It’s time to look back and celebrate all the things we’ve accomplished together this year. Here’s 2021 by the numbers.
4,046 attendees at 26 film watch parties
At each of the virtual events during the main Fest Season in March and during Earth Week in April, we learned about the climate crisis, were presented with more than 250 action ideas, and pledged to take action.
Each year, the One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest receives amazing short film entries from all across the U.S. The submissions are rolling in ahead of the Jan. 5 deadline, and we are preparing to evaluate them. In 2022, we are excited to announce a new prize level—“The Environmental Activism Prize”—to elevate both the young filmmakers and the organizations on the frontlines of climate change activism.
Local students took top prizes in the One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest at the elementary and middle school levels in both 2018 and 2017. Winning films premiered at the One Earth Film Festival in March at Columbia College along with top films from across the country at high school and college levels. At that time, students were fêted with monetary prizes, certificates, T-shirts, and a reception.
beye-130th-anniv-logo
We feel your pain...this frosty winter has inspired severe bouts of cabin fever. Parents are feeling it, and kids are, too. The One Earth Film Festival presents several opportunities for kids to get out of the house and explore another world...through the magic of film and community!
browncowlogo
Many films in the One Earth Film Festival lineup will appeal to teenage viewers, but the festival will also present five programs specifically designed for kids ages 14 and under. These events are free, but seating is limited (some are already at or near capacity!). Reservations are highly recommended.
One Earth...Our Earth Young Filmmakers Contest
The festival will feature the winners of the second annual One Earth…Our Earth Young Filmmakers Contest. On Saturday, March 8 at 1:00 pm at Beye Elementary School (230 N. Cuyler, Oak Park, IL), three winning film teams will receive awards! Come watch their films and talk to the young filmmakers about their work. Along with an award certificate, each winning team will receive prize money plus a matching grant check to the non-profit organization of their choice that is working on a sustainability topic.
ENTER OUR CONTEST
In the High School category the Hinsdale Central Ecology Club won top prize for “What Will You Do?” a film about transportation. Filmmakers Stephanie Jamilla, Josh Feldman, Rachel Chang, and Wendy Li attend Hinsdale Central High School in Hindsdale, IL.
In the Middle School category, a group called Pineapple Productions won top prize for “Earth 2114,” a film about water usage and resources. Fimmakers Ana Shack, Lillian Lowson, Marta Rohner, Isabella Saracco Haley Gladden and Cia Gladden attend Roosevelt Middle school in River Forest, IL.
In the Elementary School category, Willard Elementary School (River Forest, IL) students Jaxon Toppen, Danny Scholvin and Ray Deogracias won top prize for “Where Did The Rest of Us Go?” a film about electronic waste.
Saving Pelican 895
SavingPelican_2
Ellen Cutter, Children’s Outreach Coordinator for the River Forest Public Library, will return to the festival again this year with activities designed to get kids creatively engaged with the themes in the films.
After viewing Saving Pelican 895 on Saturday, March 8 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. at Beye Elementary School in Oak Park, Cutter will lead kids ages 10 to 14 in a facilitated discussion. She will also lead activities with a large parachute to demonstrate the concepts of free movement versus the effects of oil slicks. Kids will also be able to look through a range of books about oil spills, wildlife rescue, and more.
Saving Pelican 895 chronicles the efforts of wildlife rescue experts in the aftermath of the 2010 BP oil spill, when nearly 9,000 birds were found in the oily waters of the Gulf Coast.
This film will also screen on Sunday, March 9 from 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm at the Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor, 7347 Madison St., Forest Park, IL.
Lost and Found
Lost and Found
After watching Lost and Found on Saturday, March 8 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. at Beye Elementary School in Oak Park, Ellen Cutter of River Forest Library will invite children ages 3 to 9 to play with a large parachute to learn about waves. Parents and children can also peruse related library books specially selected by Cutter.
A magical tale of friendship and loneliness, Lost and Found tells the story of a little boy who finds a penguin on the doorstep of his house one morning. After much thought, the boy decides to help the penguin find his way back home, which means rowing a small boat all the way to the South Pole!
Watermelon Magic / The Curious Garden
Children ages 3-11 will enjoy two delightful films at the Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor in Forest Park on Sunday, March 9 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. After the films, children will be led in a facilitated discussion. A resource table by the Oak Park Conservatory will promote upcoming programming, including free Saturday drop-in activities. Each child can take home a free packet of watermelon or sunflower seeds.
