2008 Sundance Channel Film Review List

As some of you regular readers may be aware of, I did film reviews of three environmental documentaries for The Sundance Channel last Spring. ( The Refugees of the Blue Planet, Dead In The Water, & Five Disasters Waiting To Happen, 2007)

For the Spring, 2008 series, I will be reviewing the following films for The Sundance Channel's "The Green."

(Please note, these are NOT paid reviews, unless you count the free copy of the film on DVD I get so I can review each one.)


Tuesday, April 1

9:00pm e/p

“Big Ideas for a Small Planet: Power”

This episode explores the booming field of alternative energy as it introduces several individuals who are working to develop clean, renewable energy from resources like the sun, wind and even cow manure.

Alternative energy is a field I have a strong interest in. I've read a good bit about many different solutions, including wind, solar, various biofuels, and efficiency efforts. I definitely will take this film on.

This one looks to be of interest:

Tuesday, April 15

9:00pm e/p

“Big Ideas for a Small Planet: Water” 

Water is likely to be a flash point in the 21^st Century, as population growth collides with droughts and dwindling reserves.  This episode introduces three people who are embracing creative solutions to the looming shortage of drinking water – be it desalinating the ocean, catching rainwater or cleaning up our rivers.

I know water is huge and looming larger every year.

Both of these:

Tuesday, April 29^th

9:00pm e/p

“Big Ideas for a Small Planet: Food” 

Loss of biodiversity, water depletion, topsoil erosion, carbon emissions: when it comes to conventional farming and industrial food production, the cost goes beyond the supermarket bill.  This episode explores the different ways professionals and ordinary people are trying to nourish us with environmentally friendly food and wine.   

9:35pm e/p

All in This Tea – Directed by Les Blank and Gina Leibrecht.  This documentary immerses viewers in the rich world of Chinese tea while profiling the affable Californian importer who has made it his mission to introduce Americans to the brew’s many pleasures.  David Lee Hoffman founded Silk Road Teas tea after spending much of 1970s living among the nomadic tribes and Buddhist monks of Asia, for whom tea is a way of life.  All In This Tea looks at the history, traditions and intricacies of tea and joins Hoffman on a buying trip to China, where he seeks out small, artisanal growers and tries to persuade Chinese officials to turn away from industrial production in favor of handcrafted, environmentally sustainable tea farming.  This is the most recent film from the award-winning documentarian Blank (Burden of Dreams).


I commute over 80 miles per day for work, so these:

Tuesday, May 27^th

9:00pm e/p

“Big Ideas for a Small Planet: Transport”

The automobile is still king in America, and it’s the single greatest polluter in most cities.  This episode will show us how city governments, private organizations and university scientists are working to get commuters to leave their cars behind for cleaner, more efficient modes of transportation. 

9:30pm e/p

Contested Streets: Breaking New York City Gridlock – Directed by Stefan Schaefer.  Historians, urban planners and archival footage combine to tell the story of New York City’s chronic gridlock and its concurrent quest for safer, less crowded streets.  Beginning its tale at the turn of the 20^th Century, the film traces the dangers and developments, perspectives and personalities that have shaped the flow and flaws of Manhattan street traffic to the present day.  As New York City citizens and government alike seek to reduce congestion, filmmaker Schaefer travels to Europe to survey new approaches to transportation in three dynamic world capitals: Copenhagen, Paris and London.

And finally,

9:35pm e/p

The Great Warming – Directed by Michael Taylor.  Narrated by Alanis Morissette and Keanu Reeves, “The Great Warming” explores how a changing climate is affecting the lives of people around the world. The film taps into the growing groundswell of public interest in climate change to present both an emotional and an accurate picture of the future of our planet. It includes comments from scientists, opinion-makers, and the emerging voice of the American Evangelical community about America’s lack of leadership in one of the most critical environmental issue of the 21^st century.


I believe that totals seven films over the next three months.

Is there a way I can view the April 1st movie online in addition to getting the screening DVD? I'm not certain there's time for you to mail it.

Regards,

Dan Stafford
Publisher,
The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal
http://www.whizzyrds.com/Windblog.html

Publisher, The First Church of Healing The Earth
http://firstchurchhealingearth.blogspot.com/

Co-Chair,
Progressive Democrats of Illinois
http://www.illinoisprogressives.org