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Environmental Focus

Featuring films that address pressing environmental concerns, this spotlight includes documentaries like Capturing the Carbon, which follows innovations in carbon capture, and Unearth, a hard-hitting exploration of the mining industry in Alaska. These films inspire reflection on the impact of human activity on nature and highlight efforts toward sustainability and environmental justice.

Sponsored by Carol & Ward Klein

Cinema for Students Programs, Environmental Focus, Leon & Mary Strauss Documentary Spotlight, Oscar® Qualifying Shorts Competition

Broken Flight

Film Broken Flight Directed by Erika Valenciana, Mitchell Wenkus Hundreds of bird species migrate through Chicago each year, but collisions with glass in skyscrapers pose a major...
Cinema for Students Programs, Environmental Focus, Leon & Mary Strauss Documentary Spotlight, Oscar® Qualifying Shorts Competition

Capturing the Carbon

Film Capturing the Carbon Directed by Jack Winch, Janice Overbeck ​​Capturing the Carbon: A Journey to Net Zero follows host Rob Riggle, on a journey to learn about...
Environmental Focus, Leon & Mary Strauss Documentary Spotlight, Oscar® Qualifying Shorts Competition

Chasing Time

Film Chasing Time Directed by Jeff Orlowski-Yang, Sarah Keo Over the course of the 15-year Extreme Ice Survey project, photographer James Balog and his team brought some...
Cinema for Students Programs, Environmental Focus, Leon & Mary Strauss Documentary Spotlight, Oscar® Qualifying Shorts Competition

Chouteau: Scenes from Below

Film Chouteau: Scenes from Below Directed by Nevin Dubinsky “Chouteau: Scenes from Below” delves into the lives of cavers who navigate tight spaces, jump across chasms, and...
Environmental Focus, Free Programs

Documentary Shorts 2 – Environmental A

Program Documentary Shorts 2 – Environmental A
Environmental Focus, Leon & Mary Strauss Documentary Spotlight, Oscar® Qualifying Shorts Competition

Facing the Falls

Film Facing the Falls Directed by Celia Aniskovich Cara Elizabeth Yar Khan, suffering an aggressive, muscle-wasting disease, sets off with a team on a 12-day expedition...
Environmental Focus, International Spotlight, Leon & Mary Strauss Documentary Spotlight, Oscar® Qualifying Shorts Competition

Moving Mountains

Film Moving Mountains Directed by Renko Douze Follow Walter Immerzeel and his team as they venture to the high peaks of the Himalayas, where few...
Environmental Focus, Free Programs, Human Rights Spotlight, Human Ties, International Spotlight, Leon & Mary Strauss Documentary Spotlight, Spotlight on Inspiration Documentary Competition, Women in Film Spotlight

Searching for Amani

Film Searching for Amani Directed by Debra Aroko, Nicole Gormley A 13-year-old aspiring journalist investigates his father’s murder in Kenya’s largest wildlife conservancy. As a severe drought worsens,...
Environmental Focus, International Spotlight, Leon & Mary Strauss Documentary Spotlight, Oscar® Qualifying Shorts Competition

The Last Observers

Film The Last Observers Directed by Maja Karlsson This is the story of the last remaining manual weather station in Sweden and the couple who operate...
Environmental Focus, Leon & Mary Strauss Documentary Spotlight, SLIFF/Kids Family Films, Spotlight on Inspiration Documentary Competition

Unearth

Film Unearth Directed by John Hunter Nolan After decades of battling to protect their homeland from North America’s largest open-pit copper mine, Yu’pik Alaskan sisters...