Watermelon Magic
Curious Garden
Watermelon Magic chronicles a season on the family farm, as young Sylvie grows a patch of watermelons to sell at market. The Curious Garden, based on the award-winning book by Peter Brown, portrays one boy’s quest for a greener world … one garden at a time. A little boy named Liam discovers a struggling garden and decides to take care of it. As time passes, the garden spreads throughout the dark, gray city, transforming it into a lush, green world.
Seating is limited at these events, especially at The Brown Cow. Please reserve your free tickets today!
New Logo Med
Special thanks to River Forest Library for their support and assistance in presenting children's programming at One Earth Film Festival 2014!
Last year, Green Community Connections kicked off our first One Earth…Our Earth! Young Filmmakers Contest as part of the annual One Earth Film festival. We were impressed by the creativity and concern for environmental issues demonstrated by each submission we received. This year we hope to draw even more entries from a wider area and a deeper range of students. A primary goal of the contest is to engage and educate children and young adults about sustainability issues in the areas of water, waste, food, transportation, and energy. The contest offers a way for young people to showcase their abilities in making positive changes for their future.
Each winning film will be screened in the general film program of the upcoming 3rd annualOne Earth Film Festival taking place March 7-9, 2014. Green Community Connections will also award cash prizes and a grant to each winner to be spent in support of a sustainably-focused organization of their choice.
We have learned just how powerful the film making experience is from last year’s high school category winner, Lea 
Kichler from Lincoln Park High School:
Being able to participate in the One Earth contest was not only very exciting as I knew my work would be scrutinized, but also quite fulfilling since the Young Filmmakers Contest brings awareness to multiple good causes. When I found out I won, I was extremely happy! Being given the opportunity to show my work at a film festival was absolutely amazing, and I was looking forward to donating money to an organization I cared about. I donated the grant money to water.org, an organization that provides water in sustainable ways to communities all around the world. I felt so lucky to contribute through the festival and through my film. I am saving the prize money to invest in more equipment so I can continue to create more documentaries in even higher quality to bring awareness to other subjects I feel strongly about.
|
|
There is Still Time to Get Involved This Year!The Young Filmmakers Contest is open to students from 3rd grade through college. Students are asked to make a solution based, 3-8 minute film (5-8 minute for high school and college students) or a (minimum) 45-second animated film. The submission deadline is Sunday, January 12, 2014.If they start now, students still have plenty of time to create a winning film! Please share information about the Young Filmmakers Contest far and wide as we wish to grow this part of the One Earth Film Festival and build upon the wonderful success of our inaugural year! You can share this email (see button at bottom of email), download and share this year’s Promotional Flyer, and also visit oneearthfilmfest.org for more details.
2013 Winners – One Earth…Our Earth Young Filmmakers ContestElementary School Category
Wasteful Santa: Talia Levy, Elizabeth Larscheid, Ella Haas, Isabel Marx - Mann School
Middle School Category
Sporktagion: HEAT (Heritage Earth Action Team) – Heritage Middle School
High School Category
Let’s Talk About Water: Lea Kichler – Lincoln Park High School
|
The One Earth Film Festival -- taking place March 7-9, 2014 – is proud to announce the 2nd annual One Earth . . . Our Earth! Young Filmmakers Contest.
This contest is open to students from upper grade school through to college level. The goal of the Young Filmmakers Contest is to invite students to use the creative medium of film to address the issues surrounding climate change and sustainability. Students are asked to make a solution based, 3-8 minute film or short 45-second animation. Films are judged by industry professionals and leaders within the environmental community.
Please share information about the Young Filmmakers Contest far and wide as we wish to grow this part of the One Earth Film Festival and build upon the wonderful success of our inaugural year! Entries are now being accepted (deadline is Jan. 12, 2014). You can download and share this year's Promotional Flyer.
Film submission deadline is Sunday, January 12, 2014. Winners will be notified prior to the 2014 One Earth Film Festival, and winning films will be screened at the One Earth Film Festival 2014 and/or at the Green Carpet opening event. Winners in each grade level category will also receive cash prizes and matching grants for a non-profit organization or community sustainability project of their choice.
Want more information? Check out the full Contest Details for the 2014 Young Filmmakers Contest.
youngfilmakers
Elementary School Category
Wasteful Santa -Talia Levy, Elizabeth Larscheid, Ella Haas, Isabel Marx - Mann School
Middle School Category
Sporktagion: HEAT (Heritage Earth Action Team) - Heritage Middle School
High School Category
Let's Talk About Water - Lea Kichler - Lincoln Park High School
Questions? Please contact Katie Morris katie.a.morris@gmail.com, or Sue Crothers suebillgee@comcast.net
The votes are in, and Green Community Connections is pleased to announce the winners of the first ever One Earth…Our Earth Young Filmmakers Contest! We are extremely happy to report that we received 12 films in the first year of the contest across the different age categories. Thank you to all of the participants for making the first year of the contest so successful. A lot of hard work and dedication were put into these films, and we are so proud of these young filmmakers.
