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Now Playing | Mr. Aes Gener is a greedy mega-entrepreneur in the energy business. Through his story we get into the dirty business he has done in Chile and the world with coal, while we see, through archival footage, the damage to people and nature of this obsolete and polluting fossil fuel.

Past Presentation | The first documentary about ocean acidification, A Sea Change follows the journey of retired history teacher Sven Huseby on his quest to discover what is happening to the world’s oceans. Recipient of the NOAA 2010 Environmental Hero Award and Grand Prize, and winner of Feature Documentary, FICA International Environmental Film Festival, among other awards.

Now Playing | 100 Short Stories is a collage ranging from the serious to the humorous. This original and engaging documentary tackles opinions regarding governance, public policy, and questions what are sound ideas socially, environmentally and culturally in today’s society. It’s about predatory Capitalism, renewable energy, stopping the frakers, and contemporary life in Atlantic Canada. Created by Neal Livingston, a well-known Nova Scotian documentary filmmaker and artist – as well as renewable energy practitioner, developer and policy advocate – who calls the film partly autobiographical.

Now Playing | "The Story of Lumshnong" by Aarti Srivastava highlights ‘mindless’ limestone mining by cement companies. Lumshnong is a village situated in the Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya, India, which is rich in reserves of limestone. These rich reserves of limestone have attracted cement companies to set up their plants in the village, thus creating a hazardous environment for the local population. The documentary talks about “unthinkable stupidity of the cement companies”. There are as many as eight cement plants in a radius of just five kilometres in Lumshnong village. Limestone mining, as claimed in the documentary, has turned the Lumshnong village into a “dusty, waterless and barren” piece of land. “Studies revealed that loss of forest cover, pollution of water, soil and air, depletion of natural flora and fauna, reduction in biodiversity, erosion of soil, and degradation of agriculture land are some are some of the hazards of limestone mining,” the makers of the documentary stated. They added: “The hazards will not just be limited to the areas around the mines and cement factories but will spill to other regions if environmental checks are not put in place. It will also affect the lives of the people who live around the area.” The visuals of cement plants in the foreground, while the vegetations begins to look grey, and locals pointing at the shortcomings of limestone mining paint a sordid and truthful picture of what is happening in Lumshnong.

Past Presentation | Sea the Truth is the second documentary of the scientific bureau of the party for the animals, which is the only political party in the World that represents animals. The documentary shows us the conditions of the oceans, which is shocking. In 2048 the oceans will be emptied, if we do not act today! Seen through the eyes of underwater photographer Dos Winkel, this documentary follows two marine scientists as they research his observations and come to the conclusion that we should not eat fish anymore. Not only are the oceans polluted but the fish we eat too. This and other issues such as overfishing, by-catch and problems in fish farms are addressed.

Past Presentation | A documentary short on the effects of a contaminated 3.5-mile long natural tidal channel located in the heart of San Juan's poorest community.

Past Presentation | A documentary short that examines the dark history of environmental injustice around a creosote plant in southeastern North Carolina.

Past Presentation | Black Tide is a documentary about the ongoing environmental crisis with South Florida's water, due to mismanagement by the Army Corps. of Engineers and the power of Big Sugar.‍

Now Playing | The spirit of a movement that sometimes reminds us of our young revolutionary self, who still believed that he:she could change the world. This green filmed documentary mirrors the global situation and the diversity of climate change related activism.6 continents, 3 dozen filmmakers, countless activists and seasoned scientists. It is not about just one person but about many who stand up. TripleF*** is a documentary on the global climate movement, containing material from six continents (North - and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Antarctica), filmed green by cooperating film teams on site. The topic of climate activism itself as a protagonist takes us on a global journey to activists' lives and forms a dialogue within. Why did so many young people became activists? What is life as an activist like, how do they deal with political stagnation, harsh criticism and even threats and why do they still continue? Very personal but not private - to protect the activists' privacy, sensitive topics are woven in as a fictional part. This is the first of 5 Episodes. In this episode, which also stands for itself as a midlength film, the history of climate change related activism is highlighted. In its core spirit of a holistic approach, the project is been realized similarly to its topic of the climate activists' movement: independent, global, green.

