Asian Spotlight - Environmental Film Festival

SPOTLIGHT:ASIA
BaobabsBetweenLandandSea
TheBirthofSaké
CatchingtheSun
CemeteryofSplendor
DoubleHappiness
DrinkingtheNWWind:China’sSouth-NorthWaterTransferProject
EvertheLand
Gold’sLethalTollinIndonesia
GrowingRoots
India’sWanderingLions
Jago:ALifeUnderwater
TheLandofManyPalaces
MonkeyKingdom
PumpedDry:TheGlobalCrisisofVanishingGroundwater
Sherpa
SomethingBettertoCome
Taiga
TaleofIya
TheWhisperingStar
WomenandWater
AWorldIcon:SingaporeBotanicGarden
3/15
6:30p.m. CarnegieInstitutionforScience
OPENINGNIGHT-PREMIERESCREENINGANDRECEPTION
SHERPA(Australia/UK,2015,96min.)Washington,D.C.PremiereAfteradeadly
avalancheonMountEverestin2014thatkills16Sherpas,theircommunityunitesingrief
andangertoreclaimthemountainfromtheWestern-orientedadventureindustrythat
forcesthemtorisktheirlives.DirectedbyJenniferPeedomandproducedbyBridgetIkinand
JohnSmithson.
DiscussionincludingNorbuTenzing,sonofTenzingNorgay,followsscreening.
Tickets,$30Reserveathttp://sherpa.bpt.me/
CarnegieInstitutionforScience,ElihuRootAuditorium,1530PSt.,NW(Metro:Dupont
Circle)
3/17
6:30p.m.
AnacostiaNeighborhoodLibrary
BAOBABSBETWEENLANDANDSEA(France,2015,56min.)Washington,D.C.Premiere
Bytheirsheersizeandoriginalshapes,baobabsareamongthemostremarkabletreeson
theplanet.Butthesegiantsarethreatenedbydeforestation.Tostudythem,CyrilleCornu
andWilfriedRamahafalytravelbypirogue,exploring400kmofwildandisolatedcoastline
inthesouthwestofMadagascar.BaobabsBetweenLandandSeafollowstheirexpedition,
capturingimportantnewscientificdiscoveriesandrevealingalandscapelargelyunseenon
film.DirectedandproducedbyCyrilleCornu.
FREE.Reservationsrequired.
AnacostiaNeighborhoodLibrary,1800GoodHopeRoadSE
3/18
12:00noon
WoodrowWilsonInternationalCenterforScholars
THELANDOFMANYPALACES(China,2014,61min.)Washington,D.C.PremiereInChina’s
Ordosprovince,agovernmenturbanizationplanforcesthousandsoffarmerstorelocateto
anewlyconstructedcity.Afunctionarytaskedwithurgingthemtoembraceurbanliving
strugglestosellold-fashionedfarmersonthenew“ChineseDream,”whilearecalcitrant
farmerstandshisgroundinoneofthelastremainingruralvillages.TheLandofMany
Palacesdeliversasalientcasestudyofthewholesaleremodelingofanation’sculturaland
physicallandscape,documentingtheground-levelconsequencesofahistoricshiftthat’s
onlybeginning.DirectedbyAdamJamesSmithandSongTing.ProducedbyAdamJames
Smith,SongTing,QihanWang.
IntroducedbyJenniferTurner,DirectoroftheChinaEnvironmentForumattheWoodrow
WilsonCenter.
FREE.Noreservationsrequired.
WoodrowWilsonInternationalCenterforScholars,RonaldReaganBuilding,One
WoodrowWilsonPlaza,SixthFloorAuditorium,1300PennsylvaniaAve.,NW(Metro:
FederalTriangle)
3/19,10:30a.m.&
3/20,11:30a.m.
NationalGalleryofArt
MONKEYKINGDOM(USA,2015,81min.)IntheSriLankanjungle,anewbornmonkeyand
itsmotherstruggletosurvivewithinthecompetitivesocialhierarchyoftheTempleTroop,
agroupofmacaqueslivinginacomplexofancientruins.OntopoftheTroop’sinternal
squabbles,theyalsocoexistwithdiverseneighbors,fromelephantstomongoosestothe
mostperplexingofall–humanbeings.Seamlesslymeldingtimelessstorytellingandcomic
narrationbyTinaFeywithrealscientificobservationsofmacaquebehavior,Monkey
Kingdomisadelightforanimal-lovingkidsandadultsalike.DirectedandproducedbyMark
LinfieldandAlastairFothergill.
