In these uncertain times, we yearn to feel useful. We search for purpose. Intellectually, we know that we are staying home and watching Netflix to protect our health care workers who can’t stay home themselves. We are committed to settling in and breaking out our grandparents’ sourdough bread recipe to help flatten that curve (if not our tushes), to protect our beloved family members, our friends and neighbors. Overnight, the most mundane undertakings – a trip to the grocery store or delivering the mail – have been imbued with epic meaning. You are not simply going to Whole Foods for a few items; you are on a mission to provide sustenance for your family. You are not just delivering the mail; you are risking your safety to keep the world running, to provide connection.
Greenwich International Film Festival’s mission, here in our beloved, little corner of the globe, has always been about connecting, about using film to illuminate the struggles we face locally and globally, from human rights issues to environmental concerns. We have never felt more connected to our global family than we do now, ironically, in isolation.
GIFF has been incredibly fortunate to partner with globally minded, environmentally conscious artists and sponsors who share our mission, our vision and our core beliefs. In 2020, we are thrilled to welcome Volvo to our sponsor family. Volvo has maintained a long-lasting and trusted reputation since their first car was born in 1927. It’s a brand that is committed to providing positive social change through tackling initiatives like electrification, reducing carbon emissions across all levels of operation, and focusing on the recycling and reuse of materials.
Volvo has evolved their design to meet the demand of the times with a future relying on plug-in power. In January 2018, Volvo’s engine factory in Skövde, Sweden, became the first plant in Volvo Cars’ global network to reach climate-neutral status. As Javier Varela, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing and Logistics, explained this “achievement is an important addition to our efforts in minimising our environmental footprint. We are pleased to be a leader within the automotive industry in the move towards climate-neutral manufacturing.”
As a human-centric car company, Volvo focuses on putting the needs of the people and the world we live in at the core of the brand’s approach to innovation and sustainability. Check out the videos below to learn more about the user-friendly and eco-friendly features Volvo has incorporated into their cars.
If you are lucky enough to be home, bread in the oven, and looking for something to watch, here are a handful of the environmentally focused films that screened at GIFF, that are now available on the streamers:
ARTIFISHAL (GIFF 2019) – Artifishal is a film about wild rivers and wild fish that explores the high cost—ecological, financial and cultural—of our mistaken belief that engineered solutions can make up for habitat destruction. The film traces the impact of fish hatcheries, and the extraordinary amount of public money wasted on an industry that hinders wild fish recovery, pollutes our rivers and contributes to the problem it claims to solve. Artifishal also dives beneath the surface of the open-water fish farm controversy, as citizens work to stop the damage done to public waters and our remaining wild salmon. Director: Josh Murphy
THE MAP TO PARADISE (GIFF 2019) – An adventure-filled and spectacularly gorgeous tale about the birth of the global movement to protect the sea. From underwater worlds of ice to glistening coral sanctuaries, discover what it takes to build a movement and to create positive change. Mixing colorful character-driven stories and hand-rendered animations, this film is a rare urgent environmental wake-up call that retains a sense of awe and wonder for the kind of beauty that is still possible. Directors: James Sherwood, Danielle Ryan
THE DEVIL WE KNOW (GIFF 2018) – Unraveling one of the biggest environmental scandals of our time, a group of citizens in West Virginia take on a powerful corporation after they discover it has knowingly been dumping a toxic chemical – now found in the blood of 99.7% of Americans – into the drinking water supply. Director: Stephanie Soechtig
TROPHY (GIFF 2017) – TROPHY is an ambitious, multidimensional look into the controversial relationship between those that profit from the wild and those that aim to protect it. As populations decline and value rises, the dynamic between big-game hunters and committed conservationists grows more and more complicated with each advancement on either side of the argument. In an effort to provide true insight on the animal trading industry, the documentary profiles passionate breeders, hunters and wildlife activists. The film promises to leave you questioning what is right, what is wrong and what is the solution with this fiery topic. Directors: Christina Clusiau, Shaul Schwarz
As always, we love being a part of this community. We would love to hear from you. Let us know what you’re watching or how you’re making an impact in these challenging times.
Love,
The GIFF Team