Left to right, from the top, Honorable Mention winners are Jenny Vu from Virginia, Andrew Older from Illinois, Gerardo “Tony” Godinez from Illinois, Mason Mirabile from Virginia, Nia Mahran from Egypt, Scott Lee from Georgia, Oscar Parres from Mexico, Stanislaw Maciejewski from Poland, and Hasan Muhammad from Illinois. See additional group winners below from Michigan, Colorado, California, and Egypt.
By Lisa Biehle Files
The annual One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest Global Awards Celebration is gearing up to take place at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, both in person at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St., and online virtually anywhere in the world. Featuring the top 10 winning films from among 403 submissions, this event is the first with global reach.
“This year our awards event will include a sneak peek of our Honorable Mention winners. We will be screening a compilation of these 12 films, and a number of the filmmakers will be live in the room to receive their awards. This is the first time we will be recognizing the Honorable Mention winners at our main event, side by side with our TOP WINNERS (which we wrote about last month). It’s all very exciting,“ explained Contest Founding Director Sue Crothers. A full virtual screening of the Honorable Mention winners will occur on Nov. 4. Register free at this link.
Learn more about Honorable Mention winning films below.
Hasan Muhammad
THE SALT SOLUTION (5 min)
Hasan Muhammad
Grade 4 (now Grade 5)
Murphy Elementary School
Woodridge, IL
In colder climes, salt is used to prevent roads and sidewalks from becoming slick or slippery. But Hasan explains that salt harms wildlife and plants in his 5-minute film “The Salt Solution,” and that just one teaspoon of salt can impact 5 gallons of water. Hasan interviews Hanna Miller from the Conservation Foundation about being “Salt Smart.” She says salt runs into our waterways, harming macro invertebrates, and never leaves, making it important to use it sparingly. Through cartoon illustrations, Hasan then explains the best ways to tackle ice and snow with brooms, shovels, and snow blowers before spreading salt judiciously.
“I feel very passionate about salt pollution in local waterways and wanted to bring more attention to how big of an issue salt pollution is,” stated Hasan in his contest entry.
Scott Lee
LOST BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Scott Lee, Grade 5 (now Grade 6)
Settles Bridge Elementary School
Suwanee, GA
Using stop-motion paper cutouts, Scott created a heartfelt story in his 4-minute film “Lost but Not Forgotten.” A sea turtle hatchling emerges from its egg with two heads instead of one, mutated by pollution. After navigating through an ocean full of bottle caps and plastic bags, this unusual hatchling is captured by marine biologists who perform surgery. Scott’s compelling narrative uses original dialogue, dramatic sound effects, and effective backgrounds, prompting viewers to think more about what we can do to curtail ocean waste.
In his contest submission, Scott wrote: “I made this animation inspired by the idea to give a message to stop sea pollution.”
Andrew Older
INVASIVE FISH IN THE
DES PLAINES RIVER (3 min)
Andrew Older
Grade 7 (now Grade 8)
Roosevelt Middle School
River Forest, IL
A well-researched, well-written script is at the core of Andrew’s 3-minute film “Invasive Fish in the Des Plaines River.” Invasive goby fish and Asian carp are crowding out native fish in Des Plaines River, IL. With illustrations and maps, Andrew explains that goby fish were introduced from Eastern Europe via ballast water from international ships traveling along the St. Lawrence Seaway to the Great Lakes. Asian carp traveled up the Mississippi to the Great Lakes after they were introduced in the South to help control algal blooms. We all can help, says Andrew, by joining organized fishing groups for Asian carp and goby, by eating more copi (a new name for carp), and by donating to non-profits that help solve this problem.
“Through this film festival, I hope to share my concern for native fish and their ecology that is threatened by invasive species,” Andrew elucidated in his contest entry.
Mason Mirabile
A REASON FOR HOPE (5 min)
Mason Mirabile
Grade 7 (now Grade 8)
Williamsburg Middle School
Arlington, VA
This is Mason’s third film to be recognized by the One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest, and he is just entering 8th grade. In his 5-minute film “A Reason for Hope,” he interviews World Wildlife Fund’s Dan Riley about the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Then he shows a specific example in Arlington, VA, by interviewing Discovery Elementary School’s Principal Dr. Erin Healy and the school building’s Lead Architect Wyck Knox. When the school opened, Discovery was the largest net zero school in the country. “Discovery isn’t just helping the environment with all its eco-friendly features,” says Dr. Healy. “It’s also inspiring students to help the environment and make a difference in the world.” Case in point: Mason is a graduate of this elementary school; he is making a difference by educating his audience via environmental films.
