Cinema Verde 2025 Environmental Film Festival

Steven Marking plays Will Dilg in an inspiring one-man movie entitled A Visit From Will Dilg. After suffering from the drowning death of his son in the early 1920”s, Dilg rose from the depths of depression to lead an extraordinary national crusade by forming the Izaak Walton League. Then, with the support of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of America they saved a 261 mile stretch of Mississippi River backwaters from drainage for agriculture by forming a great national preserve, The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.

A retrospective celebratory documentary highlighting the plastic pollution movement that was spurred by Captain Charles Moore and his research vessel - the ORV Alguita.

In Julia's dystopian society, anyone who can afford it takes "Ascend," a medication that allows them to mentally escape the mess that has become of the real world. Julia decides to stop taking her medication and face reality, but quickly finds that she is in for much more than she bargained for.

Could Australia’s past help secure its future? 65,000 years in the making, Burnt Country is about fighting fire, with fire. Exploring the profound knowledge and wisdom of First Nations, this film is an invitation to connect to country and community.

As Florida's violent legislation dominates headlines, LGBTQ2S+ communities are also on the frontlines of accelerating climate change. “Can’t Stop Change: Queer Climate Stories from the Florida Frontlines” weaves interviews with 15 LGBTQ2S+ artists, organizers, and educators across Florida (and the new Florida diaspora) into an intersectional climate justice narrative.

Climate change is heating up the world at an accelerating rate, but Congress is frozen to action. Humanity is heading towards devastation; there is only one chance to change the future by traveling into the past. Brilliant climatologist student Anna Jones is researching a massive glacier in Antarctica that is on the verge of collapse. This disaster will drown coastal cities, trigger unprecedented climate refugee numbers and loss of life, while inciting wars. Anna’s father, Dan Jones, the newly elected Senator from New Jersey, is pivotal to the success or failure of a key climate bill. The vote is imminent. Powerful climate denier factions work against the necessary climate actions, even as the planet teeters on the prime tipping point where human behavior, science and legislation collide. Only Noah Poem, a time traveling scientist from the future, can help Anna Jones convince her climate doubting father to do the right thing. But time is running out as science fiction meets science fact. The fate of the human race hangs in the balance. One vote could save humanity.

Join archaeologists and conservators along Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast as they uncover and meticulously document the submerged remains of a Roman ship in the ancient harbor of Barbir. Preserved in sediment for nearly 2,000 years, the ship's wooden hull provides experts at the International Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar with invaluable insights into the ship’s origin, offering a rare glimpse into the region’s maritime history and cultural heritage. Recovered artifacts from the archaeological site, including pottery sherds, fishing weights, and Roman coins, are carefully conserved at the Centre, ensuring the preservation of their captivating stories for future generations. With specialized care, conservators delicately tend to each piece of history, so that archeologists and historians may shed light on ancient trade and daily life during the Roman era in Croatia.

Despite its designation as globally “endangered,” relatively little is known about the whitespotted eagle ray’s ecology and life history. Now Florida scientists are combining cutting-edge technology with creative approaches to gain deeper insights into the movement and diet of this elegant fish - allowing them to experience the world from a ray’s point of view for the first time.

Embark on a journey across the breathtaking landscape of Maui, where scientists, land restorationists, and passionate volunteers are drawing upon the ancient wisdom of the Hawaiian people to breathe new life into their cherished ecosystems. Even amidst profound loss in the wake of recent wildfires, these resilient islanders are unwavering in their commitment to revive traditional watersheds, safeguarding the invaluable coral reefs that define their coastline. Rooted in the principles of aloha ʻāina—love of the land—and mālama ʻāina—caring for the land—they are reconnecting water pathways from mauka to makai—from the mountains to the ocean—and working together to heal their island home.

