and a vibrant community life. The documentary features inspiring, personal experiences intended to expand the way people think about the culture of walking and physical activity; it asserts that, by refocusing our societies and re-engineering our cities, we can slowly reverse the trend of immobility. Rigler Creative and Every Body Walk!, producers; 2013; 30 minutes. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Kathy Smith, program officer at Partners for Health and board chair of America Walks; Janet Heroux, physical activity specialist, New Jersey Department of Health; Jim Constantine, principal, Looney Ricks Kiss; Jerry Foster, Safe Routes to Schools coordinator of the Greater Mercer Transportation Management Association; and Sam Bunting of the Princeton Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee.
March 24, 7 & 7:30 p.m. World Festival Premiere “Antarctic Edge: 70° South”
In the wake of devastating climate events like Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Katrina, oceanographer Oscar Schofield teams up with a group of researchers in a race to understand climate change in the fastest winter-warming place on earth: the West Antarctic Peninsula. For more than 20 years, these scientists have dedicated their lives to studying the peninsula’s rapid change as part of the National Science Foundation’s Long-Term Ecological Research Project. The film features stunning landscapes and seascapes and reveals the harsh conditions and substantial challenges that scientists endure for months at a time. Made in collaboration with the Rutgers Center for Digital Filmmaking and the Rutgers Department of Marine Sciences; Dena Seidel, director; Rick Ludescher, executive producer; Steve Holloway, Xenia Morin and Chris Linder, producers; 2015; 1 hour, 12 minutes. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Dena Seidel, Mason Gross School of the Arts; Dean George B. Stauffer; Rick Ludescher, executive producer; Steve Holloway and Xenia Morin, co-producers; and scientists Oscar Schofield and Doug Martinson.
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25 FILMMAKER PROFILES
Emily V. Driscoll
March 25, 4 p.m. “The Family Farm”
This film explores the diverse agricultural pursuits of earnest farm families, and serves as a window into the small-scale food production process. The film focuses on imbuing the importance of understanding where our food comes from and emphasizes the crucial role family farms play in ensuring the survival and well-being of local communities and environments. Ari A. Cohen, producer and director; 2014; 1 hour, 10 minutes. A post-screening discussion, moderated by Jared Flesher of Edible Jersey magazine, will feature Alec Gioseffi, Lauren Nagy and Matt Weiss of Cooperative 518; Steven and Robin Tomlinson of Great Road Farm and Rachel Mackow and Jared Rosenbaum of Wild Ridge Plants, LLC.
Emily V. Driscoll, director; James Karl Fischer, executive producer “Brilliant Darkness: Hotaru in the Night” (March 25, 6 p.m.) Driscoll is a science video director-producer and the founder of BonSci Films, a production company specializing in science and art documentaries. Her films have appeared on PBS stations and screened internationally at museums, universities and film festivals. She also produces short videos for NPR’s Science Friday and teaches science video production at New York University’s Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program. Fischer is the executive director of The Zoological Lighting Institute, a non-profit organization that supports wildlife sensitive lighting for animal welfare and wildlife conservation. He also operates Zoological Lighting Services, a lighting design firm with a focus on fine art and animal welfare related aims.
PRINCETON PUBLIC LIBRARY ANNUAL APPEAL
Through the study and preservation of firefly habitats in Japan and the United States, the importance of darkness and its erosion are explored. Fireflies disappear as artificial night lights disrupt their “languages of light.” The film features artists and scientists on different continents working to understand firefly flash patterns and how to live among wildlife in urban settings. Emily V. Driscoll, director; James Karl Fischer, executive producer; 2014; 12 minutes. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmakers Emily V. Driscoll and James Karl Fischer.
www.princetonlibrary.org/peff
March 25, 6 p.m. “Brilliant Darkness: Hotaru in the Night”
Your gift helps us to expand environmental literacy programs while reducing our carbon footprint. The Spring Appeal is under way: www.princetonlibrary.org/support
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THURSDAY, MARCH 26
Scenes from “The Overnighters,” which screens March 26.
March 26, 8:30 a.m. Great Ideas Breakfast: “How Is Our Planet Changing?”
Sustainable Princeton hosts an exploration of how, why and whether our planet is changing. The discussion will feature experts from our local community who will discuss this question from economic, scientific and practical viewpoints. A free breakfast catered by a locally owned business will be served at this zero-waste event.
March 26, 10 a.m. “Switch” See March 23 for film description. March 26, noon “Racing to Zero”
New solutions to the global problem of waste are presented in this upbeat, fast-moving documentary that chronicles San Francisco’s effort to reduce the amount of garbage it sends into landfills to zero by 2020. While “zero trash” may never be a reality, the film shows that it’s possible to make a big difference through education and legislation. San Francisco’s initiative has led to 80 percent of city trash now being recycled. Christopher Beaver, director; Diana Fuller, producer; 2014; 59 minutes.