“I am a returning director and have enjoyed participating and watching the festival films over the last few years,” wrote Mason in his contest entry. “I think transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources is very important and everyone should learn more about it.”
Front to back, Yoel Mesfin, Hannah Berhane, and Lily Mesfin
A CRISIS CAROL (5 min)
Yoel Mesfin, Lily Mesfin, Hannah Berhane
Grade 10 (now Grade 11)
DSST: Montview H.S.
Downtown Aurora Visual Arts and CFS Youth Film Camp, Denver, CO
Yoel’s rhyming, 5-minute, environmental adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” is called “A Crisis Carol.” Scrooge (acted by Yoel himself) a careless litterer, is taught a lesson by Mother Earth (acted by Lily), dressed as a hippie. Mother Earth takes Scrooge to the pristine past, the dirty present, and the desolate future, to see where humankind is leading the planet. Says Mother Earth: “The future is truly where you will pay your debt. This is Earth’s future, Earth’s dismal demise. Let me show you Scrooge, so you can see it with your own eyes.” Mother Earth gives a vision so bleak that Scrooge’s heart grows three sizes, and he decides to change his ways. Narration and some writing is by Hannah Berhane.
In his contest submission, Yoel explained that he wanted to make a film that addressed a serious topic in a fun way. He succeeds in creating a poetic, original Charles Dickens spinoff.
From left, Matthew Wilson, Milo Smith, and Romeo Keyser
EXPEDITION (3 min)
Romeo Keyser, Milo Smith, Matthew Wilson Grades 9 to 12
Southgate Anderson High School
Grosse Ile Township Middle School
Downriver Detroit Student Film Consortium
Wyandotte, MI
Milo directs the 3-minute film “Expedition,” a group collaboration written by Noah Harrison. Two interstellar visitors (Romeo and Matthew) beam down to Earth as scouts from the mother ship. These aliens, who look similar to humans, are dressed in identical black and white outfits. They move in unison, surveying the sights from left to right through their identical black and white glasses. The two gaze at a polluting refinery and abandoned buildings in Michigan’s bleak, winter landscape. Repetitive, electronic music matches the film editing, giving a sense that an advanced alien culture is visiting a planet in decay. Suddenly, the aliens beam back to their ship and take off. We are left assuming that planet Earth was too polluted, dilapidated and just not worth their time.
This film was a collaboration by Downriver Detroit Student Film Consortium, which recruits at-risk and disadvantaged students from inner city Detroit and the Downriver high schools to make movies. The program teaches middle and high school students how to be actors, directors, editors, camera operators and production assistants.
Jenny Vu
VOICES OF WATER (8 min)
Jenny Vu
Grade 11 (now Grade 12)
Ocean Lakes High School
Virginia Beach, VA
In her 8-minute film “Voices of Water,” Jenny focuses on the water in Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States, considered a national treasure. Nitrogen and phosphorus runoff created dead zones, but since the landmark Clean Water Act of 2010, water quality has seen a slow but steady improvement. Jenny interviews AP Environmental Science teacher Santo Ripa and waterman Jimmy Sollner to get their thoughts about advocacy and this incremental water restoration story. She concludes, “Legislation has the power to reverse harmful actions, prevent future crises, and protect our environment.”
In her contest entry, Jenny continued: “Living in Virginia Beach, this watershed is of personal importance to me, as my community lives on the front lines of climate change. It is crucial that action is taken to protect it. And I want to do my part through advocacy, awareness, and action.”
George Hu, Simarya Ahuja, Caitlin Weber, and Alexa Shuey. Nicita Raam is not pictured.
ENVIRONMENTAL “JUSTICE” (5 min)
George Hu, Simarya Ahuja, Nicita Raam, Alexa Shuey, and Caitlin Weber
Grade 11 (now Grade 12)
Saratoga High School
Saratoga, CA
The 5-minute team film project “Environmental ‘Justice’” focuses on Kettleman City, CA, which hosts a Class 1 landfill, and the history of the town’s environmental struggles. This largely Hispanic area is famous for its successful fight to stop Chemical Waste Management from building a toxic waste incinerator over 30 years ago. Despite this victory, there was an increase in babies born with congenital disabilities around 2010; toxic chemicals in drinking water could have been the cause. The film team interviews community organizer Miguel Alatorre, ethnic studies teacher Jorje Pacheco, and EPA Environmental Justice Officer Matthew Tajeda, who says we all carry a responsibility for righting environmental wrongs.
