watch 2022 discussions + Films
Recordings from Earth Week Mini Film Fest, April 2022
Ascension
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; access accompanying film from one of several streaming platforms for $4.99.
FILM DESCRIPTION: Nominated for the 2022 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, this film is an impressionistic exploration of the pursuit of wealth and the paradox of progress in the People's Republic of China. Ascension examines what living the so-called "Chinese Dream" looks like today. In the film, we find a contemporary vision of China that prioritizes productivity and innovation above all.
Clean Energy Revolution:
3 Short Films
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; first two films are NOT STREAMING YET, but last film is available free of charge.
Three short films that explore how communities are demanding and winning clean energy projects for the health and well-being of residents.
El Poder del Pueblo features the experiences of Jobos Bay residents in southeastern Puerto Rico.
Dangerous Neighbor chronicles the battle against a polluting coal plant on the south side of Peoria, Illinois.
Community Power Indiana: Beyond the Line. One of the largest, fully electric bus rapid transit (BRT) systems in the nation emerges in Indianapolis.
Eating Up Easter
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; access accompanying film from one of several streaming platforms for $2.99+.
FILM DESCRIPTION: The iconic statues and sensationalized "mysteries" of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) have drawn the interest of the world for centuries, attracting curious visitors to its shores. Today, this tiny, barren island is experiencing an economic boon as tourism skyrockets. Yet the indigenous culture and fragile environment are suffering. In their own voices, these Rapanui reveal the actions they are taking to preserve their culture and environment amidst rapid development. Crafted as a story passed down, Eating Up Easter intertwines the authentic history of the island with the stories of four islanders while revealing ways forward in tackling the universal complexities of balancing growth and sustainability.
The Ground Between Us
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; access accompanying film on its website for $4.99.
FILM DESCRIPTION: Since 2017 Americans from both sides of the political spectrum have protested the shrinking of Bears Ears National Monument, oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the near privatization of Elliott State Forest in Oregon. The Ground Between Us presents these public lands debates alongside the day-to-day realities of three families who hold vastly different connections and perspectives on public lands. In a divided America, The Ground Between Us shows that public lands can be a uniting factor
Monty & Rose 2
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; access accompanying film on Vimeo for $5.
FILM DESCRIPTION: "Monty and Rose 2" tells the story of a pair of endangered piping plovers attempting to nest on a busy beach in Chicago. They became the first piping plovers, since 1948, to successfully nest within the city limits of Chicago. The documentary chronicles these unique birds and an unpredictable series of events, including a proposed music festival that propelled them to national headlines.
Mottainai Kitchen
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; accompanying film is NOT STREAMING YET. Contact filmmaker for screenings.
FILM DESCRIPTION: Mottainai Kitchen is a culinary road movie, tackling the issue of food waste and other environmental issues in Japan, and searching for sustainable solutions. The film follows filmmaker and food activist David Gross on a mobile kitchen as he discovers the fascinating Japanese concept of "Mottainai" or don't waste anything that still has value. On his journey to finding solutions to Japan’s food waste problem, Gross meets local chefs, scientists and farmers while creating tasty recipes for a "Zero Waste Kitchen Revolution."
Seven Winning Short Films Young Filmmakers Contest
RECORDED VIRTUAL EVENT FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; access accompanying films free of charge.
The One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest continues the celebration of award-winning student films via a virtual event to kick off Earth Week Mini Film Fest. See seven short, student films from among 13 honorable mention/notable winners. Topics range from conserving the last frontier of Alaska, to reducing ocean waste, to disconnecting from electronics and re-connecting with nature. Founding Director Sue Crothers facilitates a short Q&A with each filmmaker after their film screens.
Recordings from One Earth Film Fest, March 2022
The Ants & The Grasshopper
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; accompanying film is NOT STREAMING YET but is available via film festivals. Check this website link.
FILM DESCRIPTION: Anita Chitaya has a gift; she can help bring abundant food from dead soil, she can make men fight for gender equality, and she can end child hunger in her village. Now, to save her home from extreme weather, she faces her greatest challenge: persuading Americans that climate change is real. Traveling from Malawi to America, she meets climate skeptics and despairing farmers. It will take all her skill to help Americans free themselves from a logic that is destroying the Earth.
Bring Your Own Brigade
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; access accompanying film through Amazon Prime with Paramount+.