In the early 1990s, agricultural corporations and other investors began buying thousands of acres of cultivated and uncultivated land with water rights in the scenic wine country of San Luis Obispo County, California. They planted more vineyards and sank dozens of deep, powerful wells for irrigation that have over-drafted the already depleted Paso Robles Basin aquifer. Around 2010, the shallower wells of hundreds of country homes and small farms and ranches began failing. This documentary tells that story through the voices of three small landowners who lost their livelihoods and hopes for their futures when their wells went dry. The film then follows how they and their supporters organize social force to participate in local political processes to assert their water rights and their concerns for the environmental health of the Paso Basin.

Bafta-winner Mia McKenna-Bruce voices an eco-investigator who is traumatised by her work accessing factory farms and documenting animal abuses undercover. Terrified of a future of climate apocalypse, she embarks on a journey into the food systems that shape our planet, to look for hope.

What if our food could save the ocean? The ocean is the source of life. It regulates the climate. It covers 70% of the planet's surface. The ocean is vital but it is under threat. And that is mainly because of our food. We don't think about it because we can't see it, but what we eat can have serious consequences for the health of the ocean. Fortunately, solutions do exist. In France, men and women are already laying the foundations for a more sustainable eating. Malaury, a young ocean activist, sets off to hitchhike the roads of France to meet them. She will try to better understand the impacts of our food on the ocean. And above all, she will discover tangible solutions for eating well while preserving the ocean.

Meet three generations of women growing sturgeon in a unique farm in Pierson, Florida. They're harvesting the sturgeon for Florida caviar.

Fracking the System is a political thriller documentary from the front lines of climate justice activism in Colorado. When a fracking mega-site gets moved from a White neighborhood to a BIPOC neighborhood, a concerned mother fights to try and stop it. This feature film is an investigative exposé about the harms of fracking, the lengths to which the government is complicit with industrial pollution, and the nefarious tactics that the oil and gas industry uses to undermine democratic elections.

Once Upon a FaceTime - Rachel, just two cats away from being a - you know - receives an unexpected, unorthodox offer to give up the glamour of her big city cubicle to go feed pigs and scoop poop at a faltering farm sanctuary in rural Florida. Indubitably she accepts, and upon her arrival encounters one kooky creature after another. And then there are the animals. Learning the sanctuary is running on financial fumes & expired certifications, Rachel channels her city savvy and shows what a real cat lady can do. Then she goes back to scooping poop. And so begins a new life amidst a cast of characters that almost seems made up.

In this film, we’ve created a snapshot of the work of the Subalusky Lab at the University of Florida, showcasing the research team’s insights on animals and their greater impacts on various ecosystems. Ultimately, the film calls on viewers to consider the broader implications of environmental research and conservation, and how they can support or contribute to the cause even if it just means adopting a new perspective. We aim to inspire, inform, and ignite a commitment to environmental stewardship among our viewers.

Will Hasell makes a difference in his community with a small garden that he started in his front yard. He grows food and provides a free seed library and compost program for the community, and he hopes to inspire others to start their own gardens.

As developers slowly squeeze every ounce of profit they can out of the Florida landscape, animals like the gopher tortoise and more than 365 creatures that rely on them are being driven to extinction. Developers have infiltrated every level of government in Florida including the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, an organization supposedly dedicated to protecting Florida's wildlife and wild places. Protections for the tortoise and other species is slowly being chipped away. But there's still hope that we can save this species, and ultimately, ourselves. This film was created on a budget of only $5,000 and using 100% volunteer work, and is a story from told from the collective hearts of thousands of people who care about gopher tortoises and supported the film throughout the production process.

Follows the construction of the first net-zero, passive house built in the Greater Tetons-Yellowstone region near Jackson, WY, while explaining the Passive House building approach for designing and constructing more sustainable buildings and exploring the many associated climate and energy performance benefits. Features the home’s designers – Lindsey Love and Lindsay Schack, co-founders of a sustainable architecture and design firm based out of Bozeman, MT and Driggs, ID – along with building and climate experts.