March 26, 3:45 p.m. The PEFF Sustainability Bowl
Children in grades 3-6 are invited to compete in teams in this “Jeopardy”-style game, with questions related to energy, recycling, water,
wildlife and more. Show what you know, and learn something, too. Teams are encouraged to register in advance or may sign up at the event and will be included as space is available. Prizes will be awarded. Spectators welcome. Register: princetonlibrary.org/sustainabilitybowl
FILMMAKER PROFILE
March 26, 7 p.m. “The Overnighters”
This feature documentary is the story of Williston, North Dakota, a small town that lacks the infrastructure to cope with the tens of thousands of desperate strangers who show up seeking work in the area’s oil fields. Driven to offer the migrants some dignity, Pastor Jay Reinke converts his church into a makeshift dorm and counseling center where he allows “the overnighters” to stay for as long as they need. Many who take shelter with Reinke have checkered pasts, and their presence starts affecting the community. Jesse Moss, producer and director; 2014; 1 hour, 40 minutes. Screening at the James M. Stewart ’32 Theater, Princeton University Lewis Center for the Arts, 185 Nassau St. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Jesse Moss. Presented in partnership with Princeton University’s Center for the Study of Religion, Council of the Humanities, Department of Sociology, Lewis Center for the Arts, Program in American Studies and The University Center for Human Values.
Jesse Moss, producer-director “The Overnighters” (March 26, 7 p.m.) Moss is a filmmaker and cinematographer who won a Special Jury Prize for Intuitive Filmmaking for “The Overnighters” at the Sundance Film Festival. Moss received a Directors Guild of America (DGA) nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary. His previous films include “Full Battle Rattle,” “Speedo: A Demolition Derby Love Story,” “Con Man,” and “William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe.” Moss also teaches filmmaking at San Francisco State University.
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FRIDAY, MARCH 27 FILMMAKER PROFILE
March 27, noon “School’s Out: Lessons from a Forest Kindergarten”
No classroom for these kindergarteners. In Switzerland’s Langnau am Albis, a suburb of Zurich, children 4 to 7 years of age go to kindergarten in the forest every day, no matter the weather. The filmmakers follow the forest kindergarten through the seasons of one school year, looking into the question of what children need at this age. There is laughter, beauty and amazement in the process of finding out. Lisa Molomot, director; Rona Richter, producer; 2013; 36 minutes. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with producer Rona Richter.
March 27, 4 p.m. “The Wound and the Gift”
“The Wound and The Gift” explores the major transformation in our relationship with animals through the growing “Rescue” movement. All over the world, people are saving the lives of animals that were bred for profit, abused, or sold on the black market. Millions are adopting dogs and cats from shelters, rather than buying pets from breeders and pet stores. In this film, scenes from the folktale about a wounded crane that expresses her gratitude to the peasants that saved her with a gift are woven together with footage of rescued animals and their sanctuaries. Linda Hoaglund, producer and director; 2014. 1 hour, 20 minutes. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Linda Hoaglund.
Linda Hoaglund, producer-director “The Wound and the Gift” (March 27, 4 p.m.) Born in Japan to American missionary parents, Hoaglund attended Japanese public schools and later graduated from Yale University. She was a bilingual news producer for Japanese television and subtitled 200 Japanese films before she began making her own films. Her film credits include three World War II-themed films including “Wings of Defeat” (producer, writer), “ANPO: Art X War” (director, producer) and “Things Left Behind (director, producer).
THE LIBRARY AND THE NATURE CONSERVANCY PRESENT
A JURIED COMPETITION FOR YOUNG FILMMAKERS
REEL IMPACT FROM TURNPIKES TO TERNS AND PIKES: THE REAL NATURE OF NEW JERSEY
Young filmmakers ages 15-25 are invited to submit original short films spotlighting the beauty and importance of New Jersey’s coastlines, forests, rivers and open spaces.
March 27, 7 p.m. “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret”
This film follows an intrepid filmmaker investigating the environmental impact large-scale factory farming has on the planet. The film examines animal agriculture as the leading cause of deforestation, water consumption and pollution, and primary driver of rainforest destruction, species extinction, habitat loss, topsoil erosion, ocean “dead zones,” and virtually every other environmental ill. Keegan Kuhn director; Kip Anderson, producer; 2014; 1 hour, 25 minutes.
The film will be screened at the 2016 Princeton Environmental Film Festival. Deadline is Sept. 1, 2015.
Details and entry form: princetonlibrary.org/peff/reelimpact
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www.princetonlibrary.org/peff
Winning filmmaker receives $1,000.