FREE.Noreservationsrequired.
NationalGalleryofArt,WestBuildingLectureHall,6thSt.andConstitutionAve.,NW
(Metro:Archives-NavyMemorial,JudiciarySquare)
3/19
12:00noon
NaturalMuseumofNaturalHistory
WildlifeandNationalParksDay
PresentedwiththeEmbassyofNewZealand
EVERTHELAND(NewZealand,2015,93min.)IntheTeUrewaraforestsofnorthernNew
Zealand,thefiercelyindependentTūhoeMaoritribeundertakesthebuildingofagrand
newmeetinghallusingradicallysustainablemethods.Their“LivingBuilding”embodiesthe
community’sdeepandrespectfulrelationshipwiththeirlandandthepersistenceoftheir
cultureinthefaceofbrutalcolonization.EvertheLandengageswithTūhoe’sprojectat
manifoldlevels–fromlaborsquabblestobedtimestoriestothenegotiationswiththe
nationalgovernment–showingthecentralityoftheenvironmenttoMaoritradition.
DirectedbySarahGrohnertandproducedbyAlexBehse.
PrecededbyaMāoriCulturalDanceandHakabyTETINIAMAUI
Q&Afollowsscreening.
FREE.RSVPrequested:go.si.edu/effatnmnh2016.
NationalMuseumofNaturalHistory,WarnerBros.Theater14thSt.&ConstitutionAve.,
NW(Metro:FederalTriangle,Smithsonian)
3/19
5:45p.m.
DOUBLEHAPPINESS(Austria,2014,75min.)Washington,D.C.PremiereInChina’s
Guangdongprovince,aminingtycoonhasbuiltanexact1:1replicaoftheidyllicAustrian
villageofHallstatt.Beyondthegimmickyappealof“copycat”development,this
phenomenonservesasprovocativeperspectiveontheramificationsofthecountry’srapid
urbanization.EllaRaidel’sessayfilmDoubleHappinesstakesonthecomplexitiesofa
culturalcontextinwhichthedeephistoriesofplacesareroutinelyerasedandrewritten,
whereupheavalsoftraditionandenvironmentgohandinhand.Directedandproducedby
EllaRaidel.
Tickets:$13,GeneralAdmission;$10,Seniors(65+),StudentsandMilitary(withvalid
ID);$9.50,AFIMembers(Two-Starlevelandhigher);$8,Children(12andunder);$10,
Matinees(Mon-Frishowsbefore5:00,SaturdayandSundaybeforenoon,holidays
excluded).Ticketsmaybepurchasedattheboxoffice(opensapprox.30min.beforethat
day’sfirstfilm)oronlineatAFI.com/Silver.
AFISilverTheatreandCulturalCenter,8633ColesvilleRd.,SilverSpring,Md.(Metro:
SilverSpring)
3/20
1:00p.m.
NationalMuseumofAmericanHistory
PresentedwiththeFreerGalleryofArt.
TAIGA(France,2014,52min.)
HamidSardar’sbreathtakingdocumentaryTaïgaprovidesanintimateglimpseintothe
worldofMongoliansheepherders,whomustbattlethetwinpredationsofwolvesand
mininginterestsinthedelicateecosystemoftheMongoliansteppe.Taïgawasthewinner
ofaFIPAd’Or,theJuryPrizeattheFestivald’EtonnantVoyageursinParis;theGrandPrize
fromtheUniondeRadio&TelevisionInternational(URTI)forbestdocumentaryatthe
MonteCarloGoldenNymphAwards;andan‘Etoile’delaSCAMasoneofthethirtymost
influentialfilmsof2014.AdiscussionwithtwoSmithsonianexpertsonthearcticand
conservationissuesfollowsthescreening.
DirectedbyHamidSardar.(InMongolianwithEnglishsubtitles.)
Discussion with William W. Fitzhugh, director of the Smithsonian’s Arctic Studies Center,
and Paula T. DePriest, deputy director of the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute, will
follow screening.
FREE. Admission is first-come, first-served, Auditorium doors open 30 minutes before show
time.
NationalMuseumofAmericanHistory,WarnerBros.Theater14thSt.&Constitution
Ave.,NW(Metro:FederalTriangle,Smithsonian)
3/20
2:15p.m.
NationalMuseumofNaturalHistory
OceanLifeandEcosystemsDay
JAGO:ALIFEUNDERWATER(UK,2015,48min.)
