Media

The first annual Gainesville Environmental Film and Arts Festival, produced by Trish Riley, Publisher of GoGreenNation.org and Shirley Lasseter, Cinema Director of The Hippodrome Theatre, was conducted as a pilot demonstration project without benefit of any grant funding to establish an interest in creating an ongoing annual event in Gainesville, Florida. We raised funds through donations and sponsorships solicited and collected over a three-month period, and produced a mini-version of our vision for future events which will benefit from year-long planning, grant funding and major sponsorships.

The 2010 Film Festival was held over a ten-day period, with 18 screenings of 12 different feature-length environmental films, including major feature films, documentaries, and a few locally produced but nationally distributed films. We also created an hour-long compilation of short films on environmental issues. Screenings were held exclusively at the Hippodrome Theatre, a non-profit historic arts theater with cinema seating limited to 100 seats. Several screenings enjoyed a full house. We opened the festival with a VIP Reception, and held six educational panels following films; discussions with six film makers; a local foods pot luck; a water tasting contest; an eco-gallery plus cooperative art presentations at several local art galleries; a day-long Eco Fair with 30 organizational booths, six musical performances and a free outdoor film; and eight eco-tours led by local guides featuring the natural resources of our region as well as a green home tour. The Festival was attended by nearly 3000 people.

We received a tremendous amount of community support and an amazing array of publicity. Media regarding the 2010 Festival:

http://alachua.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=8&clip_id=1349

http://www.thefineprintuf.org/2010/03/19/how-green-is-gainesville/

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100318/ARTICLES/3181007

http://news.sfcollege.edu/read.php/2010/02/15/sf-digital-media-student-produces-promotional-video-for-new-film-festival.html

http://insitemagazine.com/gainesville-entertainment/just-for-fun/338.html?task=view

http://www.gogreennation.org/?s=film+festival

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100304/ARTICLES/3041048

http://magblog.audubon.org/audubons-earth-day-action-hero

www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=263216874573

visitgainesville.blogspot.com/…/gainesvilles-first-environmental-film.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJbmG91_hzM