Editor

A special advance screening of the Disneynature film, Earth, and a documentary by Madonna that chronicles the suffering of children in Malawi orphaned by AIDS will headline a Yale film festival intended to raise awareness of global environmental issues.
“Film is a unique medium to inform, educate and influence the public’s understanding of environmental issues,” said Eric Desatnik, a festival organizer and a master’s student at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. “We are hoping that the series is not only entertaining, but promotes reflection, further inquiry and environmental literacy.”
Earth, the first film in the Disneynature series and narrated by James Earl Jones, will be shown on Sunday, April 19, at 1 p.m. at Criterion Cinemas on 86 Temple Street. The 99-minute-long film captures the most intimate moments of the planet’s wildest and most elusive creatures on their journeys around the globe. Directors Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield, the acclaimed creative team behind the Emmy Award-winning television show Planet Earth, combine forces again to bring this epic adventure to the big screen on Earth Day, April 22.

Also on April 19, Madonna exposes the tragic stories of millions of Malawian children orphaned by AIDS and offers a call to action to stop the epidemic, in the 90-minute-long film, I Am Because We Are. The film will begin at 10 a.m. in the Whitney Humanities Center on 53 Wall Street and features interviews with former President Bill Clinton and Desmond Tutu, recipient of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize and vocal critic of apartheid in South Africa.

Both films are part of the 2009 Environmental Film Festival at Yale that will take place from April 16 to 19. Sponsored by the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, the festival will showcase feature-length documentaries and short films, as well as conversations with filmmakers, panel discussions and workshops that will explore issues raised in the films. In addition, a jury comprised of students, faculty and industry professionals will choose winners for Best Feature Film and Best Short Film, and festival attendees will vote to select one film for an Audience Award.

All screenings and events are free and open to the public. More information, including the complete line-up, can be found at environment.yale.edu/film.