Cameras go green for docfest
Caméra verte, a film com-petition held parallel to the UN conference on climate change, got about 130 submissions filmed in locations as far away as Japan and South America. The best films received prizes last week and will be shown in a mini festival Dec. 8 at the NFB cinema.
Professionals and amateurs used diverse filming techniques, from the turn-of-the-20th-century silent movie to 30-second commercials, including animation, art videos and in-depth documentaries.
Some films recorded the effects of global warming on specific environments, such as rivers in Quebec (Canicules sous les eaux) and glaciers in Patagonia (Patagonia Climate Impact).
Others focused on personal and collective responses to environmental threats. They urged citizens to abandon their gas-guzzling SUVs (Le Camion), to buy local produce (Exhausted) and use green technology, from recycling to clean energy, as shown at the 2005 Expo in Aichi, Japan (Repercussions).
Parodies of Superman riding bikes (Be a Hero, Ride a Bike) and animations of little girls explaining the risks of global warning (À côz) delivered their message with a lighter touch.
For Caméra verte’s Patrick Bonin, the fervent participation was due to the interest in environmental issues.
“The population is sensitive to the question of climate change. People are concerned and openly express it,” he said.
The Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema was one of the sponsors of the event, organized by the Québec-vert-Kyoto Coalition of environmental groups and Nature Québec/ UQCN.
Marielle Nitoslawska, a film teacher, said the school of cinema decided to contribute to the competition despite its limited resources.
“We feel strongly about this event. We like to have a strong presence in the community,” she said.
At last week’s ceremony, Nitoslawska handed out an award named after the school to Citoyens Inc., which won the prize as best art video film.
The best work submitted to Caméra verte will be screened again Thursday Dec. 8, at 7 p.m. at the theatre of the National Film Board of Canada (1564 St. Denis St.).
Admission is free of charge. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion on cinema and environmental issues with filmmakers and environ-mentalists.