JacksonHoleFilmFestivalWinner
An80-year-oldelderofthemaritimeBajaupeopletellsthetaleofhislifespear-fishingin
thedepthsoftheseafromtheporchofhisstiltedbamboohut,whilepreparingforonelast
huntingtrip.Youngerfamilymembersandfriendsstandinforhimindazzlinglycinematic
reenactmentsofhisunderwaterexploitsthatfusecutting-edgetechnology–4K
cinematography,drones,CGI–withage-oldstorytelling.DirectedbyJamesMorganand
JamesReed,producedbyJamesReed,JohnnyLangenheim,andJamesMcAleer.
Discussionfollowsscreening.
FREE.Reservationsrequestedatgo.si.edu/effatnmnh2016
NationalMuseumofAmericanHistory,WarnerBros.Theater14thSt.&Constitution
Ave.,NW(Metro:FederalTriangle,Smithsonian)
3/20
3:00p.m.
NationalMuseumofAmericanHistory
PresentedwiththeFreerGalleryofArt
THEWHISPERINGSTAR(Japan,2015,100min.)Washington,D.C.PremiereJapanese
auteurSionSono(LoveExposure,TokyoTribe)takesinspirationfromtheruinedlandscape
ofFukushimatocreateaneccentricsciencefictionparableabouthumanity’sdestructive
effectontheenvironment.MegumiKagurazakaplaysYoko,ahumanoidinterstellar
deliveryrobotwhorunsonAAbatteriesandtravelsfromplanettoplanetinaspaceship
thatlookslikeaJapanesebungalow.Duringherjourneyshebecomescuriousaboutthe
packagesshecarries,especiallytheonesboundforEarth,wherehumanshavebecomean
endangeredspecies.Thefactthattheplanet’slandscapes“wereshotinevacuatedzonesof
Fukushima,primarilywithnon-professionalactorslivingintheareaaffectedbythenuclear
disaster,makesthefilm'sthemesofmemoryanddecaythatmuchmorehaunting.ButThe
WhisperingStar’stouchremainsplayful,funny,andveryhuman,”wroteGiovannaFulviof
theTorontoInternationalFilmFestival,whereitwontheNETPACAwardforWorldor
InternationalAsianFilmPremiere.DirectedbySionSono.InJapanesewithEnglishsubtitles.
FREE.Admissionisfirst-come,first-served.Auditoriumdoorsopen30minutesbefore
showtime.
NationalMuseumofAmericanHistory,WarnerBros.Theater,14thSt.&Constitution
Ave.,NW(Metro:FederalTriangle,Smithsonian)
3/21
7:00p.m.
NationalMuseumofWomenintheArts
WOMENANDWATER(2014,Spain,58min.)Washington,D.C.Premiere InruralIndia,
womenaretaskedwithprovidingwatertotheirfamilies,whichalsomeansbeingheld
responsiblefortheirphysicalhealth–butoftenaccesstowaterdependsonforcesbeyond
theircontrol.Bottledwatercompaniespumpaquifersdry,leavingtownswithout
groundwater,while“untouchables”areonlyallowedaccesstocontaminatedsources.
Controlofwatermeanscontrollingpeople’sabilitytolive,soinWomenandWaterit
becomesadramaticconduitintotheintersectionofresourceissuesandsocialinjusticein
contemporaryIndia.DirectedandproducedbyNocemCollado.Winnerofthe2015Green
FilmNetworkAward.
FREE.Reservationsrequired.Reserveatwomenandwater.bpt.me/
NationalMuseumofWomenintheArts,1250NewYorkAve.,NW(Metro:Metro
Center)
3/20
8:00p.m.
AFISilverTheatreandCulturalCenter
CEMETERYOFSPLENDOR(Thailand,2015,122min.)Washington,D.C.Premiere
Whensoldiersworkingonamysteriousdigsitecontractasupernatural“sleeping
sickness,”doctorsandvolunteernursessetupamakeshifthospitalwherethetreatments
includecoloredlighttherapy,psychicmediation,andintimatehumancontact.ForJen,a
volunteer,thehospitalbecomesaspaceofrevelation,wherethemythicpastpermeatesthe
everyday.Asingularcinematicexperience,CemeteryofSplendorfusesThaimysticism,
fantasy,history,humor,andpuresensorypleasureinoneofpresent-daymaster
ApichatpongWeerasethakul’smostalluringfilms.DirectedbyApichatpongWeerasethakul.