IN THE LAND OF PALM OIL focuses on the casualties, both human and environmental, of palm oil exploitation in Indonesia. The film fuses first hand accounts of villagers -- victims of land-grabbing by large global corporations who pay off local and national officials -- and vérité observations of young Dayak activists who are trying to expose the brutal human rights violations. The narrative thread of the film centers on Emmanuela Shinta, a rising Dayak activist who sees video and social media exposure as the key to holding her government to account. Acting as an eyewitness to both the civil rights abuses and the environmental degradation, Shinta and her team visit Dayak villagers to record their experiences and ride along with firefighting teams during the dry seasons to expose the tragic consequences of the modern day palm oil empire in her home province of Central Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo). Through a close collaboration with local people, the film develops and threads this narrative into the reality of the situation there. The film weaves together the many personal narratives of loss with broader observations on current political and social conditions within the Dayak community. In tandem with a quest for answers and accountability, the film constructs a stark portrait of the lasting effects of crony capitalism, now over two decades into the Post-Suharto Reformation.

a musical tribute to Exxon and climate change

Fish farming is pushing wild salmon to the brink of extinction. The federal government has promised to remove fish farms from BC waters by 2025, but now industry is pushing back with false solutions. Join Clayoquot Action’s fish farm watchdog program as a team of underwater cinematographers investigates an “experimental” fish farm near Tofino. What they find surprises them, and spells potential disaster for wild salmon. Featuring marine biologist and bestselling author Alexandra Morton, and traditional 'Na̱mg̱is Chief Ernest Alfred, who document the successful resurgence of salmon after the removal of fish farms from the Broughton Area and Discovery Islands.

"Saving Jaguars and Ourselves" brings attention to the plight of jaguars, wildlife, the Pantanal in Brazil AND the Amazon Rainforest and Cerrado Savannah. The film combines intimate human conversations and portrayals of jaguars in the Pantanal with clear explanations of larger threats that expand to include the Amazon, Cerrado, and the U.S.—focusing on ways that individuals in the U.S. can act effectively to bring change. These three areas form a critical Triad for preventing global climate change. My film explains why this Triad is crucial--why OUR survival in the U.S. depends on its recovery--and what we must do to literally save it, jaguars/wildlife, and Earth. The Pantanal wetland is larger than Florida and stores at least 10 billion tons of carbon. The Cerrado stores at least 13 billion tons. The Amazon stores 200 billion tons. If ANY of these areas completely burns, the carbon releases would be catastrophic. The Amazon and Pantanal are paradises. The Pantanal is directly affected by destruction of the Amazon and Cerrado savannah. Scientists believe that 80% of the Amazon Rainforest must be protected by 2025 or it will not be able to regenerate itself. The Amazon creates its own weather but if deforestation continues, its ecosystem will die and dying trees will give off as much as 200 billion tons of carbon over the next 30-50 years, effectively destroying our ability to protect the climate--and the Earth will die. The Pantanal is one of the most unique and beautiful places in the world, home to over 5,000 animal species and is now also facing threats from upstream river projects.

Based on true events, this award-winning film is a commentary on the detrimental affects of online bullying. A young girl faces the world of online trolls and hate comments after innocently posting on social media. With the support of a new friend, she must learn how to overcome her hate-comment induced anxiety and learn to love herself no matter what anyone hiding behind a screen name says about her.

In 2019, after years of severe drought, Australia endured an unprecedented bushfire crisis. The fires spanned almost the entire length of the country… and one small village on the New South Wales South Coast was hit by the full force of its destruction. The village became a national symbol for resilience and unbreakable Australian spirit. Told by the people who were there, this is not a story about tragedy, it’s a story about community. This is the story of Cobargo.

Babacar Thiaw, a visionary Senegalese surfer, entrepreneur, and environmental activist, is on a mission to tackle his country’s escalating plastic pollution crisis and preserve its coastline for future generations. Deeply connected to the ocean through his family’s history and inspired by his father’s teachings, Babacar channels this passion into innovative, community-driven solutions. He founded Senegal’s first zero-waste restaurant, setting a groundbreaking example of sustainability that has since inspired a growing movement across the country. This film follows Babacar’s journey as he champions the power of local action to combat global environmental challenges. Through his story, we witness how one person’s commitment can ignite widespread change, offering a hopeful message for a world in need of solutions. Babacar’s legacy is a call to action, reminding us all that safeguarding the future begins with the choices we make today.

