SunCommon hosts virtual Climate Action Film Festival
March 5, 2021 | By Emmett Gartner
Local solar provider SunCommon is building on its commitment to environmental storytelling with its second annual Climate Action Film Festival. Debuting this Tuesday, the virtual two-week event will continue on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays until March 12.
The festival features an eclectic mix of short films from filmmakers and climate activists based around the globe. Similar to SunCommon’s own central mission, the films explore solutions to the modern challenges of climate change and motivate viewers to take part in their campaigns.
“Storytelling through film carries a lot of weight, it can change minds, inspire action, and create unity,” said Patrick McCormack, Storyteller at SunCommon and CAFF Creative Director, in a recent press release.
One of the debut films on March 2, for example, highlighted the Wet’suwet’en Nation’s campaign to halt the development of fossil fuel pipelines on their tribal lands in British Columbia.
The screening was followed by a conversation with filmmaker Frank Lopez, and Jennifer Wickham, a representative of the Nation’s Gidimt’en clan, giving attendees an inside glimpse of the Wet’suwet’en campaign “Beyond the Film,” as the event describes it.
Proceeds of the festival will be put towards supporting climate action initiatives like the Wet’suwet’en’s, as well as initiatives in Waterbury’s own backyard, like 350 Vermont. Thus far, the festival has raised $8,000 for these groups.
“We’re bringing the inspiration that comes from these films to raise awareness for the work of local activists on the ground,” said Jake Elliot, an Impact Partnership Manager at SunCommon.
A team of staff dedicated to the arts and storytelling is not a typical pillar in a solar corporation’s foundation. For SunCommon, however, the storytelling department is integral. “Storyteller was one of the original roles that they hired for when SunCommon first started,” according to Elliot. “We’ve always relied on the power of storytelling to inspire action, not just to go solar, but for people to act in addressing our climate crisis.”
Although the event is online, SunCommon hopes to boost its personable feel with more discussions between filmmakers and activists. Thursday’s event included a message from Vermont climate activist Bill McKibben, and Friday’s will host a panel discussion between activists and directors.
Elliot sees these conversations as a critical way of prolonging each film’s impact and expanding discourse amongst locals. “Climate change is not going to be solved anytime soon,” Elliot acknowledged, “so the resistance, campaign, and actions are ongoing.”
He added, “That’s one of the beautiful things about this festival, is that the film was maybe released nine or 12 months ago, but we’re able to extend the dialogue by bringing these contributors in to tell more of their story.”
Visit ClimateActionFilmFestival.com to see the full schedule and get tickets — for a “pay what you can” donation.