The 2021 EarthxFilm festival shook of the pandemic cobwebs in Dallas and brought filmmakers and subjects from its environmentally focused film festival to Dallas as people began to come back out to public events and in this case – attend a “Green” Carpet event before an outdoor screening and music event celebrating Earth Day.
Michael Cain, Co-Founder and President of EarthxFilm, said, “It was exciting to return to drive-ins, outdoor cinema and socially-distanced theaters, and have our filmmakers come back to Dallas, walk our green carpet, and hear the reaction to their films from live audiences once again. A special moment shared by all was learning of the 2020 EarthxFilm Best Documentary Winner My Octopus Teacher winning the Oscar during our final Q and A. One thing that never changes – pandemic or not – is our commitment to the filmmakers, the causes they explore and the organizations whose work they introduce us to through their films.”
“Over the course of the past year, EarthxFilm has worked to adapt and innovate the way we present environmental stories and messages to the world,” said Michael Cain, Co-Founder and President of EarthxFilm. “With over 12 million views since EarthxTV’s launch in September, we have seen great success with our online presentations, and we are excited to safely share these inspiring films with audiences in a public space once again.”
Holbrooke said, “While this has been a year like no other, we also know that our planet’s air, water and biodiversity continue to be enormously threatened. The filmmakers out there in the environmental space are going to keep making the movies that bring us stories that both disturb and inspire us to be better stewards of the earth.”
EarthxFilm’s Artistic Director, David Holbrooke, added, “It was odd but exciting to see all the award winners gather for this year’s EarthxFilm Awards ceremony on our computer screens. We had winners join us from Mossville, Louisiana to Zimbabwe, all of whom are doing critical work on the environment. It wasn’t easy to pivot from our terrestrial festival to a virtual one but it worked and while we look forward to being able to gather again and meet these wonderful filmmakers and their remarkable characters in person, we are really heartened by what we pulled off with EarthxFilm 2020.”
“So many of the stories we share about conservation, climate change, and the heroes working to protect our planet are a testament to the triumph of the spirit, and our collective hope for the future.” David Holbrooke, EarthxFilm Artistic Director adds “We can’t think of a better time than now to gather (at a distance) and experience those stories, highlighting the difference we can play.”
The decision was shared in light of the rapidly developing news of COVID-19 and our desire to put public safety first. EarthxFilm Co-Founder and President Michael Cain said, “This decision came after careful consideration and consultation with our team, partners, and city officials. We look forward to offering the audiences of Dallas another wonderful EarthxFilm slate of movies, XR experiences, educational opportunities and panels both online in April and in-person throughout the year in Dallas, and across the country and with international partners.”
EarthxFilm’s Co-Founder and President, Michael Cain, said,” For EarthxFilm and the Dallas International Film Festival, two organizations I helped found to collaborate for the joint 2020 festival is incredibly satisfying. People in North Texas who appreciate film and compelling storytelling will be the beneficiaries.”
EarthxFilm will give away a total of $20,000 in prize money to award winners selected by juried competition as well as audience determination. Those awards also include the film festival’s unique Earth Catalyst Award and Impact Award, which is given to the subjects and causes that the winning films highlight or introduce audiences to via their screenings at the film festival. It’s another example of how EarthxFilm, extends itself beyond film exhibition to actively support the environmentally-focused causes those films shine a light on.
EarthxFilm Artistic Director David Holbrooke, said, “This year’s EarthxFilm slate clearly shows the urgency of the many crucial battles going on all over the world on the environmental landscape. However, these documentaries aren’t simply earnest attempts to advocate for a just cause but are serious, well-crafted stories that bear witness to what is happening out there on the front lines. Audiences will be motivated and inspired by the real life heroes in these movies and will come out of the theaters ready to make their own impact.”
