AU will host four events for the 25th annual Washington D.C. Environmental Film Festival this week.
School of Communication Professor Chris Palmer, who is the founder and director of the University’s Center for Environmental Filmmaking, is on the advisory board for the film festival.
He hosted the first event on March 21 at AU in the Malsi Doyle and Michael Forman Theater, called “An Evening with Chris Palmer - the Most Important Food Films of All Time.” Palmer gave a speech about his favorite food films and discussed a variety of topics including food waste, junk food and factory farming.
The “Student Short Environmental Film Festival” will take place on March 22. This session will be interactive, with filmmakers and artists discussing why and how films are made, Palmer said.
Diana Kabbani, a freshman in the School of Public Affairs, said that she has attended several of the festival events in the past and hopes to do the same this year.
“I can’t wait to go. I love learning about the environment,” Kabbani said. “My friends and I go every year.”
Later in the week, Professor Palmer will host a panel titled “Ok, I’ve Watched the Film, Now What?” Panelists will answer questions about making films that have “a tangible and measurable impact” on our society, according to the event’s description.
The last event will be a screening of “At the Fork” on March 24. The film is about farm-to-table meat production. John Papola, the film’s creator, will be at the event to discuss the content of the screening.
The Environmental Film Festival takes place across the city from March 14-26. Other venues such as the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the National Archives and several embassies will be screening films and hosting panels on a wide array of environmental topics.
