On Nov. 1, AV Film and Healdsburg Climate Action will be presenting a selection of Bay Area Environmental Shorts, with filmmakers in tow for a post-screening Q&A session. The event is part of an effort to promote better stewardship of the Sonoma County environment and to acknowledge the impacts of climate change and urban growth. Curated by AV Film, the collection of shorts are the work of Bay Area documentarians, focused on keeping local plant, animal, insect, and sea life in balance.
The film selections include SDFF alumni films, Dick Ogg: Fisherman (Cynthia Abbott, 2019), Don’t Feed The Coyotes (Nick Stone Schearer, 2021), and Plant Heist (Chelsi and Gabriel de Cuba, 2020). Filmmakers from all three shorts will be in attendance for a post-screening discussion.
The event is a collaboration effort, with AV Film, Healdsburg Climate Action, The Petaluma Film Alliance, SDFF, SF’s Green Film Festival, and Barndiva all pitching in. SDFF co-director and lead programmer Jean McGlothlin said of the collaborative effort, “There are exciting opportunities for our festivals in collaborating together. Among us, we have access to a treasure trove of terrific films and filmmakers who excel in storytelling. All of us want to share this work as widely as possible with our combined reach to an enthusiastic, supportive audience.”
The 90-minute showcase will take place on Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. at Headsburg’s Barndiva. Wine and cocktails will be available for purchase. Tickets are $30 each, $5 for students, and can be purchased here.
FULL LIST OF ENVIRONMENTAL SHOWCASE SHORTS
DICK OGG: FISHERMAN (Cynthia Abbott, 9 min)
A fisherman embraces the creation of a Marine Protected Area in Bodega Bay.
DON’T FEED THE COYOTES (Nick Stone Schearer, 35 min)
San Franciscans struggle to protect its urban coyote population.
GOOD FIRE (Erica Tom, 5 min)
The North Fork Mono Tribe advocates using fire for better forest management.
TULE ELK: THE KILLING OF A NATIVE SPECIES (Filipe Deandrade, 8 min)
Conservationists challenge land usage and farming practices in Point Reyes National Seashore.
FOR THE BEES (Chloë Fitzmaurice, 16 min)
A Yemeni immigrant relocates to Oakland to pursue beekeeping and a better life.
THE ELK FENCE (Evie Dietrich, 3 min)
An 8-year-old activist protests the practices of the National Park Service.
PLANT HEIST (Chelsi & Gabriel de Cuba, 18 min)
A game warden attempts to stop an international poaching ring from stealing a valuable Sonoma coast succulent.
EXPECTED GUESTS FOR POST-SCREENING Q&A
Cynthia Abbott, director, Dick Ogg: Fisherman
Nick Stone Schearer, director, don’t feed the coyotes
Erica Tom, director, Good Fire
Daniel Dietrich, producer, Tule Elk: The Killing of a Native Species
Chloë Fitzmaurice, director, For the Bees
Evie Dietrich, director/8-year-old activist, The Elk Fence
Gabriel de Cuba, director, Plant Heist
BAY AREA ENVIRONMENTAL SHORTS SHOWCASE COLLABORATORS
