Film festival aimed at promoting dialogue on environmental issues

For the first time at UCLA, environmental sustainability groups on campus, along with Melnitz Movies, are hosting a film festival throughout the week to inform and engage the community on environmental issues.

The event, called “Green Screens,” will take place from Monday to Thursday, said graduate student Laurel Hunt, founder and director of the film festival and director of the UCLA Sustainable Resource Center. Each day, the Sustainable Resource Center and student groups including Food Law Society and E3: Ecology, Economy, Equity will show a film relating to a different perspective on environmental issues.

Event organizers said they hope those who attend come not only to watch the films, but also to start a dialogue with each other about environmental problems and solutions.

“Hopefully people can find a way to plug themselves into these issues,” Hunt said. “It’s about engaging the community.”

Hunt said she first thought of the idea for the event when she visited Yale University after getting into its graduate program and students were hosting the annual Environmental Film Festival at Yale. She said her mission has been to bring a similar festival to UCLA since she arrived on campus last year.

The first film on Monday, called “Elemental,” is about international environmental activism and profiles three different activists, Hunt said. Director Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee will have a Q&A; session with attendees after the film, she said.

The second film in the festival, “Terra Blight,” will be shown on Tuesday. It is about electronic waste, and Maureen Craine, vice president of marketing and business development at e-Recycling of California, will host a Q&A; period after the film.

Wednesday’s film is called “So Right, So Smart” and addresses green business practices. Hunt said they decided to show this film to cater to business students.

And Thursday’s film, “GMO OMG,” explores what genetically modified organisms are and how they impact society, said Scarlettah Schaefer, a UCLA law student and president of Food Law Society.

Nisha Vida, a UCLA law student was an associate producer for the film and helped research it. Vida will host a Q&A; period after the movie, Schaefer said.

“My main goal is to get people talking and thinking about (GMOs),” Schaefer said. “We’ll hopefully have perspective on the political side and local food side.”

The film festival is open to the public. Anyone can RSVP and get free tickets at the festival’s Eventbrite page up until half an hour before the event. Individuals can also submit donations on the page and email questions about the event to [email protected].

Compiled by Yael Levin, Bruin senior staff.