please 1224 M Street, NW, Suite 301 TICKETS AND pass me on! Washington, D.C. 20005 UPDATES AT (202) 342-2564 [email protected] DCEFF.ORG LEAD ENVIRONMENTAL Premier FILM FESTIVAL C:11 C:93 C:82 M:9 M:62 M:14 Y:98 Y:8 Y:100 K:0 K:0 K:3 IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL ARMAND G. ERPF FUND Major 25+ VENUES | 160+ FILMS | 45 WORLD PREMIERES | 200+ FILMMAKERS & SPECIAL GUESTS THE ELVA AND LAWRENCE KAEMPFER FAMILY FUND O’BRIEN FAMILY TRUST feature SMITH RICHARDSON BOATWRIGHT FOUNDATION FOUNDATION official FESTIVAL UNDERWRITERS FESTIVAL GRACE JONES RICHARDSON TRUST KRISTINA AND WILLIAM supporting CATTO FOUNDATION JULIA AND RICHARD MOE SALLY S. & DECATUR H. MILLER PRIVATE FOUNDATION contributing ROBERT AND MARGARET THE VAN METRE MCNAMARA FOUNDATION FAMILY FOUNDATION THE GOLDEN RULE FOUNDATION participating MARCH 12-22, 2020 TICKETS & UPDATES AT DCEFF.ORG media media in-kind Tickets & Updates: dceff.org | Female director partner partners FOUNDER Flo Stone STAFF WELCOME TO THE 28TH ENVIRONMENTAL Executive Director TABLE OF CONTENTS Christopher Head Director of Programming FILM FESTIVAL 2 ................................ Welcome Brad Forder Director of Development June Yang In her “Letter to a Young Climate Activist on the First Day of the New Decade,” 4-7 .............................. Special Presentations Program Manager Rebecca Solnit writes, “Climate chaos is the worst thing human beings have Samantha Plakun brought upon themselves and the earth, and we are just beginning to see its Development Manager Alice Sadler impact.” She continues, however, “If you look harder at the natural world you 8-30 ............................. Feature Films Festival Coordinator can see that human beings are capable of change, and that environmental Monica Schorn victories are all around us.” Director of Online Communications 32-53 ............................ Shorts Programs Jacob Crawford It is in this spirit of resolve, hopefulness, and ingenuity that we present the Development and Events Assistant 28th Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital. Our planet faces Janna Paramore enormous challenges, and the Festival is committed to continuing to showcase 54-56 ........................... Filmmaker Spotlights Programming Associate Sky Sitney the work of filmmakers around the world who are documenting endless crises, Festival Guide Editor but also seeking out solutions and building communities. Mark Swartz 57-61 ............................ Partner Showcases Festival Interns More than 160 films at over 25 venues add up to a varied and fascinating Julia Dela Fuente, Robert Gonzalez, Joseph landscape available nowhere else and to one of our strongest and most Gurr, Oju Kim, Kate Marston, Keuntae Park, Olivia 62 ............................... Venue & Transportation Info Soares, Dana Wagner compelling programs yet. With such a wide variety of films at the Festival, including more than 40 world premieres, it is easy to be inspired by so many who are working every day to effect change all around the world and across so many 64 ............................... Underwriters and Donors BOARD OF DIRECTORS crucial sectors. With stories ranging from the intimate to the global and each with Susan Vitka, Chair a compelling vision, film continues to offer a unique access point to these singular Jennifer Johnson, Vice Chair Gregory McGruder, Vice Chair perspectives and shared concerns. Barbara L. Franklin, Secretary Shelley Cohen, Caroline Gabel, The Festival opens with Beverly and Dereck Joubert’s Okavango: River of Dreams, Annie Kaempfer, Dan M. Martin, Josie Merck, a hymn to biodiversity and the recipient of the 2020 Shared Earth Foundation 160+ FILMS | | 35+ COUNTRIES | Liz Norton, Peter O’Brien, Nora Pouillon, Award for Advocacy. This year’s Partner Showcases offer a galvanizing array 130+ PREMIERES 25+ VENUES Kristin Rechberger, Jacob Scherr, E. William Stetson, III, Flo Stone, Gwyn Whittaker, of storytelling, consistently reinforced by a fierce commitment to the planet. Catherine Wyler Our Closing Night presentation celebrates one of the world’s most beloved primatologists and anthropologists, Jane Goodall. As our world premiere screening Trustees Emeritae: Marion Guggenheim, THE LARGEST GREEN FILM FESTIVAL IN THE WORLD Anita Herrick, Joan D. Murray, Dane Nichols of Jane Goodall: The Hope eloquently attests, she remains a tireless and undaunted activist. & THE LONGEST-RUNNING IN THE UNITED STATES ADVISORY COUNCIL The Board, staff, and I deeply appreciate the volunteers, sponsors, donors, Margaret Parsons, Chair We are the world’s premier showcase of environmentally themed films. Since 1993 our mission and venue partners who make the Festival an unforgettable experience, year has been toEnvironmental celebrate Earth and inspire understanding Film and stewardship