Earth Day: Films

Over half the world’s population now lives in an urban area, and 75% will call a city home by 2050. But while some cities are experiencing explosive growth, others are shrinking.The challenges of balancing housing, mobility, public space, civic engagement, economic development, and environmental policy are fast becoming universal concerns. Yet much of the dialogue on these issues is disconnected from the public domain. By exploring a diverse range of urban design projects around the world, URBANIZED frames a global discussion on the future of cities. Official Selection at the Toronto International Film Festival.

This film goes beyond the news headlines to spotlight the impact of the devastating water contamination crisis on the people of Flint, Michigan. The film highlights the stories of residents who were personally injured, along with the work of local organizations and individuals that rallied to support them.

A seven-part documentary series arguing that "health and longevity are correlated with socioeconomic status; people of color face an additional health burden, and our health and well-being are tied to policies that promote economic and social justice. Each program segments, set in different racial/ethnic communities, provides a deeper exploration of the ways in which social conditions affect population health and how some communities are extending their lives be improving them"--Container

The planet is being overwhelmed with clothes. Close to 56 million tons of clothes are sold every year. In Europe, the amount purchased has almost doubled since the year 2000. Thanks to fast disposable fashion, you can constantly renew your wardrobe. But producing clothes at such a low price has a very high environmental cost. This film explores the bad practices of the textile industry, the most polluting industry in the world after oil.

"Instead of waiting for Washington these folks are rolling up their sleeves and meeting the challenges head on. In the process, they're becoming energy efficient, saving a buck, protecting the environment, and securing the future for our kids and our country. This third program in the Earth: The operators' manual series is not about a red or blue America, but about the power of people who want to move beyond political labels, debates and paralysis to build a more productive, prosperous and sustainable future."--Container.

This first work of The Qatsi Trilogy wordlessly surveys the rapidly changing environments of the Northern Hemisphere, in an astonishing collage created by the director, cinematographer Ron Fricke, and composer Philip Glass. It shuttles viewers from one jaw-dropping vision to the next, moving from images of untouched nature to others depicting human beings' increasing dependence on technology.

Reggio turns his sights on third-world nations in the Southern hemisphere. Forgoing the sped-up aesthetic of the first film, Powaqqatsi employs a meditative slow motion in order to reveal the beauty of the traditional ways of life in those parts of the planet, and to show how cultures there are being eroded as their environments are taken over by industry.

Through a variety of cinematic techniques, including slow motion, time-lapse, computer-generated imagery, and found footage, the film tells of a world that has completed the transition from the natural to the artificial. Globalization has been accomplished, all of our interactions are technologically mediated, and all images are manipulated.

The programs in the Journey to Planet Earth series explore the fragile relationship between people and the world they inhabit. A common thread runs throughout all the programs: the necessity to achieve a balance between the needs of people and the needs of the environment. Topics covered in the series include the loss of farmland to urban development, the pollution of the Earth's rivers, and inadequate housing and water resources for those living in the world's mega-cities.--From publisher description.

Explores the U.S. commercial food industry, examining corporate control of supply and market. The film seeks to demonstrate how the incentive for corporate profit can overwhelm consumer health needs, as well as the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and the environment. Reveals various details of food ingredients and additives, and how contemporary mass production methods of food affects U.S. culture.