Martha's Vineyard Film Society in collaboration with Vineyard Conservation Society Presents 9th Annual Martha's Vineyard Environmental Film Festival.

Schedule of Events

May 25, 2023

7:30pm - Patrick And The Whale

For years, Patrick Dykstra has dedicated his life to traveling the globe, following and diving with whales. Over the years, Patrick has learned how whales see and hear, how they perceive other creatures in the water and how they behave at close quarters. He has a finely tuned sense and knows how to act when within touching distance of a whale – what to do, what not to do and when. This allows him to consistently get closer than anyone else alive – a truly unique skill.

Patrick recently experienced a life-changing event. In Dominica, he had a close encounter with a female sperm whale. She seemed to be curious about him, coming within touching distance, pulsing him with her sonar. She studied him as he studied her. Patrick felt an overwhelming sense that she was genuinely trying to communicate.

We follow Patrick as he travels to Dominica again to find this special whale he named "Dolores" so she can help him show us the hidden world of her species. Using stunning underwater footage, Patrick explores the fascinating nature of the sperm whale, attempting to shine a light on its intelligence and complexity, as well as highlighting its current and past relationship with humankind. The film follows his personal journey and explores the psychology of a man who has sacrificed everything in his single-minded quest to connect with and understand one of the the biggest creatures in the ocean.

May 26, 2023

4:00pm - Youth V Gov

YOUTH v GOV is the story of the Juliana v. The United States of America constitutional lawsuit and the 21 American youth, ages 14 to 25, who are taking on the world’s most powerful government. Since 2015, the legal non-profit Our Children’s Trust, has been representing these youth in their landmark case against the U.S. government for violating their constitutional rights to life, liberty, personal safety, and property through their willful actions in creating the climate crisis they will inherit.

As leaders in the youth climate movement, the twenty-one plaintiffs of Juliana v. The United States of America represent the diversity of American youth impacted by the climate crisis. They hail from 10 states: Florida, Alaska, Hawaii, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Louisiana, and New York. These film characters encompass cultural, economic and geographic diversity and many come from marginalized communities, serving as beacons of hope for those who do not have a platform to share their own stories. They are African-American, Indigenous, white, bi-racial, and LGBTQ, and their diversity speaks not only to the impacts of climate change, but to the inclusion required if we are to build a better and more just future together. These young people are activists, students, artists, musicians, and farmers, and their stories are universal.

7:30pm - Nuclear Now

After the film there will be a Q & A with Jacopo Buongiorno, TEPCO Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Director of Science and Technology of the MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory.

As fossil fuels continue to cook the planet, the world is finally becoming forced to confront the influence of large oil companies and tactics that have enriched a small group of corporations and individuals for generations. Beneath our feet, Uranium atoms in the Earth’s crust hold incredibly concentrated energy- science unlocked this energy in the mid-20th century, first for bombs and then to power submarines and the United States led the effort to generate electricity from this new source. Yet in the mid 20th century as societies began the transition to nuclear power and away from fossil fuels, a long-term PR campaign to scare the public began, funded in part by coal and oil interests. This campaign would sow fear about harmless low-level radiation and create confusion between nuclear weapons and nuclear power.

With unprecedented access to the nuclear industry in France, Russia, and the United States, iconic director Oliver Stone explores the possibility for the global community to overcome challenges like climate change and reach a brighter future through the power of nuclear energy an option that may become a vital way to ensure our continued survival sooner than we think.

May 27, 2023

4:00pm - The Grab

An investigative journalist uncovers the money, influence and alarming rationale behind covert efforts to control the most vital resource on the planet.

From the Center for Investigative Reporting Studios and director Gabriela Cowperthwaite.

7:30pm - The Scale Of Hope

The film’s subject is Molly Kawahata, a former climate advisor to the Obama White House. She is also a dedicated alpine climber who dreams of climbing higher and more challenging summits as she continues to hone her climbing skills. This desire to overcome seemingly impossible situations is mirrored in her lifelong passion for helping the environment and alleviating the effects of global climate change. As she works hard to prepare for a climbing expedition in the Alaska Range, Molly is also working on a hope-centered strategy and narrative in addressing climate change. And in a life-affirming twist, her mental health struggles allow her to find a way.

May 28, 2023

1:00pm - Geographies Of Solitude

An immersion into the rich ecosystem of Sable Island, a remote sliver of land in the Northwest Atlantic, the film follows Zoe Lucas, a naturalist and environmentalist who has lived there for over 40 years collecting, cleaning and documenting marine litter that persistently washes up on the island’s shores. Shot on 16mm and created using eco-friendly filmmaking techniques, Geographies of Solitude is a playful and reverent collaboration with the natural world filled with arresting images and made with an activist spirit.

4:00pm - A Crack In The Mountain

A small, impoverished Vietnamese community struggles to deal with the opportunity and challenges that arise when Hang Son Doong, the largest cave in the world and a place of extraordinary natural beauty, is discovered nearby.

7:30pm - Solutions

Throughout the ages, each time a new technology has appeared, it has transformed our lives and society–today more than ever. Lead by digitalization, followed by new living and intelligent technologies, our world is being transformed in a way that’s difficult for us to comprehend. A group of the world’s leading scientists isolates themselves for 10 days at the renowned Santa Fe Institute, hidden away in the desert of New Mexico. They come from all corners of science representing environment, economy, democracy, social media, education, status of institutions, and artificial technology. Together, they want to start a revolutionary movement with an ambitious goal: To secure the future of humanity through science by finding the path to a new paradigm.

Date: May 25-28, 2023

Cost: $75 General Admission, $65 Member

Location:
Martha's Vineyard Film Center,
79 Beach Road,
Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.

Click Here for more information