SATURDAY, MARCH 28 AUTHOR PROFILE
Jared Rosenbaum, author; “The Puddle Garden” (March 28, 10:30 a.m.) Jared is a dedicated participant in the landscaping revolution which is welcoming natural diversity into home landscapes through the planting of native plant species. He is a botanist, native plant grower, and ecological restoration practitioner. He is also the co-owner of Wild Ridge Plants LLC, a family business that grows local ecotype native plants using sustainable practices. Jared is the author of two books on native plants and is prominently featured in the documentary film “Sourlands.”
March 28, 10:30 a.m. “The Puddle Garden” Storytime and Rain Garden Presentation
In a program intended for children ages 3 and older and their families, author Jared Rosenbaum gives a dynamic reading of his new children’s book “The Puddle Garden,” which features native plants and wildlife. The reading is followed by a presentation for children and parents on creating a native plant rain garden at home, with photos and stories about wildflowers and wildlife. Total time for the program is 45 minutes.
March 28, noon Five in One: Five Short Films in One Hour “The Accidental Sea” A poetic look at the doomed inland desert oasis The Salton Sea. Ransom Riggs, director; 6 minutes, 35 seconds.
POST-FESTIVAL EVENTS “Tales from the Sand” Discover the abundance of extraordinary animals that can be found in the sand. Elodie Turpin, director; 19 minutes, 30 seconds.
STORE TOURS Dorothy Mullen, founder of The Suppers Programs, will lead guided tours of the Whole Earth Center, sharing advice on shopping for specialized diets. Free from gluten, sugar and dairy Sunday, April 12, 4 p.m. Paleo Power Thursday, April 16, 7 p.m. The Vegan View Sunday, May 17, 4 p.m.
“Imagine a World Without Fish” The ocean is a vast ecosystem covering 70 percent of the planet, but in a little more than 70 years we have managed to remove more than 70 percent of the largest fish in the sea. Produced by the Sandy Hook Sea Life Foundation; 9 minutes, 52 seconds. “The Accidental Environmentalist” John Wathen was just an average guy until coming into contact with toxic chemicals, stumbling upon a video camera and discovering his passion for protecting the world’s waters. Directed, photographed and edited by Kristine Stolakis; 12 minutes. “Why I Think This World Should End” A spoken word call to action from Prince Ea. Produced by Prince Ea; 4 minutes, 13 seconds.
Whole Earth Center, 360 Nassau St.
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SATURDAY, MARCH 28
A Portland “permablitz” in a scene from “Inhabit.”
“Inhabit” explores the many environmental issues facing us today and examines solutions that are being applied using the ecological design process called “permaculture.” Permaculture is a design lens that uses the principles found in ecosystems to help shift our impact from destructive to regenerative. Focused mostly on the Northeastern and Midwestern regions of the United States, “Inhabit” provides an intimate look at permaculture peoples and practices ranging from rural, suburban, and urban landscapes. Costa Boutsikaris, director; Emmett Brennan, producer; 2015; 1 hour, 33 minutes. Fruit smoothies, courtesy of Tico’s Eatery & Juice Bar, will be served. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Costa Boutsikaris.
March 28, 6:30 p.m. Trashion Show
Students will walk the runway to model their original clothing designs created with imagination and recycled materials.
March 28, 7:15 p.m. “Project Wild Thing”
When filmmaker David Bond realizes his children are spending far too much time indoors, glued to screens and being bombarded by advertising, he decides to take matters into his own hands. Declaring himself Marketing Director for Nature, Bond studies his product (nature), researches his target demographic (kids) and enlists the help of some of England’s top marketing, PR and creative firms in creating his own campaign, Project Wild Thing. What he learns going up against the corporate marketing machine offers insights into modern childhood and the influence of technology. David Bond, director; 2013; 1 hour, 20 minutes. Ice cream and sorbet, courtesy of the bent spoon, will be served.
FILMMAKER PROFILES
Costa Boutsikaris, director; Emmett Brennan, producer “Inhabit” (March 28, 2:30 p.m.) Boutsikaris grew up in the Hudson River Valley in New York. His studies in visual arts coupled with a deep fascination in permaculture/ ecological design has led him to focus on sharing these insights through digital media. He studied film and design at Rutgers University and has been studying permaculture design in Vermont, Massachusetts, New York and Central America over the past five years. Brennan is New England native. He attended Parsons, The New School for Design and Bard College. “Inhabit” is his second featurelength production following “To the Moon,” a documentary that explores cooperatives.
SATURDAY NIGHT DRUM CIRCLE Following the Saturday, March 28, screening of “Project Wild Thing,” Mark Wood of Wood ’N’ Drums will lead a family friendly drum circle. Drums will be provided.
