The DC Independent Film Festival is still underway that already another exciting movie event is kicking off in the nation’s capital: the DC Environmental Film Festival. The 2010 Festival explores the vital connections between food and the environment so it’s not surprising that it opens with two events focused on food. The first, a special screening of “What’s on your plate?”, occurred at the Warner Theater earlier today. The second, the Festival’s Launch Party at the Warner Building Atrium (6:30 pm, March 10th, $20, rsvp at effrsvp@gmail.com) features Nora Pouillon, a local pioneer of the organic and local food movements who opened the nation’s first certified organic restaurant, Nora, and helped establish the FRESHFARM markets, as its featured speaker.
The festival kicks off this week and runs from March 16 to 28. Green-minded film buffs and environmentally conscious foodies can gorge on more than 155 showings at 56 different venues throughout the city. Here are a few screenings and events that I noted:
- Utopia at GALA Hispanic Theater, co-presented by the Embassy of Spain (March 16, 7pm, free) suggests a few possible formulas to bring us closer to a utopian world where environmental, social and spiritual crises are no longer a threat. A discussion with filmmaker Alex Ruiz will follow the screening.
- FRESH at National Geographic Society (March 17, 7:30pm, advance purchase required, $15 or $18) celebrates the farmers, thinkers and businesses people across America who are re-inventing the food system. The screening will be followed by a discussion with filmmaker Ana Sofia Joanes, Ann Yonkers, Co-Director of FRESHFARM Markets, and, by phone, with Joel Salatin, owner of Polyface Farms.
- Terra Madra at E Street Cinema, co-presented by the Italian Cultural Institute (March 18, 7pm, $10), explores the slow food movement through individual cases of local farmers.
- Ladies of the Land at the National Museum of Natural History‘s Baird Auditorium (March 20, 2pm, free) profiles women farmers.
- Homegrown at the National Museum of Natural History‘s Baird Auditorium (March 21, noon, free) spotlights a 21st century organic family farm operating off the grid in urban Pasadena, CA. Homegrown is followed by a screening of Ingredients, a film that celebrates the farmers and chefs who are creating a truly sustainable food system (March 21, 1pm, free).
- Lunch at American University‘s Wechsler Theater, co-presented by Earth Day Network and the Center for Environmental Filmmaking (March 22, 7pm, free) looks at the nation’s school food program through the meals offered by the Baltimore Public Schools. The screening of the 25 minute film will be immediately followed by a screening of Potato Head.
- Nora at the International Student House (March 23, 7pm, free) will be followed by a discussion with Nora Pouillon.
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