ProducedbyApichatpongWeerasethakul,KeithGriffiths,SimonField,CharlesdeMeaux,
MichaelWeber,andHansW.Geißendörfer.
Tickets:$13generaladmission(seelinkforlistofdiscounts).Reservehere
AFI.com/Silverorattheboxoffice.
AFISilverTheatreandCulturalCenter,8633ColesvilleRd.,SilverSpring,Md.(Metro:
SilverSpring)
3/22
7:00p.m.
CarnegieInstitutionforScience
Winner,PollyKrakoraAwardforArtistryinFilm
THEBIRTHOFSAKÉ(Japan/USA,2015,94min.)Washington,D.C.Premiere
The144-year-oldYoshidaSakéBrewerydoesthingstheold-fashionedway:dedicated
artisansworkinconcertwithnaturalforces—thetemperatureandhumidityoftheair,the
chemistryofthewater,theswirlingkojimoldthatfuelsfermentation—toupholda
millennia-oldtradition.Thecraftsmenlivealifeofmonasticfocus,sleepingandeating
togetherunderthebrewery'sroof,butalsooneofgreatbeauty.Throughrich
cinematographyandsensitivefilmmaking,ErikShiraiimmersesusinthesensoryworldof
saké,andinthewhimsyandwarmthofthepeoplewhomakeit.DirectedbyErikShirai.
ProducedbyMaokotoSasaandMasakoTsumura.
DiscussionwithdirectorErikShiraiandreceptionfollowsscreening.
Tickets,$10.Reserveathttp://thebirthofsake.bpt.me/
CarnegieInstitutionforScience,ElihuRootAuditorium,1530PSt.,NW
3/23
7:00p.m.
AtlanticPlumbingCinema
SOMETHINGBETTERTOCOME(Denmark,2015,110min.)Washington,D.C.Premiere
InsidetheguardedperimeterofSvalka,ahellishjunkyardontheoutskirtsofMoscow,a
doggedyetvibrantcommunityekesoutalife,dreamingofescape.Filmmaker
HannaPolakfollowsYula,achildoftheSvalka,throughfourteenyearsoftravailsandsmall
joys:wemeetheratageten,abrightanomalyinadesolateworld,andwatchherfighther
waytowardsindependentadulthood.SomethingBetterToComeisatonceanincisive
accountofenvironmentalandsocialdesolationincontemporaryRussiaandatimeless
storyofthepersistenceofthehumanspirit.
DirectedbyHannaPolak.ProducedbySigridDyekjaerandHannaPolak.
Tickets,$10.Ticketsmaybepurchasedattheboxofficeandonlineat
landmarktheatres.com/Washington-d-c-oratatlantic-plumbing-cinemaboxoffice.
AtlanticPlumbingCinema,807VSt.,NW
3/23
6:30p.m.
JapanInformationandCultureCenter,EmbassyofJapan
TALEOFIYA(Japan,2013,169min.)Washington,D.C.PremiereExhaustedbycitylife,a
youngmannamedKubodecidestotakesolaceinnaturebymovingtothelushand
mountainousIyaValley.Hopingtoliveaself-sufficientlife,hesoonlearnsthattherealities
oflivingwithnatureareharsherthanheoriginallythought.Oneday,heencountersan
elderlymanandhisgranddaughter,Haruna,livingintheheartofthemountainswithout
anymodernconveniences.Theirmodestandhumblelifestylemovesslowly,almostasif
timehadstoppedforthem.Withtheirhelp,Kubobeginstoadjusttolifeonthemountains.
However,justasKubobeginstounderstandthedelicatebalancebetweenhumansand
nature,adevelopmentprojectinthevalleythreatenstotearthisharmonyapart.Directed
byTetsuichiroTsuta.ProducedbyTestuichiroTsutaandMasayukiUeda.InJapanesewith
Englishsubtitles.
IntroducedbytheDirectoroftheJapanInformationandCultureCenter,EmbassyofJapan.
FREE.Reservationsrequired.Reserveathttp://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc/
JapanInformationandCultureCenter,EmbassyofJapan,115018thSt.,NW(Metro:
FarragutNorth,FarragutWest)
3/24
6:00p.m.
CarnegieInstituteforScience
GlobalEnvironmentalStorytellingwiththePulitzerCenter
PUMPEDDRY:THEGLOBALCRISISOFVANISHINGGROUNDWATER(USA,2015,20
min.)Acrosstheglobesuppliesofgroundwaterarerapidlyvanishing.Asaquifersdecline
andwellsgodry,peoplearebeingforcedtoconfrontagrowingcrisis.DirectedbyIanJames
andSteveElfers.ProducedbyUSATodayandTheDesertSun.
