The Green Living Festival is proud to present the Green Living Film Series, hosted by award winning film-maker and Michigan resident, Chris Bedford. The series, including a Michigan premier of his latest film, will be located at the Rochester Firehouse at the south end of the festival site (see map). Check out the films schedule and details below, and plan to join Chris as he screens these important and timely documentary films, and leads lively discussions about them.
Transition to a Green Economy “What do we do now?”
The price of oil continues to rise. And with it the price of food rises even more. Drought and climate change threaten food and energy security worldwide. Michigan’s food and energy economy, like the world economy, is at a moment of historic transition. The Green Living Film Festival will present a series of films May 13-15th at the Firehouse Screening Room that answer the question, “What do we do now?”
Every crisis is also an opportunity, an economic opportunity. Spend a few minutes at the festival viewing these award winning films that explore the Green Economy -- its values, its actions, and its opportunities.
Michigan Premier!
Getting Real about Food & the Future (35 minutes)
Transition to a Healthy Local Food Economy
Friday, May 13 - 8-9pm
A local food movement is underway in Michigan and throughout the nation. But its future is uncertain. But a growing global food crisis and confusion about what is “good food” threaten its progress and timetable. What changes in our food system do we need to make? And do we have time for this transition?
This new film by food activist Chris Bedford presents a compelling look at the transformation families and communities need to make to “get real about food and the future.” The film combines the vision of experts like Bill McDonough, Lester Brown, John McKnight and David Korten with the stories from small communities to present a realistic and hopeful vision for our future.
Friday, May 13th
5-7pm Gasland (1 hr 47 minutes)
This Academy Award nominated documentary looks at the practice of "fracking" to get natural gas from rock formations. Michigan has substantial natural gas deposits in its rocks. This important film by Josh Fox looks at the fracking process and its implications for our state's energy supplies and water quality.
Saturday, May 14th
11-12noon The Next Industrial Revolution (54 minutes)
This film describes the revolutionary green manufacturing and design work of architect Bill McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart to build the next industrial revolution – the green revolution – in manufacturing. This film has won numerous awards and been translated into three languages. Filmmaker Chris Bedford will be present to answer questions.
12-1pm The Power of Community (53 minutes)
With the fall of the Soviet Union, Cuba faced extreme economic hardship because of the loss of cheap Russian oil given as aid. In the next year, the average Cuban lost 20 lbs. from hunger because their food system depended on cheap Russian oil. This film tells the story of how the Cuban economy responded through the development of an organic local food system.
1-2 Getting Real about Food & the Future (30 minutes)
This new film by Chris Bedford looks at the hard, often not discussed realities, of transition to a local food supply. The film maker will be present to answer questions.
2-3pm Fresh (45 minutes)
This new film, by ana Sofia Joanes, translates Michael Pollan’s book, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” into an award winning movie experience.
3-4pm Hidden Dangers in Kid’s Meals: Genetically Engineered Foods
The genetic manipulation of food through industrial techniques has unforeseen consequences for our children’s health and well being. This powerful film looks at GMOs in our children’s food and what one school district in Wisconsin did about it. The film offers a clear vision of the green path forward in school meals. There will be a discussion of this topic after the screening.
4-5pm Asparagus: Stalking the American Life
This Michigan made film by Anne de Mare & Kirsten Kelly looks at our state’s asparagus farms and how federal policy has threatened them with bankruptcy and closure. This is an entertaining and powerful film about what our state’s agriculture faces today.
5-6pm Blowing in the Wind (30 minutes)
Offshore wind power generation offers the prospect of cheap renewable energy for our state’s economy. Opposition from shoreline landowners claims the wind generators will have a negative economic impact. This new film looks at both sides in a consideration of offshore wind energy. Discussion will follow.
6-7pm The End of Suburbia (52 minutes)
But as we enter the 21st century, serious questions are beginning to emerge about the sustainability of this way of life. With brutal honesty and a touch of irony, The End of Suburbia explores the American Way of Life and its prospects as the planet approaches a critical era, as global demand for fossil fuels begins to outstrip supply. World Oil Peak and the inevitable decline of fossil fuels are upon us now, some scientists and policy makers argue in this documentary.
Sunday, May 15th
11 am -12noon Fresh (45 minutes)
This new film, by ana Sofia Joanes, translates Michael Pollan’s book “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” into an award winning movie experience.
12-1pm Hidden Dangers in Kid’s Meals: Genetically Engineered
Foods The genetic manipulation of food through industrial techniques has unforeseen consequences for our children’s health and well being. This powerful film looks at GMOs in our children’s food and what one school district in Wisconsin did about it. The film offers a clear vision of the green path forward in school meals. There will be a discussion of this topic after the screening.
1-2pm Asparagus: Stalking the American Life
This Michigan made film by Anne de Mare & Kirsten Kelly looks at our state’s asparagus farms and how federal policy has threatened them with bankruptcy and closure. This is an entertaining and powerful film about what our state’s agriculture faces today.
2-3pm Blowing in the Wind + Discussion of renewable wind energy
Offshore wind power generation offers the prospect of cheap renewable energy for our state’s economy. Opposition from shoreline landowners claims the wind generators will have a negative economic impact. This new film looks at both sides in a consideration of offshore wind energy. Discussion will follow.
3-4pm Getting Real about Food & the Future (30 minutes)
This new film by Chris Bedford looks at the hard, often not discussed realities, of transition to a local food supply. The filmmaker will be present to answer questions.
4-5pm The Next Industrial Revolution (54 minutes)
This film describes the revolutionary green manufacturing and design work of architect Bill McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart to build the next industrial revolution – the green revolution – in manufacturing. This film has won numerous awards and been translated into three languages. Filmmaker Chris Bedford will be present to answer questions.