Now Playing | The Dead Sea is disappearing. The documentary, Caught in Quicksand, was made to raise public awareness about the receding of the Dead Sea.

In a triumphant victory for the streaming giant Netflix, the documentary “Wild Babies” secured an Emmy Award in the category of “Travel, Adventure, and Nature Program.” The captivating series, produced by Netflix, explores the early lives of various wild animals across 16 countries, with a special focus on the vibrant biodiversity of Costa Rica. Brazilian […] The post Netflix’s ‘Wild Babies’ Wins Emmy: A Tribute to Costa Rican Wildlife appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Past Presentation | A documentary film that examines the role of urban farming in America and asks how much power it has to revitalize our cities and change the way we eat.

Past Presentation | The ecology of Chilean Patagonian fjords is mysterious and fragile. This documentary follows Vreni Haussermann as she explores these rich ecosystems and highlights the key challenges for the wildlife there. The film calls for a better understanding of the area and for marine protected areas to be established urgently. Otherwise these 'gifts of silver' will be lost forever.

Past Presentation | A documentary about the activism of Carol Buckley with elephants in captivity and how they are trained, forced to long working hours and living in a clearly improvable conditions.

Past Presentation | The nuclear accident at Fukushima was pointed out as "pollution" by environmental historians and despite nearly a decade having passed since the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami disaster, the after-effects are still being felt by people from the region. As people grasp at possible ways to recover and move forward, IWASAKI Takamasa, the director of this film, uses the documentary format to look at the past to find ways to the future.

Past Presentation | The #2 problem facing humanity. Sh*t Saves the World is a humorous take on our species’ impact on the Earth, exploring serious topics in an environmental documentary format. The project brings to light subjects that are not often discussed… at least not at the dinner table.

Now Playing | A documentary short that focuses on a sustainability project in Cojímar, Cuba

Past Presentation | Into Eternity follows the digging and pre-implementation of the Onkalo nuclear waste repository in Olkiluoto, Finland. Director Michael Madsen is questioning Onkalo’s intended eternal existence, addressing a remotely future audience. More importantly, this documentary raises the question of the authorities responsibility of ensuring compliance with relatively new safety criteria legislation and the principles at the core of nuclear waste management.

Past Presentation | Earthlings is an award-winning documentary film about the suffering of animals for food, fashion, pets, entertainment and medical research. Considered the most persuasive documentary ever made, Earthlings is nicknamed “the Vegan maker” for its sensitive footage shot at animal shelters, pet stores, puppy mills, factory farms, slaughterhouses, the leather and fur trades, sporting events, circuses and research labs.

Past Presentation | Climate change is the biggest challenge humanity has ever faced – and it is also our greatest opportunity. We have the solutions we need, but we are in a race against the clock to implement them in time. Oscar-winning documentary director Charles Ferguson captures the urgency and innovation of this critical moment in his new film, which takes audiences on a journey from the threats we face to the remarkable stories of people changing our world for the better.

Past Presentation | Mountain Man is a social issue documentary that chronicles, in verite style, Joel's struggle to find a balance between an obligatory fast paced Orange County lifestyle and the natural beauty in Orange County and the greater Southern California area that goes seemingly unnoticed. This short documentary follows the ebbs and flows of Joel's work in Naturalist for You. He struggles to attract participants but also experiences the triumphs of fostering inspiration. He struggles to support his family, while also maintaining a constant dedication to his organization.

Now Playing | CONFESSIONS OF AN ECO-TERRORIST: A feature length documentary film. A unique look at eco-history from one who was there for 40 years: Peter Jay Brown, and a humorous examination of the word “eco-terrorist” in today’s reality.