GOLD’SLETHALTOLLININDONESIA(USA,2015,7min.)Small-scalegoldmining,
widespreadthroughoutthedevelopingworld,isoneofthebiggestsourcesofmercury
pollution.DirectedbyLarryPriceandproducedbyP.J.TobiaforPBSNewsHour.
DRINKINGTHENORTHWESTWIND:CHINA’SSOUTH-NORTHWATERTRANSFER
PROJECT(USA,2016,11min.)OriginallyenvisionedbyMaoZedonghimself,China’s
South-NorthWaterTransferProjecthasconsequencesforthoseatbothendsofthe
pipelinethatshowhowsupplyissuesaren’tassimpleas“borrowingsomewater.”Directed
bySharonLovellandTomWangandproducedbyForeignPolicy/ChinaFile.
DiscussionmoderatedbyJonSawyer,FounderandExecutiveDirector,PulitzerCenterwith
filmmakersandRichardFuller,PresidentandFounderofPureEarthandfollowsscreening.
Receptionfollowsdiscussion.
FREE.Registerathttp://dceff2016-pulitzercenter.eventbrite.comandcheckfor
programupdatesatdceff.org.
CarnegieInstitutionforScience,ElihuRootAuditorium,1530PSt.,NW(Metro:Dupont
Circle)
3/24
7:00p.m.
EmbassyoftheRepublicofSingapore
GROWINGROOTS(Singapore,2015,24min.)U.S.PremiereThisdocumentaryshowcases
thepeoplebehindtheurbanfarmsthathavebeenmushroomingamidsttheglassandsteel
towersofSingapore’sconcretejungle.ItfollowsthetrialsandtribulationsofComcrop’s
AllanLimandhisverticalfarmingventure,aswellasthechallengesandtriumphsofEdible
GardenCity’sBjornLowasheworkstospreadtheseedsoffarmingknowledge.Can
cutting-edgeagriculturaltechnologyandanenduringSingaporespiritofcommunityand
collaborationstarttoinfluenceSingaporeans’approachtofoodsustainability? Growing
Roots capturesthischangingmindscape.DirectedbyShulingYongandproducedbyLisaTeh.
DiscussionwithfilmmakersShulingYongandLisaTehfollowsscreening.
AWORLDICON:SINGAPOREBOTANICGARDEN(Singapore,2016,52min.)World
PremiereSingaporemaybeaprimarilyurbanplace,butitalsocontainsoneoftheworld’s
greatgreenspaces:thefirstandonlytropicalbotanicgardentobegiventhestatusof
UNESCOWorldHeritageSite.AWorldIconusescuttingedgeaerialcinematographyto
capturetheGarden’sdesignandarchitecturefromabird’seyeview,thendescendsto
groundlevel,capturingeachleafandpetaloftheGarden’sprofusionofbiodiversity,telling
thestoryofhowamodesttropicalgardenbecameatrulyiconicpark.DirectedbyPeter
LambandproducedbyDonovanChan.
FREE.Toreservetickets,pleaseemailsingembeff2016@gmail.com
EmbassyoftheRepublicofSingapore,3501InternationalPlace,NW(Metro:VanNessUDC)
3/26
2:00p.m.
NationalMuseumofNaturalHistory
JacksonHoleWildlifeFilmFestivalFinalist
INDIA’SWANDERINGLIONS(India,2015,51min.)AttheGirForestSanctuaryinGujarat,
thelastremainingpopulationofAsiaticLions–aspeciesthatoncecoveredmuchofEurope
andAsiabutnearlywentextinct–hasreboundeddramatically.Infact,theirpopulationhas
growntothepointthatthesmallSanctuarycan’tcontainthem,sotheyrovethe
surroundingcountryside,preyingoncattleinruralvillages.India’sWanderingLions
combineswinsomewildlifefilmmakingwithanuancedexplorationofwhathappenswhen
atriumphofconservationunexpectedlycreatesconflictbetweenhumansandanimals.
DirectedbyMartinDohrnandPraveenSinghandproducedbyUK/India.
Discussionfollowsscreening.
FREE.Reservationsrequestedatgo.si.edu/effatnmnh2016.
NationalMuseumofNaturalHistory,BairdAuditorium,10thSt.&ConstitutionAve.,NW
(Metro:FederalTriangle,Smithsonian)