11th annual RVA Environmental Film Festival planned virtually Feb. 12-26


The 11th annual RVA Environmental Film Festival will present more than 20 free local and national films during its two-week event Feb. 12-26.

Audience members will be able to participate in question-and-answer sessions via chat box following many films. RVA EFF will live stream at fixed times and days. Advanced registration is required at www.rvaeff.org.

Films are selected to raise awareness of environmental issues relevant to the Richmond region, the nation, and the world. Unique aspects of the festival include the Virginia Environmental Film Contest, and a film for children (Microplastic Madness) that documents 56 fifth graders from Brooklyn whose actions on plastic pollution morph into leadership and scalable victories.

Frozen Obsession, the world premier of the feature-length film, will kick off the festival, followed by a panel discussion. The film is an expedition through a dramatically changing Arctic aboard the Icebreaker Oden, which includes scientists, historians, journalists, education professionals, and college students, including several from Virginia Commonwealth University.

The panel includes director and producer David Clark, Gonglai Gong of Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and the VCU students who were part of the expedition.

Into the Okavango, from National Geographic Documentary Films, documents a 1,500-mile expedition across three countries and shows the effects of increasing pressure from human activity. The Okavango River Basin and the Okavango Delta, one of our planet’s last wetland wildernesses, provide a vital source of water to people, African elephants, lions, cheetahs, and hundreds of species of birds.

Two films will be hosted virtual by Henrico County Public Library:

• The Human Element, Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m. (to register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-human-element-tickets-134000750853)

• Blood on the Mountain, Feb. 25, 6:30 p.m. (to register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/blood-on-the-mountain-tickets-134003158053)

Major sponsors include Ellwood Thompson’s, Ian Patrick of Merrill Lynch, Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine, Citizens Climate Lobby, Enrichmond Foundation, Natural Awakenings, Sierra Club - Falls of the James Group, and Vegan Action.

The event is free. For details, trailers and registration information, visit http://www.RVAEFF.org