New, Award-Winning Environmental Films Inspire Activism and Conservation at 5th Annual Earth Focus Environmental Film Festival May 22-25 Presented by KCET, PBS SoCal and Link TV
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Chelsea Grosbeck
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Los Angeles, Calif. – May 10, 2023 – PBS SoCal and KCET, Southern California’s flagship PBS stations, along with national independent satellite network Link TV, today announced the 2023 EARTH FOCUS ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL, the only festival of its kind in Los Angeles, will return from May 22-25. The 5th year of the festival, from presenting sponsor SoCal Edison, features four nights of film screenings and conversations to inspire a better understanding of current environmental issues. Each of the four nights will present eco-friendly films, two of which will be presented virtually (on the streaming platform Eventive), and two are in-person events at the Landmark Westwood Theatre (1045 Broxton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024) in the heart of Westwood Village. Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy premieres of award-winning documentaries, engage with filmmakers and environmental experts during the post-screening conversations.
This year’s film festival opens with “Delikado” from journalist-turned-filmmaker Karl Malakunas with a virtual screening on Mon., May 22 in collaboration with the DC Environmental Film Festival (DCEFF). The film follows three environmental activists as they put their lives at risk in order to stop politicians and big business from destroying the Philippines’ last ecological frontier. The second virtual screening making its Los Angeles premiere on Wed., May 24 is “Fashion Reimagined” from Emmy®-nominated director/producer Becky Hutner (“Being Canadian”). Trailblazing fashion designer Amy Powney is on a mission to create a sustainable fashion collection from field to finished garment and transform the way we engage with fashion.
In-person screenings at the Landmark Westwood Theatre for this year’s festival include the Tues., May 23 Los Angeles debut of Matthieu Rytz’s (“Anote’s Ark”) newest film “Deep Rising” narrated by Jason Momoa that premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival which illuminates the vital relationship between the deep ocean and sustaining life on Earth. Co-presented by UCLA Institute of Environmental and Sustainability, Luskin Center for Innovation and the Laboratory for Environmental Narrative Strategies. Closing Night on Thurs., May 25 are the Southern California premieres of two short films from Tangled Bank Studios, “Does Nature Have Rights?” and “The Beautiful Undammed” as seen on American Public Television’s environmental series WILD HOPE that traverses the globe to spotlight changemakers who are restoring and protecting the natural world.
Starting today, complimentary tickets are available to the EARTH FOCUS ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL for both the virtual and in-person screenings, as well as the discussions with filmmakers and environmental experts. Tickets can be reserved on the Eventive platform here: https://efeff2023.eventive.org/welcome
The EARTH FOCUS ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL extends public media’s mission of strengthening communities through education, complimenting KCET’s award-winning environmental series, EARTH FOCUS, and Link TV’s curated environmental documentary program, EARTH FOCUS PRESENTS. The event is aimed to engage members, viewers of all ages, influencers and media while raising funds to support public media’s future environmental programming.
The event complements PBS SoCal, Link TV and KCET’s entire slate of environmental programming which includes the now locally-produced award-winning series EARTH FOCUS. Since its debut in 2007, EARTH FOCUS has become the longest-running investigative environmental news series on U.S. television, providing audiences with urgent local and global environmental coverage that spotlights in-depth reports on key issues such as endangered species, climate change, environmental health and sustainable practices.
Building on more than 200 hours of programming already available for streaming on PBS including beloved series like NOVA and NATURE along with newer content like American Experience’s “The Sun Queen,” PBS recently launched an unprecedented multiyear effort featuring new content slated to debut throughout the year focusing on the changing climate and how humans impact the environment and the planet's ecology with a focus on solutions.
Original content related to Earth Month programming on related topics ranging from environmental justice to climate activism will be available on the PBS SoCal, KCET and Link TV websites. Website visitors will be treated to multimedia features as well as trailers to the films in the 2023 EARTH FOCUS ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL.