Now Playing | Every year, one million tourists arrive in Boracay to get away from reality… but what is the reality for those who live there and cannot escape it? Documentary filmmaker Kat Jayme travels to Boracay, the crown jewel of the Philippines and her family’s favorite vacation spot — but this time she is not on holiday. With the help of the local children of the island, who make sandcastles for money, she discovers what life is really like on Paradise Island.

Now Playing | A Simpler Way: Crisis as Opportunity is a feature-length documentary that follows a community in Australia who came together to explore and demonstrate a simpler way to live in response to global crises. Throughout the year the group built tiny houses, planted veggie gardens, practised simple living, and learned how to live in community. This film is the product of hours and hours of footage that I shot during that year-long experiment in simple living.

Past Presentation | Thomas Jackson Special Pre-Release Screening of the feature-length documentary, "A Prayer for Compassion" follows Thomas Jackson on a quest that crisscrosses America and takes him to Morocco for the UN Climate Conference and throughout the Indian subcontinent to ask the question, “Can compassion grow to include all beings? Can people who identify as religious or spiritual come to embrace the call to include all human and nonhuman beings in our circle of respect and caring and love?”

Past Presentation | The olive tree has been and is, without a doubt, one of the most recognizable hallmarks of Mediterranean culture throughout its history. However, it is not so clear that this will continue to be the case in the near future, at least in Mallorca, where the landscape itself has begun to show signs of exhaustion. The documentary is an immersion in the world of the Serra de Tramuntana olive tree, in its history and the culture that surrounds it, especially the musical part looking for the work songs that the locals sang in the past.

Past Presentation | Filmed across France, California, and Texas, the film traces the history of civilization's quest to procure abundant water and energy — from ancient Roman aqueducts in Europe to modern America’s vast hydroelectric infrastructure. In the modern world, water and energy are the two fundamental components of a society, and they are interconnected. The film explores our dependence on water for energy as well as the huge vulnerabilities in our current systems, exacerbated by climate change. The documentary is adapted from Dr. Michael E. Webber’s book Thirst for Power: Energy, Water, and Human Survival.

Now Playing | The documentary tells the challenges of daily life of a young couple who left the city for life in the country, wanting to see their children grow up in a rural environment with a strong connection to nature. Marju Kivi, originally from Estonia, and Marco Gonçalves, Portuguese, are aware that moving to the countryside was a risky step, but they struggle daily to make their dreams come true.

Past Presentation | We want our food fast, convenient and cheap, but at what cost? As farms have become supersized, our environment suffers and so does the quality of our food. Food for Thought, Food for Life, a new documentary from director Susan Rockefeller (HBO’s Christopher Award­-winning documentary Making The Crooked Straight, Cinema Verde 2016 / Film Descriptions Page 3 Planet Green’s A Sea Change) explains the downsides of current agribusiness practices, and also introduces us to farmers, chefs, researchers, educators, and advocates who are providing solutions. The film is both poetic and practical; its powerful examination of the connections between our planet and our well­being is accompanied by specific strategies that protect both. With an eye towards a sustainable and abundant future, it offers inspiration for communities that are ready to make a difference.

Now Playing | A film to provide an awareness of climate change and the individual measures we can take to combat it. The production process of Rise and Fall began as your stereotypical documentary meant to showcase various aspects of the Earth and Ocean Sciences Department at UNCW. Still, as the interview process was underway, it was quickly decided to move in another direction. It is an essay film about the science of climate change, what we can do in our day-to-day lives to combat it, and its impacts. Without using talking heads, the images of the natural world provide a sensual look at what will be affected by climate change.

Now Playing | Population growth has been left out of the climate debate because it is considered controversial, yet it is one of the most important factors. The global population has passed the 7 billion mark and India will soon overtake China as the most populous nation in the world, but one state in southern India has found the solution: Kerala educates its women. The unique history of Kerala and ‘the Kerala Model’ is outlined, using it as an example of achieving population control in developing countries without coercion. Links are highlighted within the documentary between issues such as women’s education, women’s rights and status in society, women’s health, population growth, global poverty and global food shortage, economic growth and environmental stability.