FILM DESCRIPTION: Raging, out-of-control wildfires have become part of the new normal around the globe, leaving heartbreaking devastation and death in their wake. In California, this harsh reality was underscored on Nov. 8, 2018, when several parts of the state were ablaze: the Camp Fire was ravaging most of the Northern California town of Paradise, and the Woolsey Fire was roaring through Malibu in the south. In the aftermath, residents face unthinkable loss. As they struggle to rebuild, they debate what could be done to prevent further tragedy.
Campaign Against the Climate + Let Us Breathe
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; access ‘Campaign Against the Climate’ on Vimeo or Apple TV for $3.99+. Access ‘Let Us Breathe’ on Film Freeway.
FILM DESCRIPTION for Campaign Against the Climate: The planet's largest oil companies were among the first to detect global warming. Instead of taking action, they launched a campaign that has derailed the fight against climate change. A shocking investigation uncovers what these institutions have done to impede the battle against climate change.
FILM DESCRIPTION for Let Us Breathe: Follow the story of two teenagers as they go up against a serial polluter (General Iron scrap metal) moving into their already overly industrialized neighborhood in the southeast side of Chicago.
Exposure
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; accompanying film is NOT STREAMING YET but is available via film festivals. Check this website link.
FILM DESCRIPTION: During one of the most chaotic polar seasons in history, 11 women from the Arab World and the West struggle together to reach climate change ground zero: The North Pole. As the travelers face wild challenges—from Russian helicopter crashes and moving Arctic sea ice to punishing frostbite and navigation of the harsh, barren landscape—Exposure tells an exciting story of resilience and intense camaraderie.
Extinction: The Facts
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; access accompanying film on Amazon Prime or Apple TV for $3.99. Or become a member of WTTW to see the film.
FILM DESCRIPTION: English broadcaster and historian, Sir David Attenborough, has encountered some of the world's most extraordinary animals and plants. But many of these wonders may now be destined to disappear from our planet forever. With 1 million species at risk of extinction, the huge variety of life on earth, known as biodiversity, is being lost at a rate never seen before in human history. This is a crisis not just for the natural world but for every one of us. This mass extinction threatens our food and water security, undermines our ability to control our climate and even puts us at greater risk for more pandemics.
Festival Launch Party + Filmmakers Toast
RECORDED VIRTUAL EVENT FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time.
The Festival Launch Party will feature a riveting filmmakers panel, award-winning short films from our Young Filmmakers Contest, and other special guest appearances. We'll end the evening with pizza and drinks at the adjoining Whiner Beer Company downstairs for our in-person guests, and some continuing online festivities for our virtual attendees. What a fun way to usher in a brand new spring season. Plus, proceeds from this event help us to keep our change-making events free, so that more people can participate in climate action. Join us!
Girls for Future
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; access accompanying film free of charge.
FILM DESCRIPTION: Girls for Future follows four girls from Senegal, Indonesia, Australia and India who fight for a better future. Between the ages of 11 and 14, they are all directly affected by the consequences of environmental destruction. In the film, we see the global water crisis as it is playing out in Senegal. A visit to the girl from Indonesia highlights plastic waste pollution. A segment on the girl from India reveals the effects of the agricultural crisis. Finally, the Australian girl reveals the fatal destruction found within oceans and on land due to climate change.
Recommended for middle school+ general audiences.
Inhabitants: Indigenous Perspectives on Restoring Our World
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; accompanying film is NOT STREAMING YET but is available via film festivals. Check this website link.
FILM DESCRIPTION: Inhabitants follows five Native American Tribes as they restore their relationships to the land using ancient practices that nurture life. For millennia Native Americans stewarded and shaped their landscapes, but centuries of colonization have disrupted their ability to maintain traditional land management practices. From deserts, coastlines, forests, mountains and prairies, Native communities are restoring their ancient relationships with the land. As the climate crisis escalates, these time-tested practices of North America's original inhabitants are becoming increasingly essential in a rapidly changing world.
Life at 50 Degrees
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; access accompanying film on Apple TV on Roku for $3.99.
FILM DESCRIPTION: With 2021 marked as the fifth hottest year on record, Life at 50 Degrees reveals how extreme temperatures around the world are wreaking havoc on nature, forcing climate migration, causing water shortages and triggering dangerous health conditions. By following people in seven countries, the film reveals the resourcefulness and resilience of many communities as they struggle to adapt and survive.
Octopus: Making Contact
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; access accompanying film on Apple TV for $1.99 or become a member of WTTW.