Once down to 80 in the wild, the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow is at risk of extinction. Biologist Fabiola ‘Fabby’ Baeza-Tarin and an unexpected team work together to protect the sparrows, their shrinking habitat, and the headwaters of the Everglades. Produced by Wildpath and Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Deeply concerned about the steep decline of insect pollinators due to devastating environmental impacts, a group of runners trace the migration path of the monarch butterflies across three countries as they organized a 4,300 kilometre relay run, aiming to raise awareness for pollinator conservation.

The concern of some young people in Vancouver, Canada, about an uncertain future in the face of climate change or a possible global catastrophe leads them to take the initiative to learn how to grow food on an urban plot. They embark on an adventure that surprises them not only for the power to feed themselves through their work on the land, but also for the community and health generated by the constant contact with nature. Finishing by knowing that growing food is within the reach of whoever wants it.

Our animated short entertains while presenting eye-opening information on one of the fastest, most effective ways to slow the rate of global warming. Our film is an engaging way of addressing the dangers of climate change that educates in a non-threatening comical way. Individuals concerned about climate change can make relatively small personal choices that can have a huge positive effect.

Fifteen years after his eye opening examination of the average, everyday waste consumption habits of his fellow Canadians in Garbage! The Revolution Starts At Home, filmmaker Andrew Nisker finds himself more concerned than ever about humanity’s filthy habits. A quick glance outside confirms that the situation is critical. In a world full of performative greenwashing, corporations fueling the fires of mindless consumerism and governments’ futile efforts to clean up the mess, it’s no wonder that the average citizen has fallen out of touch with the waste we each create, everyday. Enlisting the help of your average condo dwelling couple and a typical rural nuclear family, Andrew once again embarks on an adventure through our waste, tracing our garbage from our carefully sorted bins to landfills and beyond, and meeting innovators along the way who are working hard to create sustainable alternatives, turning our expendable trash into repurposed treasures. Even as it wades through our muck, This Film is Garbage is an ultimately hopeful look at the little things we can each do to change our collectively smelly ways!

It seems that not only was the beginning of the life of beings, but also the beginning of the whole world with water. With this idea we can pay more attention to the water and save it.

The Eastern Black Rail is a federally Endangered and extremely secretive marsh bird, found primarily along the mid-Atlantic and Southeast coast of the United States. Habitat loss from development and sea-level rise inundation has reduced populations by 90% since the 1990s. Without intervention, the remaining east coast population is projected to be extirpated before 2070. Black Rails’ breeding success is incredibly vulnerable to minute changes in water level, and in coastal regions experiencing dramatic changes in storm regimes and steadily rising seas, their future depends on precise water-level management within the critical sites that remain. South Carolina’s ACE Basin is a one such landscape, uniquely comprised of historically dike-impounded wetlands, which today provides a stronghold for some 30 breeding pairs. A grassroots partnership among private landowners, non-profit conservation groups, and state and federal agencies is working urgently to understand the rails’ precise and cryptic needs, and to develop the techniques—and support—required to create those conditions on the ground. The Cornell Lab’s Center for Conservation Media has produced “Weathering Tides” (13 minutes), a short film highlighting the unlikely partnerships and pioneering techniques of this dedicated coalition. The film will be used by agency and non-profit partners in South Carolina and across the Atlantic Coast to build the support and participation necessary to scale effective management efforts beyond the ACE Basin, and to recover Eastern Black Rail populations. To learn more about the work in South Carolina, visit southcarolinablackrails.org. To learn more about efforts to recover Black Rail population across the Atlantic Coast, visit acjv.org/black-rail This film was made possible through generous support from the Robert F. Schumann Foundation.

"Wiigiwaam" is a visual project that follows an Indigenous artist and her family as they construct a wigwam using non-traditional materials. The installation serves as a powerful statement, inspiring a larger series that explores the artist's identity as a woman, an Indigenous person, and a creative individual.