October 20 – 23, 2011
Marking a landmark step for local environmental awareness and a first of its kind in South Florida, the Miami and the Beaches Environmental Film Festival (MBEFF) brings cutting-edge environmental documentaries, a World Premiere from unseen Cousteau family footage, a student competition and unique experiences in a momentous four-day event.
“This is the first of its kind for South Florida. Our goal is to create an annual festival that educates, motivates and inspires the community through the screening of a wide variety of contemporary films about the environment.”
Michael Laas, MBEFF Co-founder and Director.
MBEFF has also forged a working partnership with the Society of Environmental Journalists, which will be hosting their annual conference in Miami the same week, granting exposure to 1,000 of the world’s top environmental journalists. A private SEJ media event and screening for 200 of that media will take place at the New World Center, with the World Premiere of the Screening of My Father, the Captain: Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Jean-Michel and Cousteau family members will introduce the never-before-seen family footage.
The festival will also introduce The Big Blue & You Student Film Competition, which is taking place on the opening night, October 20, with a screening of the winners and a prize ceremony. It welcomes young filmmakers to make their mark on the big screen with this year’s best student-produced environmental short films. Films are being submitted from students in Miami-Dade and Broward County public and private schools.
In the spirit of environmental film festivals launched throughout the U.S., like the Wild and Scenic Film Festival in California and the DC Environmental Film festival, which have generated a significant following and level of attention within the filmmaking and environmental community, the MBEFF will surely become a prominent event and forum for the exchange of innovative ideas amongst directors, producers, scientists, non-profit organizations, policy makers, businesses, and government leaders.
“The realization of this festival is a dream come true: one more step in raising our community’s environmental awareness and placing Miami Beach on the map for sustainability.”
Luiz Rodrigues, MBEFF Co-founder and ECOMB Director.
The four-day festival will take place at various signature venues from The Colony to the New World Symphony’s New World Center and the Miami Beach Cinematheque. (Full schedule of films and events attached.)
For more information visit www.
October 20 – 23, 2011
The Miami and the Beaches Environmental Film Festival (MBEFF) debuts as the first of its kind for the South Florida community—bringing cutting-edge environmental documentaries, a World Premiere from unseen Cousteau family footage, a student competition and unique experiences in a momentous four-day event to a wide audience at various signature venues. The goal is to educate, motivate, and inspire attendees through films dealing with contemporary environmental issues.
WHEN
October 20 – 23, 2011
WHERE
Miami Beach, Florida – including the Colony Theater, New World Center and Miami Beach Cinematheque, with private kickoff party at Piola Restaurant, Oct. 12, 7-10PM
FILM & EVENT SCHEDULE
OCTOBER 20,5:30 PM @ Colony Theater – Big Blue & You Student Film Competition
OCTOBER 20, 7:00 PM @ Colony Theater – Revenge of the Electric Car
OCTOBER 20, 9:30 PM @ Colony Theater – Queen of The Sun: What Are the Bees Telling Us? OCTOBER 21, 7:00 PM @ Miami Beach Cinematheque – Mother: Caring for 7 Billion
OCTOBER 21, 9:00 PM @ New World Center – SEJ Reception and World Premier Screening of My Father, the Captain: Jacques-Yves Cousteau with Special Presentation by Jean-Michel Cousteau
OCTOBER 21, 9:30 PM @ Miami Beach SoundScape Theater – Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance
OCTOBER 22, 7:00 PM @ Miami Beach Cinematheque – Play Again
OCTOBER 22, 9:00 PM @ Miami Beach Cinematheque – The Light Bulb Conspiracy
OCTOBER 23, 7:00 PM @ Miami Beach Cinematheque – The Pipe
OCTOBER 23, 9:00 PM @ Miami Beach Cinematheque – The City Dark
TICKET INFOMATION
Free admission to Student Film Competition and Miami Beach WallCast of Koyaanisqatsi
All other screenings $10 each
For tickets contact 305.534.3825 or visit www.mbenvironmentalfilmfestival.org
FILM SCHEDULE
THURSDAY OCTOBER 20
5:30 PM
Colony Theater
(Free Admission)
Big Blue & You Student Film Competition
MBEFF welcomes young filmmakers to make their mark on the big screen when we screen this year’s best student-produced environmental short films.
THURSDAY OCTOBER 20
7:00 PM
Colony Theater $10
CLIMAX
This multimedia performance by Swiss artist Natasha Tsakos combines powerful imagery, music, and movement.
Revenge of the Electric Car
Director Chris Paine takes his film crew behind the closed doors of Nissan, GM, and the Silicon Valley start-up Tesla Motors to chronicle the story of the global resurgence of electric cars.
(http://www.revengeoftheelectriccar.com/)
THURSDAY OCTOBER 20
9:30 PM
Colony Theater $10
Queen of The Sun: What Are the Bees Telling Us?
This is in-depth investigation to discover the causes and solutions behind Colony Collapse Disorder; a phenomenon where honeybees vanish from their hives, never to return.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 21
7:00 PM
Miami Beach Cinematheque $10
Mother: Caring for 7 Billion
Breaking a 40-year taboo, this brings to light an issue that silently fuels our most pressing environmental, humanitarian and social crises – population growth. The population is turning 7 billion in 2011, a startling seven-fold increase since the first billion occurred 200 years ago.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 21
9:00 PM
New World Center (Invitation Only)
SEJ Reception and World Premier Screening of My Father, the Captain: Jacques-Yves Cousteau with Special Presentation by Jean-Michel Cousteau
FRIDAY OCTOBER 21
9:30 PM
Miami Beach SoundScape Theater (Free Admission)
Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance (Celebrating Upcoming 30th Year Anniversary of its Release)
The film is a cinematic vision of the collision of two different worlds — urban life and technology versus the environment. “Koyaanisqatsi,” a Hopi Indian term for “life out of balance,” progresses from scenes of purely natural environments to nature as affected by man, in visual concert of images set to the powerful music of Phillip Glass.
SATURDAY OCTOBER 22
7:00 PM
Miami Beach Cinematheque $10
Play Again
One generation from now most people in the U.S. will have spent more time in the virtual world than in nature. PLAY AGAIN investigates the consequences of a childhood removed from nature and encourages action for a sustainable future.
SATURDAY OCTOBER 22
9:00 PM
Miami Beach Cinematheque $10
The Light Bulb Conspiracy
Once upon a time… consumer goods were built to last. In the 1920’s, a group of businessmen realized the longer their product lasted, the less money they made, thus Planned Obsolescence was born, and manufacturers have been engineering products to fail ever since.
http://www.facebook.com/TheLightBulbConspiracy?sk=wall
SUNDAY OCTOBER 23
7:00 PM
Miami Beach Cinematheque $10
The Pipe
In a remote corner of the West of Ireland sits Broadhaven Bay. It is the perfect picture postcard, where the high cliffs of Erris Head and the Stags of Broadhaven stand sentry at the mouth of the bay. However, this peaceful tranquility belies the turmoil that lies beneath, and the unique nature of the coastline which has sustained generations of farmers and fishermen, has also delivered to Shell Oil the perfect landfall for the Corrib Gas Pipeline.
http://www.thepipethefilm.com/
SUNDAY OCTOBER 23
9:00 PM
Miami Beach Cinematheque $10
The City Dark
THE CITY DARK is a feature documentary about light pollution and the disappearing night sky. In six chapters weaving together cutting-edge science with personal, meditative sequences reflecting on the human relationship to the sky, THE CITY DARK shines a new light on the meaning of the dark.