Engaging, entertaining, educational - Environmental films in Athens, Georgia.

Kick off the EcoFocus weekend with The Ghosts in Our Machine! Everyone is welcome to this free event! Free appetizers, drinks and door prizes! This event is co-hosted by UGA's Speak Out for Species! A discussion will follow the film led by Rae Sikora, an author and activist for animals, the environment, and human rights for over 35 years.

Help us launch our sixth festival in style with the EcoFocus Opening Night reception and award winning films Slomo and Shored Up. Join us at 6pm for the reception. Films start at 7:30pm. Director Ben Kalina and Tybee Island City Councilman Paul Wolff will join us in person for a discussion after the film.

Americans work some of the longest hours on Earth. Many studies have demonstrated the connection between overwork and higher greenhouse gas emissions, larger ecological footprints, poor health, social disconnection, disconnection between children and nature, and declining happiness. While European environmentalists generally recognize these connections, Americans have been slow to understand them. John de Graaf argues that overwork and time balance are key issues for the future of the planet. Mr de Graaf’s talk and discussion will begin at 11:15am. His 27-minute film – The Great Vacation Squeeze – will be shown starting at 12 noon. His film will be shown again at EcoFocus on Saturday, March 22 at 5:30 pm at Ciné along with Slomo and Dying Green.

Whether you’re interested in science in general or ocean plastics in particular, join Into the Gyre filmmaker Scott Elliott and UGA College of Engineering assistant professor Jenna Jambeck for an upbeat discussion after this free screening. More information about SEA-MIDI can be found at http://sea-mdi.engr.uga.edu.

This event is accompanied by a free lunch thanks to the generous sponsorship of Streamtechs. Join filmmaker Jeremy Monroe in person for showcase of his beautiful films about our prized southeastern aquatic ecosystems. Discussion will take place between the Hidden Rivers showcase and Wild Things.

Before This Space Available, a 24-minute shorts program, the "EcoKids Short Films" will be shown. The EcoKids program has been so popular over the years, and we're including them in this block to give all of the grown-ups a peek at what all the fuss is about.

Filmmaker John de Graaf will lead a discussion after his film, The Great Vacation Squeeze. Mr. de Graaf has been producing films for 37 years. Fifteen of his documentaries have been broadcast nationally in prime time on PBS, including the popular special Affluenza. He is the co-author of Affluenza and What’s the Economy For, Anyway? and is the executive director of Take Back Your Time, which has been advocating for paid vacation legislation in Washington State and Washington, DC. The John de Graaf Environmental Filmmaking award is presented annually at the Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival. We are honored to have Mr. de Graaf at EcoFocus this year.

DamNation comes to EcoFocus fresh from its March 2014 SXSW Film Festival world premiere! Let’s talk about rivers; a discussion will immediately follow the film.

Fun for all ages! Kids (and parents) will enjoy this group of fun short films followed by the 52-minute film, The Clean Bin Project. Films are appropriate for ages 6 and up. After the film, participate in kids activities in the CinéLab organized by the Athens Montessori School. AMS is a county-designated “Green School,” and recently installed solar arrays to become the first solar school in the state of Georgia! The Athens-Clarke County Recycling Division will help us make this a waste-free event.

Please join us for a community discussion organized by the Georgia Climate Change Coalition following the film.

Human population growth. It’s often seen as the ultimate driver of all environmental problems. But filmmaker Werner Boote asks us to think about it differently. Enjoy lively conversation and dessert in the Ciné lobby after the film.

Meet filmmaker and film subject Christopher Smith in person. Tiny insightfully documents Christopher’s story, and he’ll be on hand to tell us more about it.

What is the "Tiny House" movement?

The “tiny house” movement can be traced back at least as far as Henry David Thoreau and the publication of his book, Walden. “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately,” Thoreau wrote, “to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” Today’s tiny house movement is less concerned with leaving society to find solitary contemplation. But Thoreau’s ideal of simplifying life, considering which comforts and possessions can be done without in order to live a life that is “more deliberate” rings true for many tiny house owners.