Let’s Talk About Water – Lea Kichler , Lincoln Park High School, Chicago IL (High School Category)
Sporktagion – Heritage Earth Action Team – Heritage Middle School, Berwyn, IL (Middle School Category)
A Wasteful Santa – Mann School Group, Horace Mann Elementary School, Oak Park, IL (Elementary School Category)
Each winning filmmaker will be awarded a cash prize as well as a matching grant to put towards the nonprofit of their choice. The public award ceremony will take place on Saturday, March 2, 11:00 am at Beye School in Oak Park (230 N Cuyler Ave). The winning films will be shown and awards will be distributed. A reception with light refreshments will follow.
Each winning film will also be screened as part of the One Earth Film Festival general film program as follows:
Please come out to join us and celebrate the amazing pool of young talent during the film festival, March 1-3!
As part of the 2nd Annual One Earth Film Festival, the Young Filmmakers Contest was created with the following goals in 
mind:
Students in grades 3 through college were invited to submit environmental film entries with topics covering water, waste, food, transportation or energy. Comprised of a panel of 10 judges, both in the media/film industry and volunteers from Green Community Connections, the young filmmakers were judged on their ability to address their chosen topic/s while being engaging, informative, inspiring, and creative in the execution of their film. Submissions were to follow the established guidelines and show a strong (research-supported) understanding of the topic/s and related, key issues, as well as share solutions to the issues at hand.
One-Earth-Our-Earth-Contest-Logo2013
Presented by One Earth Film Festival and Green Community ConnectionsThe 2nd annual One Earth Film Festival -- taking place Fri-Sun March 1-3, 2013 – is proud to announce the “One Earth . . . Our Earth!” Young Filmmakers Contest for students from upper elementary school through college.
Students are invited to submit environmental film entries that meet the following guidelines and criteria (see Contest Details below). The contest runs from Thursday, November 1, 2012 through Friday, January 25, 2013. Winners will be announced by mid-February, and winning films will be screened at the One Earth Film Festival 2013 in early March. Winners in each grade level category will also receive cash prizes and matching grants for a non-profit organization or community sustainability project of their choice.
All students in an eligible age category are invited to enter! Some suggestions for generating good film ideas:
Pick a topic (water, waste, food, transportation, energy) that you are passionate about.
Use your own imagination to create a story about your chosen topic.
Consider ways in which the contest title, “One Earth . . . Our Earth!” inspires you to tell an important environmental story through film.
Think about something you’ve done – or would like to do -- at your school or in your community (for example -- build a school garden, host a harvest dinner, tell about students composting, start a bike to school program).
Use real people as actors in a story, or in filming documentary-style interviews.
Create an animated film using legos or toys; film your own illustrations; create “moving” photo collages or slideshows.
Demonstrate a “how to” video about an environmental issue.
Be creative about how you recommend a solution to an environmental issue.
Come up with your own creative, clever, unique ideas! . . .
Download a printable version of the full contest details
Download the Entrant Oath and Permission Form
Download the One Earth Our Earth Contest Single Page Flyer
GOALS:
To engage and educate children and adults in Oak Park, River Forest, and surrounding communities about sustainability issues in the areas of water, waste, food, transportation, and energy.
To help viewers understand the urgency of sustainability issues in the above-mentioned topics, and share potential solutions.
ELIGIBILITY: To enter, contestants must be in one of the following eligible grade level categories at the time of the submission.
GRADE LEVEL CATEGORIES: There will be one winner per each of the following four grade level categories.
Upper Elementary (grades 3, 4, 5)
Middle School (grades 6, 7, 8)
High School (grades 9, 10, 11, 12)
College (active, enrolled college or university student)
Contest officials reserve the right not to name a winner in any given category, pending volume and quality of entries.
Each film submission should choose one (or a couple) of the following areas on which to clearly focus its theme
Water
Waste
Food
Transportation
Energy
Filmmakers will be judged on their ability to address their chosen topic/s by being engaging, informative, inspiring, and creative in the execution of their film. Submissions must show a strong (research-supported) understanding of the topic/s and related, key issues. Submissions must share/highlight solutions to issues within the entrants’ chosen sustainability topic/s.
