Tuesday, April 01, 2008

University of North Carolina Wilmington Department of Film Studies is investing in our planet's future with the first Wilmington Environmental Film Festival. Initiated and directed by recent UNC Wilmington graduate Sean Carr, the festival will run from April 11 to 12.

"The environment is a key issue for our students and their future. We are excited about taking action by telling environmental stories through the eyes of documentary filmmakers," said Lou Buttino, UNC Wilmington film studies department chair.

Diverse film offerings reflect local environmental concerns. All events are free and open to the public in the UNC Wilmington King Hall Auditorium:

Friday, April 11
7:00 p.m. Landscape Architecture: North Carolina Pioneers (29 min),
Q&A with co-producers Lou Buttino and Mindy Arthur.

Saturday, April 12
11:00 a.m. Doors open
12:00 p.m. The Future of Food (1hr 29min), Q&A with Tidal Creek Co-op
2:30 p.m. Revolution Green (1hr 24mins), Q&A by Cape Fear Biofuels
5:00 p.m. We Are Traffic/Return of the Scorcher (50min/28min)
7:30 p.m. The 11^th Hour (1hr 35min)

Wilmington advocacy groups Cape Fear Biofuels, Cape Fear Cyclists, Tidal Creek Co-op and Cape Fear River Watch, will supplement films with additional information on environmental topics.

Featured Films:
Landscape Architecture: North Carolina Pioneers, directed by Lou Buttino.
The story of three men who love the living world and try to protect it

The Future of Food , directed by Deborah Garcia.
In-depth investigation into the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled U.S. grocery store shelves for the past decade

Revolution Green, directed by Stephen Strout.
A revealing documentary about the renewable energy called biodiesel and it's importance to the world economy, narrated by Woody Harrelson

We Are Traffic, directed by Ted White
Chronicles the history and development of the legendary 'Critical Mass' bicycle movement

Return of the Scorcher, directed by Ted White
Questions our obsessions with 'progress' and 'status' through bicycling culture throughout the world

The 11^th Hour, directed by Nadia Conners and Leila Conners Peterson.
A look at the state of the global environment including visionary and practical solutions for restoring the planet's ecosystems

Media Contacts:
Sean Carr, festival director, 716.307.911 or Seancarr54@yahoo.com.
Pat Torok, film studies, 910.962.7503, or Torokp@uncw.edu