WSC Presents the 2011 Spring Environmental Symposium: “Politics of Environmental Film;” March 29-31
March 8, 2011 -- The 2011 Spring Environmental Symposium at Western State College of Colorado (WSC) will be held from March 29 to 31 at the WSC campus. All symposium events are free and will be held in the College Center Ballroom, unless otherwise noted.
This year’s theme is “Politics of Environmental Film.” Three award-winning documentary filmmakers will serve as the keynote speakers addressing the impact of documentary film on the public discourse of environmental issues. Two of their films, “Blue Vinyl” and “The Garden,” also will be screened on campus the week prior to the symposium.
Related Links
The symposium starts on Tuesday, March 29 with a keynote address by filmmaker Judith Helfand at 7 p.m. in the College Center Ballroom. Her Sundance award-winning film, “Blue Vinyl,” which takes a comedic approach at uncovering the health and environmental impacts of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), will be screened at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 24 in Kelley Hall Room 116. Helfand is a faculty member at New York University’s Undergraduate School of Film & Television. Her other films include “The Uprising of ‘34” and “A Healthy Baby Girl,” which won a Peabody Award.
Scott Hamilton Kennedy will present a keynote address at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30. His latest documentary, “The Garden,” which was nominated for a 2009 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and won Best Documentary at the AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Documentary Festival, among other awards, will be shown at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 25 in the College Center. “The Garden” tells the story of the South Central Community Garden in Los Angeles and its struggle for survival.
The final keynote speaker is Melinda Levin, who will present at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 31. Levin has numerous award-winning productions as a producer, director, camera operator and editor. She is the chair of the Department of Radio, Television and Film at the University of North Texas. Her film, “River Planet,” also will be screened during her presentation. “River Planet” is an international, collaborative documentary examining the environmental, political and cultural impacts of several major world rivers.
The 2011 WSC Spring Environmental Symposium is sponsored by the Center for Environmental Studies, the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, the Year of Sustainability, the Sustainability Action Coalition, Arts Enhancement, Convocation Fund, Clark Fund and the Politics Club.
For more information, contact Maria Boikova Struble at mstruble@western.edu or (970) 943-3024.