PRIZES: Winners (one in each grade level category) will receive the following --
Screening of their film at the One Earth Film Festival, and possibly at (a) related, subsequent event(s).
Posting of their film (for an unspecified amount of time) at the One Earth Film Festival and Green Community Connections website, as well as potentially the websites of the Villages of Oak Park and River Forest, and possibly websites of other befitting (environmental, youth film) organizations. Required entry forms will grant the associated organizations the right to post/share your film submission in the above-described manner. Winning films will only be shared with other organizations after the completion of the 2013 One Earth Film Festival.
Cash prize and matching grant in the following appropriate grade level category. Matching grants will be donated to a non-profit organization or community sustainability project that the winner chooses (pending contest officials’ approval). The selected organization will have proven its ability to raise sustainability awareness, and will have demonstrated a commitment to creating solutions in the subject matter area (water, waste, food, transportation, energy) of the winning film maker’s film.
Upper Elementary (grades 3, 4, 5): $75 cash prize + $75 matching grant to non-profit organization/sustainability project of choice.
Middle School (grades 6, 7, 8): $75 cash prize + $75 matching grant to non-profit organization/sustainability project of choice.
High School (grades 9, 10, 11, 12): $125 cash prize + $125 matching grant to non-profit organization/sustainability project of choice.
College(active, enrolled college or university student): $200 cash prize + $200 matching grant to non-profit organization/sustainability project of choice.
Recognition on the Green Community Connections and One Earth Film Festival website.
Recognition in local press (specific media outlets to be determined).
Contest entries may be by an individual, or by a group of any size (for example -- a group of friends, an afterschool program, an entire class).
Film length. Films by entrants in the 3rd-8th grade level categories may submit a film of no shorter than 3 minutes, and no longer than 8 minutes. Films by entrants in 9th grade through college level may submit a film of no shorter than 5 minutes, and no longer than 8 minutes.
1) Standard DVD (2 DVD copies), playable on a standard DVD player, as well as on Mac or Windows platforms.
2) Digital file (1 DVD copy),a high quality digital file (.Mov Apple Quicktime Movie, .WMV Windows Media Video, MPEG/MPEG-4, Flash video)
Please testthe DVDs before submitting them; if they are unable to be viewed by judges, they will be ineligible for consideration in the contest.
Please label each of the 3 above DVDs with your film name, entrant name, and contact phone number number (phone number for an adult over age 18).
Additionally, the Entrant oath & permission* form must be completed, and hard copies of the pages must be placed in a sealed manila envelope and accompany the film submission.
Download the Entrant Oath and Permission Form (.pdf)
The final deadline for submissions is Friday, January 25th at 5P.Location for dropping off DVD submissions and paperwork is: 807 Forest Avenue, River Forest, IL, 60305 (NE corner of Forest and Chicago Ave.). Please drop your DVDs and required paperwork in a sealed manila envelope into the mail slot. *Note that your submission DVD copies will not be returned to you.
*In submitting a film, and signing the application form, all entrants agree to the terms and conditions of the contest and that Green Community Connections is not liable for any unauthorized or inappropriate sharing of films. Please note that violence, profanity or direct attacks on individuals or organizations will not be accepted.
Judges will check for adherence to submission rules and guidelines (including film length, film formats, etc. as described above). They will seek entries that cover the assigned sustainability topics (water, waste, food, transportation, energy) with an engaging, informative, inspiring, creative execution. Submissions must show a strong (research-supported) understanding of the topic/s and related, key issues. Submissions must share/highlight solutions to issues within the entrants’ chosen sustainability topic/s.
Adult guidance is accepted, but all submissions must be student led, and all hands-on work (e.g., creative idea generation, script writing, filming, etc.) is intended for students. No adult implementation will be allowed (adult technical guidance and some editing help are acceptable). Age-appropriate “errors” are admitted (e.g., unintentional spelling errors for younger students).
Friday, January 25, 2013 at 5P – DVD submissions (in proper file & DVD formats) and accompanying paperwork due
Monday, February 11, 2013 by 5P – Winners notified
Weekend of March 1, 2013 (exact date/time TBD) – Winning films screened during One Earth Film Festival 2013.
Questions? Please contact Katie Morris katie.a.morris@gmail.com, or Sue Crothers suebillgee@comcast.net
By Cassandra West, New Media Access
In a large, multi-grade classroom, several small groups of students hover over textbooks, laptops and iPads. They’re hard at work on a film about environmental problems that might plague a megacity in the future.
Once the film is finished, these sixth through eighth graders at Keystone Montessori School in River Forest plan to enter it into the Young Filmmakers Contest: One Earth…Our Earth. The contest is a new addition to the 2013 One Earth Film Festival which will be held March 1-3, sponsored by Green Community Connections.
