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Six Films You Should See At This Year’s RVA Environmental Film Festival

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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.

Twin Peaks festival ‘The Great Southern’ returns to Richmond for its third year this weekend

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“Diane, 11:30 a.m., August 24th. Entering the town of Richmond, Virginia for the Great Southern Festival….”

For the third consecutive year, The Great Southern Festival will celebrate all things “Twin Peaks”, this weekend with a uniquely Richmond spin. Die-hard David Lynch fans will recognize the name of the festival as a play on the Great Northern hotel at the heart of the “Twin Peaks” series. Sugar Shack donuts, local bands, and coffee from Rostov’s and Perk Bon Air are just some of the touches that make this event an approachable event even if you don’t speak Lynch.

This year, the theme is Fire Walk With Me, the theatrical prequel to the TV show, released 25 years ago on August 28th. The film was initially met with mixed reviews, but became required viewing when the new series, “Twin Peaks: The Return” was announced. The festival’s highlight event is a screening on Sunday, 7:00 p.m., at Strange Matter. After the film, it’s a triple-header musical act, with three dreamy-nightmare acts that could have performed at The Roadhouse. Little Black Rain Clouds opens, then it’s Romantic States, followed by Band from Another Place. Tickets are $10 in advance, available through the Facebook event. It’s the only event with a ticket price; the rest are free to attend.

On Saturday, stop by Steady Sounds + Blue Bones Vintage for a damn good cup of coffee from Perk Bon Air and Sugar Shack donuts, at the Twin Peaks Listening Party.  This free event is from 4 to 6 p.m. with music by DJs Murphy Madness and Area Woman. After, head over to Mojo’s Philadeli for another free event, the “Cable Bends Steel” jam. Live music by Gardener, Fire Walk With Me trivia, a “Twin Peaks” art show, and Black Lodge Tarot Readings round out the event. 8 to 12 p.m.

Want another damn good cup of coffee? Pop-up restaurateurs Gold Cart RVA kick off Sunday’s festivities with a brunch, hosted at Comfort. The Twin Peaks-inspired brunch menu has been posted to their Facebook page.

If you’re new to the world of “Twin Peaks”, the Great Southern Festival is a great introduction. More than a show, more than a plot, “Twin Peaks” is a cultural phenomenon and movement, mixing goofy soap opera antics with a gritty film noir aesthetic. Want to see David Duchovny as a transgender FBI agent? Want to know why your quirky friend calls every cup of coffee “damn good”? Learn more about the Great Southern Festival on its Facebook page or official website, and we’ll see you again in 25… hours?