The Richmond Environmental Film Festival kicks off its 2020 edition on Friday, February 7 and runs for an entire week. In anticipation of a new year of fantastic films, here are six to look out for.
Bird of Prey
Cinematographer Neil Ritter is on a mission to document, and hopefully protect, the near-extinct Philippine Eagle. In Bird of Prey, lush, colorful photography tracks the lives of these wild birds as well as the efforts of the local and international activists trying to protect them.
Bird of Prey will be shown at The Byrd Theatre on Saturday, February 8 at 11:50 AM.
The Human Element
Photographer James Balog has always been captivated by the beauty of nature. In his experience, though, he has become hyper-aware of the intersections of nature and human activity. In this documentary he sets out on a journey to explore the balances and imbalances between all the elements of the earth, and hopefully encourage the human element, the one with the power to change, to do something.
The Human Element will be shown at The Byrd Theatre on Saturday, February 8 at 2:45 PM.
Biggest Little Farm
Easily the most notable and recognizable title in the festival, The Biggest Little Farm is the story of a California couple who leave the city behind for a peaceful and enriching life on a sustainable farm they build themselves. The failures, triumphs, and obstacles they encounter along the way help them to confront the changing world, as well as ask tough questions about the way we produce the food we eat every day.
The Biggest Little Farm will be shown at The Byrd Theatre on Saturday, February 8 at 5:05 PM.
The Butterfly Trees
Described by director Kay Milman as part science, part love story, part armchair adventure, The Butterfly Trees documents the migration of the Eastern Monarch Butterfly. Ten years in the making, this film was, in part, a response to the year 2013, during which the Monarch Butterfly population reached its lowest number in recorded history.
The Butterfly Trees will be shown at The Byrd Theatre on Sunday, February 9 at 5:05 PM.
Sustainable
A story about reconnecting to our food supply, Sustainable sheds light on the issues of food sustainability, environmental degradation, and human health. It challenges our engagement with the food we eat and the ways we can turn things around.
Sustainable will be shown in the VCU Student Commons Theatre on Tuesday, February 11 at 4:30 PM.
Silent Forests
A collage of human stories, Silent Forests documents the efforts of the activists fighting to protect the lives of elephants living in the Congo Basin, as well as bring illegal poachers to justice.
Silent Forests will be shown at the Virginia Union University Living and Learning Center on Wednesday, February 12 at 6:30 PM.
These and many more films will be screening in a variety of places around town during the RVA Environmental Film Festival, which runs from Friday February 7 to Friday, February 14. Tickets to every film in the festival are free and open to the public. More information can be found on the official RVA Environmental Film Festival website, as well as the Byrd Theatre’s website.