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March 28, 2:30 p.m. East Coast Premiere “Inhabit”
SUNDAY, MARCH 29 FILMMAKER PROFILES
Kris Kaczor
March 29, 11 a.m. “Divide in Concord”
Jean Hill, a fiery octogenarian, is deeply concerned about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the world’s largest landfill. Since 2010, she’s spearheaded a grassroots campaign to ban the sale of single-serve plastic water bottles in her hometown of Concord, Massachusetts. So far, her attempts to pass a municipal bylaw have failed. As she prepares for one last town meeting, Jean faces the strongest opposition yet, from local merchants and the International Bottled Water Association. But her fiercest challenge comes from Adriana Cohen, mother, model and celebrity publicist-turned-pundit, who insists the bill is an attack on freedom. When Adriana thrusts Jean’s crusade into the national spotlight, it’s silver-haired senior versus silver-tongued pro. Kris Kaczor, director. David Regos and Jaedra Luke, producers; 2015; 1 hour, 22 minutes. Coffee and tea, courtesy of Small World Coffee will be served. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmakers Kris Kaczor and David Regos.
March 29, 1:30 p.m. “Occupy the Farm”
This film tells the story of a community taking direct action to create a healthier and more just food system by questioning the stewardship of a precious resource: publicly owned urban farmland. About 200 farmers occupy a last piece of farmland in California’s urban East Bay, plant 15,000 seedlings to feed the community and disrupt plans to build a shopping mall. What happens next will change the fate of the land and reveal a new strategy for activism. Produced and directed by Todd Darling; 2014; 1 hour, 30 minutes. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Todd Darling.
March 29, 4 p.m. “Project Wild Thing” See March 28 for film description.
Kris Kaczor, director; David Regos and Jaedra Luke, producers “Divide in Concord” (March 29, 11 a.m.) Kaczor is the founder of 750 Productions, a Brooklyn-based filmmaking collective. After studying film and cinematography at the Motion Picture Institute of Michigan, in 2001, he directed two 16mm film shorts that received national and international recognition. Since moving to Brooklyn in 2004, Kaczor has directed and edited feature docs, national spots, music videos and fringe video art. Regos has been working on documentaries for the last 16 years. As a teenager he made his first short film about a devastating freakish hailstorm that hit Sydney, Australia in 1998. After graduating from University of California, Berkeley, he directed and produced a featurelength documentary about the quirky world of artistic roller-skating. Luke has been producing documentary-style television for 11 years, working for networks including A&E, ABC, Animal Planet, and NBC. She launched into television production at MTV, working on the series “Making the Video.” She’s produced big-budget competition shows to guerrilla-style reality programs, overseeing all phases of production and post.
Todd Darling
Todd Darling, producer-director “Occupy the Farm” (March 29, 1:30 p.m.) Darling has worked as a director and editor for MTV and on the broadcast of five Olympic Games, edited over 50 nationally broadcast television shows, covered a revolution as a free-lance journalist, and directed independent films. His directing and editing credits include the reality show “Laguna Beach” for MTV, the feature documentary, “A Snow Mobile for George” and the 30-minute documentary short, “Black Rock Horse” about one of Burning Man’s boldest art projects.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
“Project Wild Thing” screens Saturday, March 28, at 7:15 p.m. and Sunday, March 29, at 4 p.m.
Susan Conlon* Festival Director Kim Dorman* Associate Festival Director Erica Bess* Liz Cutler Emily Erlichson Nancy Hackett Shelly Hawk * Janet Hague * Janie Hermann * Steve Hiltner Lindsey Kayman Hanna Lee * Kai Marshall-Otto
Stephen Millet* Dorothy Mullen Thomas Quijano Timothy Quinn* Jessica Santos Athena Sarafides Natasha Shatzkin Ken Soufl Matt Spewak Kerri Sullivan* Bainy Suri Camila Tellez Zach Woogen Ravi Yande *Denotes library staff
LIBRARY STAFF SUPPORT
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Nick Stuart, Susan Conlon, Hanna Lee Website Development
D&R Greenway Land Trust The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey Princeton Community Television Princeton Environmental Commission Princeton Environmental Institute Princeton University Office of Sustainability Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association The Suppers Programs Sustainable Princeton
Amy Hiestand Writing and Publicity Pat McAvenia, Darren Alizio, Manny Diaz, Tony Goyden Facilities and Technical Support
LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION Leslie Burger Executive Director Erica Bess Assistant Director Timothy Quinn Marketing and Communications Director Janet Simon Development Director
For more on the festival and updated events, visit www.princetonlibrary.org/peff
Unless otherwise noted, all screenings are in the library’s Community Room. Doors open 30 minutes before the start time of each event. For information on how to become a PEFF sponsor, contact Janet Simon: 609.924.9529, ext. 251; jsimon@princetonlibrary.org PEFF MAGAZINE 2015
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