Past Presentation | Based on the acclaimed book by ecologist and cancer survivor Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D., Living Downstream is an eloquent and cinematic documentary film. This poetic film follows Sandra during one pivotal year as she travels across North America, working to break the silence about cancer and its environmental links. After a routine cancer screening, Sandra receives some worrying results and is thrust into a period of medical uncertainty. Thus, we begin two journeys with Sandra: her private struggles with cancer and her public quest to bring attention to the urgent human rights issue of cancer prevention. But Sandra is not the only one who is on a journey—the chemicals against which she is fighting are also on the move. We follow these invisible toxins as they migrate to some of the most beautiful places in North America. We see how these chemicals enter our bodies and how, once inside, scientists believe they may be working to cause cancer.

Now Playing | How many elephants are there across Nigeria? Some Nigerian conservationists estimate that there are only 300, others believe the number is less than that. In recent years there have been many reports of hunters killing elephants across the country. A combination of climate change (which has reduced amounts of fresh water the elephants need), poaching, human-elephant conflict and deforestation is a major challenge. ‘Elephant Protection’ is a 30minute documentary featured on ‘Earthfile’- Channels Television’s environment and Development Programme. It focuses on the current problem climate change has caused for the elephants, in terms of habitat loss and the cause of the human-elephant conflicts in Nigeria. It also looks at the efforts of conservationists (trained professionals and those without formal education) in the protection of the elephant population. It talks about their successes and failure, and how humans can live in harmony with the elephants. For this story, Omo Forest, Ogun state, Southwest Nigeria and Yankari games reserve in Bauchi state in Nigeria's NorthEast were visited.

Past Presentation | Planet Ocean Blues a personal take on the devastating impact of Traditional Chinese Medicine on marine species & Ocean ecosystems -- narrated by Mermaid Maribella, with original music by Nick Wyke Storyline This is a short film about a vast subject: the Ocean. Or more precisely, about the potential extinction of certain marine species in the Ocean Or even more precisely, about the potential extinction of marine species due to superstitious beliefs promoted by bogus practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Stories about the extinction of marine species due to TCM is the theme. Stories--because readers may not remember facts, but they do remember stories. The short film has strong elements of mockumentary satire, with Mermaid narrator and imagined characters. Three customised music tracks were composed and sung by Nick Wyke. The documentary narrative is based on two digital photobooks by Michael Buckley: ‘Planet Ocean Blues’ + ‘Xtinction Blues.’ Planet Ocean Blues is a groundbreaking documentary, being the first to investigate the wider spectrum of the impact of TCM on marine species -- the senseless plundering of sharks, manta rays, seahorses, Totoaba croakers, seals and sea-cucumbers -- under the guise of bogus traditional medicine cures.

Past Presentation | The turtle has fallen into the trap of a fisherman in the lagoon and she is also trying to save herself from this predicament.

Past Presentation | A story about a Monarch Butterfly, her vanishing habitat and her unique relationship to the Gulf Coast.

Past Presentation | This is a documentary thriller about how Agro-Chemical multinational corporations victimize international scientists to prevent them from publishing their scary findings.

Past Presentation | Inhabitants of arctic and antarctic regions wander through landscapes of dwindling ice.

Past Presentation | Cynthia Wade’s newest short documentary stars a boy who comes of age in rural Cambodia while struggling with arsenic poisoning and dreaming of becoming a karaoke star.

Past Presentation | Will Harris, owner of White Oak Pastures, tells us his evolution from industrial to regenerative farmer.

Past Presentation | Vermont herbalists Jeff and Melanie Carpenter sold their natural products business to buy raw land and start an organic farm to grow medicinal herbs, rather than source them from half-way around the world.

