By Sally High
Special to The PREVIEW
Seven years. It’s hard to believe, but, April 13 marks the seventh year that Geothermal Greenhouse Partnership (GGP) has brought the Colorado Environmental Film Festival (CEFF) Caravan to Pagosa Springs.
The Liberty Theatre is the site of cutting-edge “WATER.” films. Saturday’s films will be shown from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday evenings provide a chance to discuss water issues — local, regional and global. After the first-ever call on our San Juan River last August, followed by a higher-than-average snowpack, this year’s films are chosen to help us plan our stewardship of our most precious resource — “WATER.”
That Friday evening, April 12, GGP supporters will gather for a Premiere Gala fundraiser in The Springs Atrium Room from 6 to 9 p.m. The catered event features two short films never before seen in Pagosa Springs. The Friday fundraiser welcomes a keynote address by Audubon Rockies’ Abby Burk and the Pagosa premier of Audubon’s “Ranching in the New Normal.” “Glen Canyon Rediscovered,” by Durango native Taylor Graham and National Geographic, provides another exclusive film for GGP supporters on Friday night.
Saturday evening, following the CEFF Caravan at the Liberty, GGP film enthusiasts will gather at Mountain Pizza and Taproom for a “WATER.” Wrap Party. GGP invites all water consumers and water experts to discuss. Growing Water Smart, Resilient Archuleta, Upper San Juan Watershed Enhancement Partnership, San Juan Water Conservancy District and San Juan Forest Health Partnership are encouraged to join us in our “WATER.” discussion. GGP wristbands receive happy hour half-priced drinks for our festival wrap-up.
Saturday’s new 2019 films include two shorts made by Colorado youth. “Our Lives, Our River” and “Streamflow in the Crystal River” were produced in summer 2018 by students in Carbondale’s Crystal River watershed. These films are particularly relevant because the Crystal, like our San Juan, also experienced a call due to low water flow.
Two first-run ocean films take us from a local to a global perspective. “Offshore,” by Ocean Observatories Initiative and National Science Foundation, advocates that future generations care for our living oceans, starting today. “Junk” is the creation of a U.S. Marine veteran turned scientist. His intention was to shed light on plastic pollution via an extravagant adventure, sailing from California to Hawaii on a raft made from 15,000 plastic bottles. Plagued by leaks, foul weather and short supplies, his planned five-week sail took three months. He made his point and “Junk” is a must-see.
“Watershed: A New Water Ethic for a New West” was first shown by the GGP in 2013. It’s time to revisit this powerful award-winning overview of the Colorado River. “Watershed,” produced and narrated by Robert Redford, completes our Saturday Caravan.
The GGP invites you to become a supporter of this popular annual event. The easiest way to buy your tickets is to visit www.pagosagreen.org/filmfestival/. Paper tickets are available at the Pagosa Springs Area Chamber of Commerce and Exit Realty. GGP volunteers at the Education Dome in Centennial Park are selling paper tickets each Tuesday and Saturday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. through April 9. The names of ticket holders will be on a list at The Springs, the Liberty Theatre and Mountain Pizza and Taproom. All ticket holders will have wristbands. You can purchase wristbands at the door of the Liberty Theatre on April 13.
The GGP is “growing food and community with local energy.” Join us.
