Environmental Shorts Film Festival in Oakland
by Reynard Seifert
The Premiere Screening of the Environmental Festival is hosted by the Oakland Museum annually. photo: Christopher RichardThe EarthDance Environmental Film Festival's sixth installment premieres at the Oakland Museum of California on Friday, April 3rd. Every year, the festival screens first at the museum before going on to cities around the United States and abroad.
Started in 2004 by Zakary Zide, EarthDance brings in a number of people from a variety of professions to select short films that tell compelling stories in ways that are humorous, beautiful, and enlightening.
This year's festival includes a German animated film called Descendents starring Whoopie Goldberg; a quirky documentary, Key West Cocktales, about the wild roosters of Key West, and the award-winning Our Wonderful Nature, which ironically uses computer-generated animation to display the beauty of our wold. There are also a slew of international offerings from France, Japan, Germany, and Italy.
Environmental artist Zakary Zide started the film festival because he saw a lack of stories in the media representing the kinds of relationships he and his friends have with the natural world. He knew there had to be more films dealing with environmental issues in a way that is at once entertaining and informative.
"Our thinking was, let's not exclude people from environmental media," said Zide. "Let's include them."
In a world growing ever more distracted, EarthDance's goal is to provide people from all walks of life with films that keep their attention, while creating a forum for discussing environmental issues. The festival also provides fundraising opportunities for communities that screen the films. Programs, ranging from 90 to 180 minutes, are tailor-made for individuals and institutions that want to bring the festival to their city.
When EarthDance began, Zide didn't intend for it to tour, but as people considering a similar type of event found out about the program, and it became clear it could grow legs. "It all happened very organically," said Zide. So far twelve dates are set for 2009, but more can always be added.
Although EarthDance is a for-profit company, it is still eligible for tax-deductible contributions. The Oakland Museum of California is their primary sponsor, but they have many other corporate partnerships. When the festival tours they charge a minimal leasing fee so that ticket revenue can be used in whatever way the organizers feel is most appropriate.
Of the myriad issues concerning the environment today, Zakary Zide thinks the most important thing for people to consider is the immense service that our ecosystem does for us. "If that service goes away, it will lead to serious problems," explains Zide. "On a smaller scale, the big issue is that people don't have time to appreciate and enjoy nature."
Indeed, part of what the festival does is attempt to carve out time for simple enjoyment. As we enjoy the amazing advances of modernization, we are also losing the ability to slow down and revel in the natural world. But it's not enough to simply smell the roses.
As Zide laments, "We could very well be heading toward a bottleneck, where consumption overwhelms the ecosystem's ability to recycle." We are facing some serious problems today, more serious than every before, which is why it's so important for Zide and his crew to help raise awareness of these issues.
Zide does have hope for the future, however, noting that, "There are a lot of changes happening in the way that waste and production happens which could lead to big changes for the future." Likewise, there are no plans of the film festival to slow down. With more environmental issues coming to the forefront, and more films being made about them, Zide sees no reason to stop anytime soon.
In addition to plans for an environmental film foundation that would provide grants and resources to projects of interest, EarthDance is actively seeking sponsorship for a combination eco-adventure and documentary production, which would produce a film to be screened at the next festival each year. Zakary and the EarthDance team are always interested in hearing ideas and suggestions, and encourages people in the Bay Area and elsewhere to get involved in the festival and their work.
EarthDance accepts submissions on a rolling basis. Submission guidelines and more information are available at their Website (earthdancefilms.com). They also sell "Best Of" compilations through Green Planet Films. Admission to the April 3rd premiere is $8, $5 for students and seniors, at the Oakland Museum. Screenings are in two blocks, at 6:30pm and 8:30pm.
Posted on Apr 07, 2009 - 09:22 AM
by Reynard Seifert
The Premiere Screening of the Environmental Festival is hosted by the Oakland Museum annually. photo: Christopher RichardStarted in 2004 by Zakary Zide, EarthDance brings in a number of people from a variety of professions to select short films that tell compelling stories in ways that are humorous, beautiful, and enlightening.
This year's festival includes a German animated film called Descendents starring Whoopie Goldberg; a quirky documentary, Key West Cocktales, about the wild roosters of Key West, and the award-winning Our Wonderful Nature, which ironically uses computer-generated animation to display the beauty of our wold. There are also a slew of international offerings from France, Japan, Germany, and Italy.
Environmental artist Zakary Zide started the film festival because he saw a lack of stories in the media representing the kinds of relationships he and his friends have with the natural world. He knew there had to be more films dealing with environmental issues in a way that is at once entertaining and informative.
"Our thinking was, let's not exclude people from environmental media," said Zide. "Let's include them."
In a world growing ever more distracted, EarthDance's goal is to provide people from all walks of life with films that keep their attention, while creating a forum for discussing environmental issues. The festival also provides fundraising opportunities for communities that screen the films. Programs, ranging from 90 to 180 minutes, are tailor-made for individuals and institutions that want to bring the festival to their city.
When EarthDance began, Zide didn't intend for it to tour, but as people considering a similar type of event found out about the program, and it became clear it could grow legs. "It all happened very organically," said Zide. So far twelve dates are set for 2009, but more can always be added.
Although EarthDance is a for-profit company, it is still eligible for tax-deductible contributions. The Oakland Museum of California is their primary sponsor, but they have many other corporate partnerships. When the festival tours they charge a minimal leasing fee so that ticket revenue can be used in whatever way the organizers feel is most appropriate.
Of the myriad issues concerning the environment today, Zakary Zide thinks the most important thing for people to consider is the immense service that our ecosystem does for us. "If that service goes away, it will lead to serious problems," explains Zide. "On a smaller scale, the big issue is that people don't have time to appreciate and enjoy nature."
Indeed, part of what the festival does is attempt to carve out time for simple enjoyment. As we enjoy the amazing advances of modernization, we are also losing the ability to slow down and revel in the natural world. But it's not enough to simply smell the roses.
As Zide laments, "We could very well be heading toward a bottleneck, where consumption overwhelms the ecosystem's ability to recycle." We are facing some serious problems today, more serious than every before, which is why it's so important for Zide and his crew to help raise awareness of these issues.
Zide does have hope for the future, however, noting that, "There are a lot of changes happening in the way that waste and production happens which could lead to big changes for the future." Likewise, there are no plans of the film festival to slow down. With more environmental issues coming to the forefront, and more films being made about them, Zide sees no reason to stop anytime soon.
In addition to plans for an environmental film foundation that would provide grants and resources to projects of interest, EarthDance is actively seeking sponsorship for a combination eco-adventure and documentary production, which would produce a film to be screened at the next festival each year. Zakary and the EarthDance team are always interested in hearing ideas and suggestions, and encourages people in the Bay Area and elsewhere to get involved in the festival and their work.
EarthDance accepts submissions on a rolling basis. Submission guidelines and more information are available at their Website (earthdancefilms.com). They also sell "Best Of" compilations through Green Planet Films. Admission to the April 3rd premiere is $8, $5 for students and seniors, at the Oakland Museum. Screenings are in two blocks, at 6:30pm and 8:30pm.
Posted on Apr 07, 2009 - 09:22 AM