Now Playing | We follow five North American owls in different seasons; from summer heat to spring rejuvenation.

Past Presentation | Blue holes scattered throughout the Gulf of Mexico inspire a team of exploration scientists and divers who set out to uncover the mysteries of what makes them ecological oases.

Past Presentation | This documentary explores the formation of the Maui Nui Marine Resources Council and their community-based efforts to restore vibrance and abundance to Maui's reefs.

Now Playing | A look into the devastating effects of a deadly disease on the historic olive trees in Puglia, Italy.

Past Presentation | A once in a lifetime filming experience, #Whilewewatch is Director Kevin Breslin’s passionate, raw and sensitive inside story about some very great people during Occupy Wall Street protests, which came out of nowhere and created a media revolution.

Past Presentation | Once upon a time, through almost every city, rivers flowed. Why did they disappear? How? And could we see them again? This documentary tries to find answers by meeting visionary urban thinkers, activists, and artists from around the world.

Past Presentation | A short film that documents visionaries Michael Lewis (of Growing Warriors) and Rebecca Burgess (of Fibershed) as they collaborate to re-introduce industrial hemp to the American landscape.

Now Playing | Emerald Sanctuary is a documentary investigating the impacts of seagrasses on the environment and culture of Florida as well as the their necessity to maintaining a healthy biodiversity.

Past Presentation | A Wild Idea is a documentary about the Yasuni-ITT Initiative-Ecuador's unprecedented proposal for fighting global climate change: In exchange for payments from the world community, the country will leave untouched its largest oil reserves.

Past Presentation | Since the 1970s Majuli islander Jadav Payeng has been planting trees in order to save his island. To date, he has single-handedly planted a forest larger than Central Park NYC. His forest has transformed what was once a barren wasteland into a lush oasis.

Past Presentation | Black Tide is a documentary about the ongoing environmental crisis with South Florida's water, due to mismanagement by the Army Corps. of Engineers and the power of Big Sugar.

Past Presentation | The Pipe is a thrilling documentary, portraying the story of a community tragically divided, and how they deal with an oil pipe that could bring economic prosperity or destruction of a way of life shared for generations.

Past Presentation | Psychiatrist and musician Clark advocates for natural burial – and plans his own – while battling lymphoma. Capturing the genesis of a revolutionary social and environmental movement, this film is a life-affirming portrait of people coming to terms with mortality by embracing our connection to death and nature.

Past Presentation | Water is the essence of all life. It draws the Earth and the history of mankind, but it can turn into danger and even poison. The rivers of Bolivia, veins of the heart of South America, are turning black, red and even disappearing.

Past Presentation | Exploring the beauty, rigor, and impact of socially engaged art, these short vignettes were made possible by A Blade of Glass (ABOG), which provides resources for artists reaching beyond boundaries and into communities to contribute creatively to social change. ABOG supports this work through a national fellowship program and related programs such as short documentary films.

Now Playing | Clams have been called the perfect protein - let's find out why. From harvest through the processing facility, to the delivery to a restaurant, we find out what it takes to get clams on your plate.

Past Presentation | Travel into both the No Go Zone of Fukushima and the reactions of the Japanese 7 months after the disaster. Photographer Alessandro Tesei succeeded in entering the forbidden area and gathered images and interviews with common people, politicians, and scientists, including explanations with great significance to the use of nuclear power.

Past Presentation | Atlanta is a bustling metropolis of the south eastern US. While this surge of growth is great news for the city's residents, the illuminated skyline is posing a serious hazard for the nation's migrating bird population. As the city expands and our skyline develops, local scientists work to find the balance of safety for ourselves and our avian life.

Past Presentation | Contrasting powerful forces opposing change with compelling stories of pioneering leaders and the patients they seek to help, this film exposes the perverse nature of American healthcare and explores whether there is a way out. It’s about saving the health of a nation