American Conservation Film Festival Screens 15th Season

The 15th annual American Conservation Film Festival opens Thursday, October 12th with a festive reception and free film screening and culminates with its Encore Award Winners Weekend October 20-22. The Festival brings together the finest conservation films and filmmakers from around the world and features discussions with scientists and educators, professional workshops, family programming, and social events — all with the mission of engaging, informing, and inspiring its audience through the power of film.

Green Fire Award winning film, Disobedience, tells the story of the powerful movement coming together across the globe to defend our planet from fossil fuels and climate change and the profound legacy of civil disobedience that has inspired these courageous activists to action.

The Gateway Bug, the 2017 Green Spark Award winner for Inspiring the Next Generation, exposes America’s disconnect with food as climate catastrophe, uncovering daily habits individuals can change to fix our broken food system.  The film is followed by a special tasting of bug protein products with local entomophagy enthusiast Steve Bailes preparing some tasty treats to share with film-goers in the Frank Center lobby!

As a special free event during our Encore Weekend, ACFF presents a film block dedicated to the relationship between earth stewardship and faith, with a presentation by Randy Tremba, recently retired Pastor of Shepherdstown
Presbyterian Church.

At four venues in and around Shepherdstown, ACFF invites its audience to explore the world through an offering of 46 compelling films. Several filmmakers and subject matter experts will be present during the festival and participating in discussions following the screenings of their films.

The Conservation Filmmaker Workshop is offered October 13 and 14 at the National Conservation Training Center and Byrd Center of Congressional History & Education to aspiring and professional filmmakers who wish to hone their craft, exchange ideas in a creative and collaborative environment, and expand their professional network with colleagues and industry leaders.  An exceptional opportunity awaits filmmakers who wish to pitch a film idea to a Pitch Panel of industry experts and compete for a $2,000 prize sponsored by The Allemall Foundation.

ACFF presents seven cash awards to outstanding festival films: the Green Fire Award for overall excellence in filmmaking; Green Spark Awards for highlighting sustainability, a conservation hero, and inspiring the next generation; International Film Award; Short Film Award; the Student Filmmaker Award, a $500 cash prize awarded to an emerging student filmmaker sponsored by The Friends of NCTC; and the Audience Choice Award. All of the award-winning films will be shown on the encore weekend of the Festival, October 20-22.

Full festival passes, allowing entrance to all films over both festival weekends are $55; First weekend passes are $40; second weekend passes are $25; and block tickets are $10. Senior discounts are available. Students 18 & younger are admitted free to all films as
space allows.