In addition to being budding filmmakers, the students are part of the Future Problem Solving Program, which stimulates critical and creative thinking skills and encourages students to develop a vision for the future. The Keystone students are imagining a time 50 years from now. By then, some experts predict, Chicago and Milwaukee and their surrounding suburbs will make up a megacity. The United Nations defines a megacity as a metropolitan area with a total population of more than 10 million people. And, with megacities come many problems: urban sprawl, waste, water and air pollution. “We are trying to come up with solutions to these problems,” says Maeve Dempsey, who’s writing the film’s script.
Keystone Montessori
Seated at another table, Trevel Eggleston, one of the cameramen, whips through photos he’s taken on his smartphone. The tiny screen shows images of his neighborhood, the Chicago skyline and lakefront. Other students are seated on the floor, involved in various aspects of film production. One girl is doing research on pollution while a boy a few feet away uses an iPad to capture video of another boy who’s practicing his narration.
Lara Pullen, a volunteer science teacher at Keystone, moves around the classroom checking on progress. She’s careful not to insert herself too much into the process. “I have enjoyed accompanying the students on their film journey,” she says. “The challenge for me has been to stay in the shadows and let them discover and tell their own story.”
With only a few more weeks to go, Shira Tan, co-director of the film, finds personal rewards from her involvement in the project. “It’s fun. It’s definitely hard to do, but it’s good because it teaches you how to think about the future, and it teaches you how to work hard with other people you aren’t used to working with.”
Now in its second year, One Earth Film Festival is offering young filmmakers a chance to showcase their abilities in making positive changes for their future—and to tell their stories as only young people can.
“Youth involvement in the sustainability movement is the key to our future,” says Sue Crothers, contest committee co-chair.
The contest deadline is 5 p.m. CST Jan. 25. Winners will be announced by mid-February, and winning films will be screened at the One Earth Film Festival 2013 the weekend of March 1-3.
One-Earth-Our-Earth-Contest-Logo2013
by Katie Morris The One Earth Film Festival 2013, organized by Green Community Connections, will sponsor the first ever Young Filmmakers Contest: One Earth…Our Earth. This film contest is a way in which young people can showcase their abilities in making positive changes for their future. It is an opportunity to engage our youth, and create excitement around how they can, and do, make a difference in our world and in our local community.
As part of the 2nd annual One Earth Film Festival, the Young Filmmakers Contest invites students in all eligible age categories (from third grade through college) to submit film entries that cover at least one of the following categories: water, waste, food, transportation, or energy.
With this contest, “we want to encourage youth to not just contemplate the issues surrounding sustainability, but to get them thinking about potential solutions,” said Sue Crothers, contest committee chair. “Youth involvement in the sustainability movement is the key to our future, and film is a powerful medium for them to express their concern and awareness. ”
The Rainforest Rescue Coalition (RRC), a Chicago based nonprofit organization, is currently working on a submission for the college-aged category of the contest. Founded by four OPRF High School graduates among others, the mission of the RRC is to conserve and protect rainforest land around the world and to support sustainable relationships between humans and nature. RRC raises money for sustainability and conservation initiatives through direct action campaigns. One of RRC’s goals is to help educate the public about conservation and environmental issues - including both the problems and solutions, . . . and what better way than through film?
Rainforest-Rescue-Coalition-148x150
According to Adam Bauer-Goulden, RRC President, RRC is creating their film entry as a way to show that anything is possible, if you put forth the energy and try to make a difference. Though the film is still in its production phase, Bauer-Goulden reports that RRC’s film will begin with a montage of the terrible environmental disasters taking place in the world today. It will move into the story of how RRC was formed and show footage from its first 350-mile fundraising ride. The audience will have the chance to learn how they can become involved with RRC and other conservation efforts. The film will close with a final montage of the great and positive things that the environmental movement is accomplishing.
Bauer-Goulden says, “Our inspiration is trying to get as many people involved as possible in our movement. I really believe that energy is the most important thing that we have. I believe that our purpose in life is to use our energy for something inherently good and to make the world a better place…we really just want to show people that we are just normal kids and anybody and everybody has the power to make change in this world, no matter what your situation...Anything counts!”
The deadline to submit a film to the Young Filmmakers Contest is January 25, 2013 at 5 PM CST. For more information on the contest, please check out our website and facebook page, or contact Sue Crothers, suebillgee@comcast.net or Katie Morris, Katie.a.morris@gmail.com.