Though they live on a smaller scale, most tiny house owners still commute to jobs every day. Some even have families. Some are attracted to the mobile lifestyle, since most tiny houses are built on trailer beds and can easily be towed to a new location. Many others like the idea of having a home, but without the mortgage payments and upkeep of a traditional house. Whatever the original motivation, the folks who make up this movement have come up with some inspiring designs and innovations for living comfortably and creatively in small spaces.

This is filmmaker Jeremy Seifert’s second film to be shown at EcoFocus. His first film, Dive!, was featured at the 2010 festival. Jeremy will join us via videoconference after the screening.

Athens area filmmakers created short films about water conservation and water stewardship for the Ripple Effect Film Project. The Blue Carpet Kids' Matinee showcases all the finalists' films in a family-friendly environment followed by the awards ceremonies in the Children's category (grades 1-5). Snacks provided. Suggested Attire: it’s your premiere! Make a splash and dress like it’s Oscar Night!

We are proud to bring Racing Extinction to Athens for a one-night engagement at Ciné! Utilizing state-of-the-art equipment, Academy Award® winning filmmaker Louie Psihoyos (The Cove) assembled a team of artists and activists intent on showing the world never-before-seen images that expose issues of endangered species and mass extinction. Whether infiltrating notorious black markets with guerilla-style tactics or exploring the scientific causes affecting changes to the environment, this compelling documentary will change the way we see the world and our role within it. View film trailer here

This screening is presented by Oceanic Preservation Society in partnership with UGA-based ECOGIG Research Consortium (Ecosystem Impacts of Oil and Gas Inputs to the Gulf), EcoFocus Film Festival and Ciné.

Tuesday, October 13th, 2015, 7:45pm and 9:45pm, Ciné in downtown Athens.

The first screening is SOLD OUT.

Admission is FREE; reservation is required.

PLEASE NOTE:
Due to the film's popularity we recommend reserving your tickets now here.
Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis
Kids are welcome; however, please note that the film contains scenes depicting animal cruelty

Schedule of Events

3 p.m. The Forgotten Coast: Return to Wild Florida
3:30 p.m. Coastal Research Showcase & cocktail reception
5 p.m. Racing Extinction, followed by a special filmmaker Q&A

This event is made possible in part through partnerships with Jekyll Island Authority, EcoFocus Film Festival, Georgia Sea Grant, The Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve Coastal Training Program, ECOGIG Research Consortium, and other local conservation partners, including Altamaha Riverkeeper, Satilla Riverkeeper, Surfrider Foundation Georgia Chapter, Coastal Wildscapes, and One Hundred Miles.

Free public screening of the award-winning film Chasing Coral followed by a panel discussion with the filmmakers and film subjects, including Dr. Jim Porter, professor and coral ecologist in UGA's Odum School of Ecology. Chasing Coral follows a team of divers, photographers, and scientists as they set out to discover why coral reefs around the world are vanishing at an unprecedented rate.

This event is part of a larger project to engage the public in the Athens area about the importance of healthy oceans. During the filmmakers' visit, local area schools will participate in field trips to see the film and meet the filmmakers and will take part in educational activities about ecology, marine science, and ocean health.

Financial support for this project comes from Kirbo Charitable Foundation, Reef Ball Foundation, ECOGIG Research Consortium at UGA's Department of Marine Sciences, Peabody Media Center, Katherine and Bertis Downs, Odum School of Ecology, and Willson Center for Humanities and Arts. Additional promotional support was provided by UGA’s Speak Out for Species club, UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. We are grateful for the partnership of the Clarke County School District.

Chasing Coral won the Audience Award for the U.S. Documentary category at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. 

Chasing Coral press photos on this site's home page courtesy of Netflix and The Ocean Agency (Catlin XLSeaview Survey).