Chez Moncef

This is the 17th annual EFF in DC! Why am I just reading about it now? 130 films are featured this year, and most screenings are free!

Here are some that stood out:

Showing at the Embassy of Croatia (Hrvatska!) on Friday, March 13 @ 7pm (FREE):

KORNATI (Croatia, 2008, 29 min.) The Kornati archipelago consists of 140 islands, islets and cliffs, 89 of which were declared a national park because of their natural beauty, numerous coves and crystal clear blue waters. Discover the mythology of these islands and the strong ties between their people and the sea. This archipelago stands as a testament to time and to the changing power of the sea. The beauty and magic of these pristine islands, with a unique flora, are an invitation to visit and learn more about the country of Croatia. Directed by Ljiljana Mandic. Produced by Anto Juric.

DEPTH/DUBINE (Croatia, 2008, 28 min.) The stunning Adriatic Sea, right off the coast of Croatia, is virgin territory for a daring team of scuba divers. Join them as they explore the secrets at the heart of the Croatian coast. Their speleologic expedition leads them face to face with underwater and surface dangers, but the rewards for the hardships faced may be the discovery of a new species. This documentary has remarkable underwater footage of Croatia’s coastal geography. Directed by Stipe Božic. Produced by Miro Mioc.

Showing at the National Museum of Natural History on Saturday, March 14 @ 12pm (FREE):

FISHEYE FANTASEA (Fiji/ France/United Kingdom, 2007, 8 min.) To understand a world not designed for human eyes, we need to see it from a different point of view. Invisible colors, eye metamorphosis, secret wavelengths and vision beyond anything we can perceive; how they see, what they see and the astonishing discovery that, in their world, we’re virtually blind…. Fisheye Fantasea is a dive deep into the fishes’ eyes and a groundbreaking revelation about what they really see. Directed by Guy and Anita Chaumette. Produced by Liquid Motion Film.

COLOUR TALKS (Fiji/France/United Kingdom, 2007, 8 min.) Marine animals manipulate color, depending on how they want to look. They communicate using colors and patterns we don’t see and change position and behaviour, depending on what they want to say. In a teeming social world of camouflage and display, marine animals talk in a language we haven’t yet understood. In a groundbreaking step towards learning to listen, the film unravels the mystery of underwater color and brings a revolutionary understanding of the language of fish. At the cutting edge of marine science, we open our eyes and start to hear what they say. Directed by Guy and Anita Chaumette. Produced by Liquid Motion Film.

Showing at the National Museum of Natural History on Sunday, March 15 @ 12pm (FREE):

CUTTLEFISH: THE BRAINY BUNCH (Australia, 2006, 52 min.) Imagine an alien with three hearts and ten arms growing out of its head. In an instant it could become invisible, or switch on the most electrifying light shows ever seen. This alien actually exists. The cuttlefish is one of the strangest animals on our planet. Leading expert Dr. Mark Norman reveals how these shape-shifting champions can hypnotize their prey, impersonate the other sex and even turn out to be deadly. And they share something with us: brainpower. Cuttlefish have the largest brain-to-body ratio of all invertebrates. But does this mean they are intelligent? Can they learn and remember complex new tricks? The documentary brings to the surface the spectacular pyrotechnics of these clever creatures, discovering just what goes on between their eyes and what they can teach us about our own wits. Directed by Gisela Kaufmann.

Showing at the Corcoran Gallery of Art on Monday, March 16 @ 6:30pm ($8 advance/$10 at the door):

MAYA LIN: A STRONG CLEAR VISION (USA, 1994, 98 min.) The Academy Award-winning documentary is about sculptor and architect Maya Lin who, at age 21, designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The film tells the gripping story behind the Vietnam Memorial and explores a decade of her later creative work. Maya Lin’s designs for the Civil Rights Memorial, the Yale Women’s Table, and the Juniata Peace Chapel reveal her ability to address major issues of our time with the healing power of art. Directed by Freida Lee Mock. Produced by Freida Lee Mock and Terry Sanders.

Showing at the National Museum of Natural History (IMAX) on Thursday, March 19 @ 7pm:

WILD OCEAN (USA, 2008, 40 min.) Each year an unbelievable feeding frenzy takes place in the oceans off South Africa as billions of sardines migrate up the Kwazulu-Natal Coast. Wild Ocean captures spectacular breaching whales, feeding sharks, diving gannets, and massive bait balls inside and up close on the giant screen. The migration has provided an annual food source for both life in the sea and the people living along the African shores for countless generations. The film demonstrates how business, government and the local people have joined forces to protect this invaluable ecological resource. This documentary immerses audiences in an epic underwater struggle for survival and reveals the economic and cultural impact the migration has on coastal communities. Directed by Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas. Produced by Don Kempf, Steve Kempf and David Marks. 

Discussion with Philippe Cousteau Jr., Oceanographer and President and CEO of EarthEcho International; Dr. Clapperton Mavhunga, Earthwatch Scientist and MIT Professor; Edward Wilson, President and CEO of Earthwatch Institute and Wild Ocean filmmakers Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas follows screening.

Showing at the Carnegie Institution for Science on Sunday, March 22 @ 6:30pm (FREE):

NORA! (USA, 2009, 30 min.) World Premiere. Nora Pouillon brings much more to the table than fine ingredients. Three decades after opening Restaurant Nora, the nation’s first certified organic restaurant, Nora continues to advocate a holistic organic lifestyle that is the foundation for both her cuisine and her commitment to living and eating sustainably. Nora! celebrates her achievements and her efforts to reconnect people to the source of their food. As a young Austrian immigrant, Nora was surprised by the lack of knowledge Americans had about their food, so she set out to try to educate the public by revealing the simple secrets of her delicious cuisine. She also established lucrative personal and professional relationships with farmers around the national capital region in an effort to re-establish the bond between farm and feast. Among her many achievements, Nora helped establish FRESHFARM Markets, producer-only open air markets in the Washington, D.C. area and beyond. Nora has contributed greatly to educating Americans about the benefits of healthy food and sustainable living. She is certainly worthy of her reputation as one of the most influential pioneers and leaders in the organic and local-food movements.Directed by Joan Murray.

Download the full program.