Festival schedule is as follows:
OPENING NIGHT! Delikado – Mon., May 22 at 7 p.m. – Virtual Film Screening
Meet three environmental defenders from the Philippines and their courageous story to save their island from illegal destruction of its forests, fisheries and mountains. Virtual conversation immediately following the screening with Director and Producer Karl Malakunas in Hong Kong and DCEFF Director of Programming Brad Forder. (Presented in collaboration with the DC Environmental Film Festival)
L.A. PREMIERE! Deep Rising – Tues., May 23 at 7 p.m. – Landmark Westwood Theatre Screening
Executive-produced and narrated by actor Jason Momoa, the film brings to light the vital relationship between the deep ocean and sustaining life on Earth. The documentary follows a mining company as it pursues funding, political and public favor, and permission from the International Seabed Authority to mine wide corridors of the Pacific Ocean sea floor. Live conversation following the screening with UCLA professor, English Department and Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Elizabeth DeLoughrey, Director of Programs and Operations at Blue Climate Initiative Jeanne Everett and UCLA PhD candidate of UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability Lorena de la Puente Burlando. Moderated by UCLA Adjunct Assistant Professor, Co-founder of the Laboratory for Environmental Narrative Strategies, and Executive Producer of EARTH FOCUS, Jon Christensen. (Presented in collaboration with UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Luskin Center for Innovation and Laboratory for Environmental Narrative Strategies)
L.A. PREMIERE! Fashion Reimagined – Wed., May 24 14 at 7 p.m. – Virtual Film Screening
Raised in the countryside and the daughter of environmental activists, Amy Powney was far from the haute couture and vanity that characterized London. Now the trailblazing fashion designer is on a mission to create a sustainable collection from field to finished garment and transform the way consumers engage with fashion. Virtual conversation immediately following screening with Director Becky Hutner in London and Maria Hall-Brown, Producer and PBS SoCal/KCET Senior Director.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PREMIERE! WILD HOPE: "Does Nature Have Rights?" and "The Beautiful Undammed" – Thurs., May 25 at 7 p.m. – Landmark Westwood Theatre Screening
WILD HOPE “Does Nature Have Rights?” looks into how conservationists in Ecuador invoke the rights of nature to save biodiversity hotspots whereas WILD HOPE “The Beautiful Undammed” reflects on ten years following the largest dam removal in history—Washington State’s Elwha River—as scientists chronicle the event as a story of ecological rebirth. Conversation immediately following screening with Head of HHMI Tangled Bank Studios Sean B. Carroll and Wildlife/Fisheries Technician for the Olympic Cougar Project, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Vanessa Castle. Moderated by Los Angeles Times environmental reporter, Rosanna Xia. (Presented in collaboration with HHMI Tangled Bank Studios)
Join the conversation on social media using #EFEFF, #KCET, #PBS SoCal and #LinkTV
About PBS SoCal and KCET
PBS SoCal and KCET are both part of the donor-supported community institution, the Public Media Group of Southern California. PBS SoCal is the flagship PBS station for diverse people across California and delivers content and experiences that inspire, inform and educate. PBS SoCal offers the full slate of beloved PBS programs including MASTERPIECE, NOVA, PBS NewsHour, FRONTLINE, and a broad library of documentary films with works from Ken Burns; as well as educational content including PBS KIDS programs like DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD and CURIOUS GEORGE. KCET showcases the best of PBS and is a leading source for arts, culture, and news in Southern California. Through innovative storytelling, KCET explores and expresses our dynamic local communities helping residents understand and connect with the region's diverse communities and ideas. For additional information about both KCET and PBS SoCal productions, web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community events, please visit kcet.org and pbssocal.org KCET Originals and PBS programming are available to stream on the FREE PBS App on iOS and Android devices, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO SmartCast TV. KCET is also available to watch live on YouTube TV.
About Link TV
Founded in 1999, Link TV is an independent viewer-supported media organization dedicated to providing programs that engage and educate its audiences with unique perspectives and activate them to become involved in the world. Reaching more than 7.6 million U.S. satellite households nationally, Link TV (Dish Network channel 9410) connects American viewers with people at the heart of breaking events, organizations at the forefront of social change and the vibrant cultures of an increasingly global community. Link TV's free 24/7 live stream and many of its programs are available to watch anytime at linktv.org. Select programming is also available for streaming on YouTube and the PBS App. For more information about Link TV productions, web-exclusive content, and program schedules, please visit linktv.org.