The 2014 Princeton Environmental Film Festival is set to open Jan. 30, at Princeton Public Library and runs through Feb. 9.
Now in its eighth year, the award-winning festival features a line-up of acclaimed films and speakers presented in 10 days over a two-week period.
Under the direction of founder Susan Conlon, the festival has grown over the years but remains true to its original focus on films with local as well as regional and international relevance.
“Many of the films in this year’s festival reflect on the concept of risk, and that emerged as our theme,” Conlon said in a statement.
In addition to Crash Reel, a film about snowboarder and Olympic hopeful Kevin Pearce’s long road back from a brain injury he sustained during training, risk is a factor in films including Bidder 70 where college student Tim De Christopher risks his very freedom when he commits an act of civil disobedience.
Risk is also a factor in William and the Windmill, the story of a young Malawian who builds a windmill using scrap parts; and Musicwood, a look at how the tug-of-war over natural resources in an Alaskan forest is putting the forest itself and the future of acoustic guitars at risk.
Many of the screenings will be followed by talks by filmmakers, including Bidder 70, Fighting for the Futaleufú, To Be Forever Wild, Pandora’s Promise,William and the Windmill,Musicwood, Tiny: A Story About Living Small, Invisible Ocean: Plankton and Plastic,Running Wild: The Story of Dayton O. Hyde, Blackfish and A Will for the Woods
Additional events during the festival include two Saturday morning family programs, “Wallaby Tales” featuring wildlife educator Travis Gale with a selection of live animals, on Feb. 1, and a presentation by the Marine Mammal Stranding Center on Feb. 8.
A panel of local farmers and naturalists, moderated by filmmaker and Edible Jersey Editor Jared Flesher, are set to engage in a discussion as part of the festival on Feb. 1.
More information is online at community.princetonlibrary.org/peff.
