Date: December 27, 2011

This week we’ll be previewing the Wild and Scenic Film Festival that takes place in Nevada City, January 13-15. This is a fabulous event, and it’s close to home, accessible to KZFR listeners. In the first part of the program, we’ll talk with festival organizer Melinda Booth about the overall plans and scheduled events and why it the Festival is “a place where activists get inspired.”

http://www.wildandscenicfilmfestival.org/

Then we’ll talk with Sally Rubin, one of the filmmakers presenting at the Festival, about her film series Deep Down, which highlights people in the Appalachians who have made a difference in the environment, opposing projects like mountaintop coal mining.

And finally, we’ll talk with David Lukas, a Sierra Nevada naturalist who will be introducing several films at the festival and conducting a guided walk of a creek restoration project in Nevada City.

Listen to the Program

Our Conversation with Melinda Booth

Melinda Booth is the Director of Development and Wild and Scenic Events for the Wild and Scenic Film Festival.

1. First of all, just tell us a little about the Wild and Scenic Film Festival. How many years has it been in operation? What’s its mission?

2. How many films are being shown this year? We know that the range of subjects is immense. Can you give us an overview of the subjects and approaches?

3. Who are some of the special guests who will be appearing at the festival? Will a lot of the filmmakers be there?

4. Who makes the selections of the films that will be shown? Do you get to preview them? Do you have some personal favorites?

5. How many venues are there for viewing films? How many sessions are running at one time? Has this change over the years? How has the festival grown and changed?

6. There are also some special events at the film festival. Can you tell us about those?

7. Can you remind people of when and where the festival will take place? Where can they get tickets?

8. Are there other ways of being involved in the Wild and Scenic Film Festival? We’re sure it takes an enormous number of volunteers to make something like this happen? Do you still need help for this festival? What should people do if they want to be involved next year?

Our Questions for Sally Rubin
 Sally Rubin is a filmmaker who has done a number of documentaries on social, environmental, and political issues. At the festival, she and Jen Gilomen will be showing their film from the “Deep Down’s People Power Series.”

1.  What’s the topic and title of the film you and Jen are showing? What’s the People Power project and how does this fit in?

2.  What’s the story you told about Carol Judy and why did you select her?

3.  We understand that this film is part of a film portrait series about Americans who make a difference in environmental issues.  Please tell us about other topics and people you’ve covered.

4.  How do you go about making these kinds of films?  Do you start with a script?  Raw footage?  How does the editing process work?

5.  What kinds of results have you seen from people like the activists featured in your films?

6. Where can our listeners learn more about and get involved with these causes?

7.  What’s your next project?

Our guest has been Sally Rubin and you can learn more about the film at deepdownfilm.org. Thanks for being with us tonight.  The film will be shown Friday evening at 7:05 in Stone Hall and Sunday morning at 10:47 at the Nevada Theater.  Full details are at wildscenicfilmfestival.org

Additional links:
ilovemountains.org
appalachianvoices.org

Chatting with David Lukas

David Lukas is a naturalist specializing in the Sierra Nevada, and he he’ll be playing several roles at the Festival. Welcome David.

1. Please tell us what you’ll be doing at the Festival. [We understand you will be doing a wrap-up for a film called Death of a Forest, mc-ing a session of films on animals, leading and a Sunday morning nature hike at a creek restoration site in downtown Nevada City].

2. What can you tell us about Death of a Forest, the film by Michael Pellagatti? What’s the link between the pine beetle infestation and global warming? What have you seen of this problem here in the Sierra? [The film will be shown Saturday morning at Vets Hall, 9:05.]

3. You’ve done several guidebooks the Sierra. How does your work lead in to the Wild and Scenic Film Festival session on animals? What films will be shown? [1 pm Saturday, Nevada Theater]

4. When does your Sunday morning creek walk take place? What will you be discussing?

5. Generally, what role do you see for films in the environmental movement? Do they change the way people think? Do they possibly just preach to the choir?

6. Finally, please tell us a little about how listeners can get involved in the kind of work you do. [www.lukasguides.com, www.sierranaturalist.com]

Playlist for Ecotopia #170–Wild and Scenic Film Festival:

1. Let’s Go To The Movies (Album Version) 4:42 Aileen Quinn;Albert Finney
2. Utopia 4:58 Alanis Morissette Under Rug Swept
3. High On A Mountain Top 2:44 Loretta Lynn
4. Global Warming Blues 3:42 Lenny Solomon Armando’s Pie
5. Weave Me the Sunshine 4:28 Peter, Paul And Mary
6. Danger (Global Warming) – Radio Mix 3:35 Brick Casey
7. 3 Birds 3:45 The Dead Weather Horehound 8. Trophic Cascade 4:12 Ronn Fryer

No Comments »