Festival: of the environment Wendy Benchley, Katie Carpenter, Harriett after year. We are grateful to every one of you in this dynamic and determined Crosby, Sarah Davidson, Alice Day, Lincoln Day, community. Thank you for being part of the Environmental Film Festival in the through the power of film. Each March in Washington, D.C., we present 100+ films to audiences Diana Lady Dougan, Sarah duPont, Anne Emmet, Nation’s Capital! throughout the city, along with filmmaker and topical discussions. Nelse Greenway, Grace Guggenheim, Laurence Hausman, Joseph Krakora, Elizabeth Kucinich, Advancing Understanding. Inspring Mary McCracken, Helen McNeill, Sally Meadows, 2017 D.C. Mayor's Arts Award for Excellence in the Creative Industries Gouri Mirpuri, Naimah Muhammad, Gary Rahl, 2019 Best Film Festival in D.C., Washington City Paper (Readers' Pick) Susan Rappaport, Deborah Rothberg, Edith Schafer, Jonathan Steffert, Maggie Stogner, Action. Roger D. Stone, Mary Wallace, Georgiana Warner DCEFF.ORG dceff_org dceff_org dceff.org Cover design by Taylor Design Company Frog Illustration by Ben Hillman & Co. Program design by Sharon Thorpe, More Vang/ Christopher Head Ecoprint Creative Executive Director Cover image courtesy of Beverly and Dereck RESERVATIONS & SEATING POLICY Joubert Photos, p. 31 and p. 53 courtesy of Sharon Thorpe P.S. I encourage you to become a Friend of the Festival or to make an outright gift today. All seats must be reserved in advance, unless otherwise noted, at dceff.org. This includes all patrons who are members of our Friends of the Visit dceff.org/donate to find out how supporters like you make a difference. Festival program. A name badge does not guarantee a seat. You MUST arrive 15 minutes before the posted show time to guarantee your seat. Patrons with tickets/reservations will be asked to join the RESERVED line, which is prioritized. All empty seats are released at the discretion of staff. Patrons without reservations will be asked to join the STANDBY line. Once the Reserved line has entered the theater, remaining seats will Materials for the 2020 DCEFF, including posters be awarded to patrons in the Standby line on a space-available basis. and programs, were sustainably produced and printed using recycled paperstock in a 100% wind-powered facility with no carbon footprint. Visit our website dceff.org for more information and program updates 3 AWARD WINNER: HAUSMAN FOUNDATION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AWARD FOR BEST SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS INTERNATIONAL FILM This award from the Hausman Foundation for the Environment highlights an internationally produced film that focuses on an environmental issue relevant to our times. The award includes a $5,000 cash prize. Sea of Shadows (Austria, 2019, 104 min.) OPENING NIGHT Directed by Richard Ladkani AWARD WINNER: SHARED EARTH FOUNDATION Co-presented with the Austrian Cultural Forum Washington, the Embassy AWARD FOR ADVOCACY of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C. A looming disaster in one of the most spectacular environments Established for the 2014 Festival, the Shared Earth Foundation Award on Earth sparks a rescue mission unlike any other. When Mexican for Advocacy recognizes a film that inspires advocacy in response to drug cartels and Chinese traffickers join forces to poach the rare a compelling environmental challenge. The award includes a $10,000 totoaba fish in the Sea of Cortez, their deadly methods threaten cash prize. to destroy virtually all marine life in the region, including the most elusive and endangered whale species on Earth, the vaquita porpoise. Sea of Shadows follows a team of dedicated scientists, high-tech conservationists, investigative journalists, and courageous undercover Okavango: River of Dreams agents as well as the Mexican Navy as they put their lives on the line (Botswana, 2020, 94 min.) ● to save the last remaining vaquitas and bring the vicious international crime syndicate to justice. This riveting new documentary from Directed by Beverly Joubert, Dereck Joubert National Geographic Documentary Films won the Sundance Audience The Okavango in Southern Africa’s Botswana is one of the greatest rivers Award for World Cinema Documentary. on Earth. It starts in the mountains of Angola, but unlike normal rivers, its waters don’t run toward the ocean. Instead, the Okavango flows inland Fri., March 13, 7:00 p.m. | Carnegie Institution for Science through Angola and into Botswana–only to vanish completely in the Kalahari desert, after a journey of 1,500 kilometers. Lions and leopards, Free, reservations required | Post-screening discussion elephants and hippos, warthogs and crocodiles, painted dogs, bush Encore Presentation | Sun., March 22, 4:00 p.m. | The Naval Heritage babies, and many more, all