East End Review

Tag: Green Film Festival

  • Green Film Festival screens a global selection of eco-cinema at the Barbican

    Green Film Festival screens a global selection of eco-cinema at the Barbican

    A still from The Shore Break, one of the films to be screened at the Green Film Festival
    A still from The Shore Break, one of the films to be screened at the Green Film Festival

    Independent films that shine a light on global environmental issues are to be shown nationwide this month as part of the sixth annual UK Green Film Festival.

    The Barbican is an official partner of the festival, and will be showing films throughout the first week of May that focus on “shifting the global narrative toward a sustainable future” and give insights into environmental problems in far-reaching corners of the globe.

    This year’s selection includes Racing Extinction, an investigative documentary in which Oscar-winning director Louie Psihoyos infiltrates black markets to expose the hidden world of endangered species.

    The Shore Break is the story of two cousins from South Africa’s Wild Coast who have differing plans to develop their land. While Nonhle wants to develop eco-tourism to protect the community’s traditional way of life, Madiba is planning a titanium mine and national tolled highway.

    Also screening is the UK premiere of The Messenger, which chronicles the plight of songbirds worldwide to survive in turbulent environmental conditions brought about by humans.

    Festival director Daniel Beck said: “The UK Green Film Festival has captivated and inspired ever increasing audiences and we are very pleased to witness that there’s a growing appetite for issue-based films.”

    Green Film Festival
    Until 8 May
    Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS
    barbican.org.uk

  • Hackney to play key role in Green Film Festival

    Musicwood
    Still from Musicwood

    Hackney will receive a boost to its green credentials early next month when it holds the opening and closing galas of the UK Green Film Festival.

    Venues across the country are to screen independent documentary films from around the world that explore a range of environmental issues.

    The opening night at Hackney Picturehouse on 1 June sees the UK premiere of The Last Catch, by German director Marcus CM Schmidt. The film looks at the how bluefin tuna are being fished to extinction and the increasingly ruthless fight among fishermen for the last of a valuable resource.

    There will also be a screening of Musicwood, a documentary about a group of guitar-makers who attempt to stop Native American loggers from destroying a primeval forest, while the festival closes with a screening of Expedition to the End of the World, which follows the adventures of a group of scientists, artists and philosophers as they sail to the rapidly melting massifs of North-East Greenland.

    In all, seven feature length documentaries will be presented at the festival, all of which will be preceded by an accompanying short film. Each film will be competing for the Palme Verte Award, as well as the UKGFF Audience Award.

    UK Green Film Festival 2014
    1-8 June