Tag: film (Page 1 of 2)

Oct. 4: MIT’s Urbanfilm Hosts “The City Dark”

Urban Planning Film Series
A mostly-weekly series showing documentary and feature films on topics related to cities, urbanism, design, community development, ecology, and other planning issues. Free.

Time: 6:00p–8:00p

Location: MIT Room 3-133

A feature documentary about light pollution and the disappearing night sky. It premiered in competition at the 2011 South by Southwest Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize for Best Score/Music. After moving to light-polluted New York City from rural Maine, filmmaker Ian Cheney asks: “Do we need the dark?” Exploring the threat of killer asteroids in Hawai’i, tracking hatching turtles along the Florida coast, and rescuing injured birds on Chicago streets, Cheney unravels the myriad implications of a globe glittering with lights — including increased breast cancer rates from exposure to light at night, and a generation of kids without a glimpse of the universe above. Featuring stunning astrophotography and a cast of eclectic scientists, philosophers, historians, and lighting designers, THE CITY DARK is the definitive story of light pollution and the disappearing stars.

Presented in conjunction with the PBS “POV” Community Network.

Special guest: Susanne Seitinger, City Innovations Manager, Philips Color Kinetics.

Open to: the general public

Jul 18: SBN Special Film Screening: Fixing the Future

As part of a national event, Boston is one of dozens of cities hosting screenings of the documentary Fixing the Future. Host David Brancaccio (of public radio’s Marketplace and NOW on PBS) visits people across America that are attempting a revolution: the reinvention of the American economy. Featuring communities using innovative approaches to create jobs and build sustainability, Fixing the Future inspires hope and renewal in tough economic times.

Join us for the screening and an exclusive on-screen panel discussion after the movie, followed by tips from SBN and other partner organizations on what YOU can do to fix the future!

$12 Admission  at AMC Loews Boston Common.

Group discount available for purchase of 15 or more tickets ($7.50/ticket)

 For tickets please visit: http://bit.ly/MRNVEK 

Click here to RSVP on facebook and tell your friends about it!

For more information please contact Amara at amara@sbnmass.org

Jul 10: Film showing of “YERT: Your Environmental Road Trip”

YERTWhen: Tuesday, at noon

Where: Olin 011

Called to action by a planet in peril, three friends hit the road—traveling with hope, humor, and all of their garbage—to explore every state in America in search of the extraordinary innovators and citizens who are tackling humanity’s greatest environmental crises.

The Office of Sustainability has sponsored a viewing of this film before and is excited to offer those who missed it during Earth Week an opportunity to watch this inspiring, eye-opening docu-comedy.

Read our film review or click here for more information on the film.

Film Review: YERT (Your Environmental Road Trip)

50 States. 1 year. One planet to save.

Are we doomed?

You could panic…
or you could watch
this guy and this guy and this girl
panic for you.

– from the YERT trailer

Last night, I was gratified to finally attend one of the events we have been promoting incessantly for Earth Week: the film screening of “YERT: Your Environmental Road Trip” sponsored by the Environmental Studies Program and the Office of Sustainability.

It was a delightfully funny, engaging and eye-opening experience. Billed as a docu-comedy, YERT follows producer Mark Dixon, director Ben Evans and his stalwart wife Julie Dingman Evans in a “year-long eco-expedition through all 50 United States.” They packed their belongings into a Ford Escape Hybrid named Rachel (in honor of Rachel Carson) which is shown getting 44 mpg on the film. They started in Pittsburgh and carried all their garbage around the country from July 4, 2007 to 2008, interviewing over 800 people.

Unlike many films about the environment, YERT is far from depressing. Mark and Ben, being old college buddies, were especially goofy together – injecting a large dose of humor into even the most serious interviews. They put together funny skits to liven up conversations. They challenged themselves not to create more trash each month than a cereal box can hold. They slept in a cave, a VW eco-bus/hotel room, and of course, an actual yurt.

The film did not sugar-coat or avoid big issues; instead, it balanced the good news and bad news stories extremely well. Who knew that there is a guy in Idaho working on Solar Roadways, a project to harness the sun’s energy by replacing asphalt and concrete surfaces with solar panels? Or that worm poop is one of the best things that could ever happen to your garden?

I really enjoyed watching the team do their corn challenge in Iowa and visit unusual places like the City Museum in Missouri filled entirely with salvaged/repurposed objects. They also visited the Terracycle plant in New Jersey and massive wind farms in West Texas.

The Earthship Education Facility

I was especially inspired that so many people – real, regular, everyday folks – all around the country are bravely trying to effect change in their own way. We are introduced to several fascinating characters – the “Lunatic Farmer” Joel Salatin (whom we recognized from Food Inc. and now has his own film, Fresh) and the architect of a self-powered green house called “EarthShip.”  My heart went out to the man in West Virginia who refused to move from his family home of 300 years, whose fight against the coal mining companies cost him his marriage (his wife was not a fan of getting shot at).

I was impressed that the film raised some key issues – questioning the model of infinite economic growth and how the American way of life has so successfully enabled individual independence at the expense of a sense of community. It’s no surprise to me that YERT has won so many awards. I highly recommend catching a screening soon – Tisch Library has a copy. Don’t pass up the chance to watch this very entertaining and inspiring film!

In the meantime, you can watch any of the 60 short films or YERTpods on their website. Here’s the trailer again, in case you haven’t seen it yet:

Mar 29: Streetalk – Boston Under After Hours

Thursday, 3/29 @ 6-9PM
Central Square Theater 4
50 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge

We’ve all asked the age ol’ question, “Why doesn’t the T stay open later?” Now you can find out why. Come watch the Boston Under After Hours documentary about what happens after the T shuts down, and the MBTA employees who work 1:30am-5:00am to make the system run smoothly the following day. With current fare increases and service cuts pending, this question is even more relevant. Why not keep the T open longer for more revenue? What can you do to keep the T going? Get insight in to the inter-workings of the T, and the current MBTA’s financial situation and service plan. Discussion with filmmakers, MBTA, and On The Move following the film.

Stay for a social hour afterwards to meet and chat with filmmakers and the stars of the film. Popcorn and snacks provided and $2 Harpoon.

Tickets: $6.00.

This event is hosted by LivableStreets Alliance and sponsored by On the Move Coalition

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