“If you listen to nature, it will lead the way,” says tribal elder Gagai Taimanav from Rotuma Island in the movie Hidden in Plain Sight. If only we will listen. Climate change is here, and the Eugene Environmental Film Festival seeks to amplify the voices of those most affected by the crises when it begins its 10-day run Oct. 11 at Art House. The short films shine a light on topics ranging from fair trade, Indigenous peoples, farming and food production, wildfires and sustainability, among other topics. “Environmental justice is at the heart of this year’s festival,” says EEFF Director Ana McAbee in a press release. “We believe that films have the power to educate, inspire and mobilize communities.” Each day of the festival is hosted by either filmmakers or by local nonprofits working in collaboration with the festival. Those nonprofits include Mount Pisgah Arboretum, Beyond Toxics, Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology, the Edelic Center for Ethnobotanical Services, Friends of Family Farmers, BRING Recycling and the Willamette Resources and Educational Network.
The Eugene Environmental Film Festival is Oct. 11 through 20 at Art House, 492 East 13th Avenue. Ticket, time and film lineup information is at EugeneEnvironmentalFilmFestival.org.