FILM DESCRIPTION: The octopus may be the closest we get to meeting an alien. They evolved from a common cousin more than 500 million years ago and have proven themselves as intelligent creatures with problem-solving abilities. So what happens when you invite an eight-legged alien into your living room? This documentary follows marine biologist David Scheel as he tracks his evolving relationship with an octopus.
Plastic Bag Store: The Film
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; accompanying film is NOT STREAMING but is available via various venues. Check this website link.
FILM DESCRIPTION: A dynamic series of stories that traverse ancient history, the present day and a future dystopia, employing inventive puppetry, humor and craft to explore how the hordes of plastic waste we leave behind today might be misinterpreted by future generations.
Recommended for ages 12+ general audiences.
The Pollinators
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; access accompanying film on several streaming platforms for a small fee.
FILM DESCRIPTION: Honey bee colonies are dying at extraordinary rates. Close to half of the bee colonies in the United States are collapsing every year. The Pollinators takes us on a cinematic journey across the United States following migratory beekeepers and their truckloads of honey bees as they pollinate the flowers that become the fruits, nuts and vegetables we eat. Hear farmers, scientists, chefs, economists and academics explain the threats to honey bees and what it means to our food security.
2040: The Regeneration
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; access accompanying film on several streaming platforms for $3.99 to $4.99.
FILM DESCRIPTION: Motivated by concerns about the planet that his 4-year-old daughter would inherit, award-winning director Damon Gameau embarked on a global journey to meet innovators and change-makers in the areas of economics, technology, civil society, agriculture, education and sustainability. This journey is the central premise for the documentary 2040, a story of hope that looks at the very real possibility that humanity could reverse global warming and improve the lives of every living thing in the process. It is a positive vision of what ‘could be’, instead of the dystopian future we are so often warned about.
The Sacrifice Zone + On the Fenceline
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; access ‘Sacrifice Zone’ for $4 on demand. Check your local library for ‘On the Fenceline’ or purchase for $69.
FILM DESCRIPTION: The Ironbound district of Newark, New Jersey, is one of the most toxic neighborhoods in the country. The Sacrifice Zone follows Maria Lopez-Nuñez as she leads a group of activists determined to break the cycle of communities impacted by environmental racism.
FILM DESCRIPTION for On the Fenceline: After years of living on the fenceline of the east coast’s largest oil refinery and suffering from several critical health issues—including cancer, asthma, and COPD—residents have come together to stand up to CEOs and fight for their right to breathe.
Understory: A Journey Through the Tongass + Here We Stand
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; access accompanying films free of charge.
FILM DESCRIPTION: Understory follows three women who set sail on a 350 mile expedition through Alaska’s massive Tongass National Forest. With individual connections to the rainforest, their goal is to explore how clearcut logging in this coastal rainforest could affect local communities and our planet’s climate while taking audiences on a journey through the beautiful, wild Tongass.
FILM DESCRIPTION for Here We Stand: Join Teresa Baker and a group of diverse outdoor leaders as they become the first members of the public to explore Harold Richardson Redwoods Reserve, a massive, newly discovered, old growth redwood grove recently protected by Save The Redwoods League.
Young Children’s Short Film Program (for ages 3 to 8+)
RECORDED VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; access accompanying films on several streaming platforms and more.
FILM DESCRIPTION for The Short Story of a Fox and a Mouse: Watch this beautiful and touching award-winning 3D animated short as a lonesome fox hunts a mouse—and their relationship evolves as two owls begin to interfere with the hunt.
FILM DESCRIPTION for Blackout: Narrated by Oscar-nominee Stanley Tucci, the almost-luminously animated film focuses on a young boy and his family in a city apartment on a hot summer night.
FILM DESCRIPTION for Hopper’s Day: Water is a precious resource in an abandoned quarry, where a small grasshopper competes for access with an army of ants while trying to avoid a hungry crow and lizard.
Young Filmmakers Contest Awards Celebration
RECORDED VIRTUAL EVENT FOR ONLINE VIEWING any time; access accompanying films free of charge.
We invite you to join us for the 10th season of the Young Filmmakers Contest Awards & Screenings. You'll see the incredible films of motivated and inspired young people from ages 8 to 25. Their efforts show us there is a new generation of talented and wise environmental leaders and commun-icators. Founding Director of the One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest Sue Crothers will introduce guest host, Adam Joel, of Aggressively Compassionate, for another entertaining awards event.
Adam, Daniela Aguilar and Vinny Thomas parody the hit TV show Shark Tank as they pretend to be billionaires handing out award checks to winners across the country (and Australia) through the TV screen, as if by magic.
Youth Unstoppable