“We can right these wrongs by pressuring our government to implement reforms,” declares Nicita Raam, voicing Caitlin Weber’s script. “We can actively participate in protests for environmental justice, we can pressure companies to stop dumping their waste near inhabited areas. Change starts with the people, and we can make the change.”
Gerardo “Tony” Godinez
THE GARDEN PROJECT (8 min)
Gerardo “Tony” Godinez
Sophomore (now Junior)
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, IL
“The Garden Project” tells the evolution of what started as a 5,000 square foot native garden at Morton Freshman Center in Cicero, IL. In the fall of 2017, science teacher Kevin O’Toole spearheaded this project to help save the monarch butterfly, providing habitat along its migration path. With gorgeous close ups of butterflies and native plants, Tony intersperses narration from numerous high school students in his 8-minute film. The garden has received national and international attention and has grown to 10,000 square feet with over 75 native plant species and 65 trees. Not only wildlife, but also people have benefited in manifold ways.
Monarch butterflies migrate between the United States and Mexico, where it is believed they are the returning souls of the departed. Via his film, Tony hopes to showcase and celebrate the Cicero community that has helped to protect these fragile creatures, as well as myriad other pollinators.
Stanislaw Maciejewski
HAPPY EGGS (3 min)
Stanislaw Maciejewski,
Magdalena Abakanowicz
University of Arts
Poznań, Poland
The chicks in “Happy Eggs” are far from happy. In Stan’s 3-minute animated horror film, he effectively creates suspense and drama as two male baby chicks try to escape their fate at the end of a conveyor belt. One wears half an eggshell as a helmet for battle as each take turns trying to help the other. Through this film, Stan exposes a little-known truth about how the egg industry manages unneeded male chicks across all production arenas: cage, barn, and free range.
Wrote Stan in his contest entry: “The topic of veganism and problems of animal agriculture are closely related to the issues we’re facing with climate change. . . I'm certain that changes need to be made to the way we take care of our planet and its non-human inhabitants.”
From left, Maged Michel Seha, Nia Mahran, and Mario Seha
STATEMENT (1 min)
Nia Mahran, Maged Michel Seha, Mario Seha, post-grad
Minia University
Minia, Egypt
The one-minute animation “Statement” is a series of brief images in a limited, bold palette of red, blue, black, and white. Each image has an environmental message: an ocean full of plastic bags, a bee carrying the earth on its back, people with their heads in the sand, birds with gas masks, a monstrous oil spill, and more. Time drips away like sand in an hourglass, only in this case, it’s water instead of sand, dripping onto a person who reclines at the bottom of the hourglass. He is about to drown but is oblivious because of distraction on a virtual reality headset.
This simple animation conveys so much in one minute: time is running out; we are on the precipice; we are destroying the Earth but hiding from the truth and avoiding action. “The film is meant to be a voice for planet Earth, to help people have a visual taste of what’s happening and where we stand,” wrote Nia in her contest entry.
Birds in gas masks from “Statement”
Oscar Parres
WHO IS GOD? (3 min)
Oscar Parres, post-grad
Udes Universidad
de Ciencias y Desarrollo
Puebla, Mexico
“Who is God” is a series of vibrating animated images generated by Artificial Intelligence, set to music by Odesza. Oscar shows the best and the worst of humanity in his 3-minute film with images of infancy and infirmity, love and war, creation and destruction. Sand flows through an hourglass indicating time is running out.
Oscar described his film thus: "’Who Is God?’ delves into the heights of human achievements. We showcase the brilliance of our creations, from the wonders of time and space exploration to the depths of destruction and creation itself. By celebrating our ingenuity and exploring our collective potential, we highlight the capacity for both incredible creation and devastating consequences that lie within us.
“The climax of the film challenges the very nature of our existence. We witness a human transformed into a machine, symbolizing the creation becoming the image and likeness of its creator. This provocative visual serves as a metaphorical exploration of the blurred lines between creator and creation, leaving audiences questioning the boundaries of human potential and the repercussions of our technological advancements.”
As Oscar finishes the film with images of cyborgs, part human and part robot, it seems fitting and ironic that he used AI to create this broad, thought-provoking film.
See previous article about top contest winners for 2023.