On This Issue [Earth Day Special]

>>>Children of the Mountains Documentary showing for Earth Day on April 22 – 23 at the Gateway Mall.

>>>On the Spot Drawing Contest for kids 9-12 years old

>>>The second Moonrise Film Festival Call for Entries

They say…

“Mga Anak ng kabundukan is a moving documentation of the plight of an indigenous people whose lives have been transformed and impoverished by deforestation. Told through the eyes of village elders, this film tells a sad tale of the loss and devastation not only of a people, but also of a formerly biodiversity-rich area as a result of short term thinking and the desire for rapid economic gain at the high cost of future benefits from natural resources. Heartbreaking.”

Susie Ellis

VP, Indonesia and Phil. Programs

Conservation International

“One of the last hunter-gatherer tribes in the world is the Agta, who live in the Sierra Madre Mountain range on the Philippine archipelago. They share a powerful story with us about their home which is literally being cut out from beneath them. They reminisce about the past, angrily explain their present abuses, and stoically speak of the fate of the mountains – a fate intimately tied to their own demise.” –

Min Sook Lee

Film Programmer,

Planet in Focus International

Film & Video Festival

The Moonrise Film Fest

The search for the best documentaries on Philippine environment and culture is here once again!

The Center for Environmental Awareness and Education (CEAE) is announcing its call for entries for the second Moonrise Film Festival scheduled on 18-20 August 2006. Last year, sixteen entries competed for the prestigious Grand Charlie award. More than P450, 000 worth of prizes were at stake, with a grand prize of P100, 000 for the best documentary.

“Aside from professional filmmakers, we are inviting and encouraging first-time filmmakers, teachers and students to once again put forward their entries for this year’s Moonrise Film Festival,” says Jukka Holopainen, CEAE President.

The Philippines is considered a global hotspot for biodiversity, having one of the richest ecosystems and wildlife in the world. Our country can also pride itself with the uniqueness of its cultural and historical heritage. Sadly, much of these natural treasures have already been lost, neglected, and destroyed, which makes it ever more relevant and urgent to document these issues through film.

Anything in and about the Philippines, from garbage to underwater life, from forests to historical sites, has the potential to make for a good story. We are looking for documentaries that are both entertaining and educational.

CEAE is now accepting entries for the 2006 Moonrise Film Festival. Deadline for early submission is on May 31 and late final deadline on June 30. For any inquiries regarding participation or sponsorship, please visit www.moonrisefilmfest.com, or contact CEAE at (02) 721 7360 during business hours, or email email@ceae.org. Complete details and guidelines is posted on our website.

LEAVES AND RIPPLES [ONLINE]

A different “date” movie for Earth Day

Celebrate with Children of the Mountains and an on the spot drawing contest at Gateway Mall

This April 22, we celebrate the biggest environmental event in the world – Earth Day. More than half a billion people in over 12,000 organizations in 174 countries will be channelling their energies to create a positive change in local, national, and global environmental policies. Earth Day is the only event celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths, and nationalities.

The Center for Environmental Awareness & Education (CEAE) in cooperation with Gateway Mall is celebrating Earth Day with the showing of the internationally-acclaimed documentary, Mga Anak ng Kabundukan (Children of the Mountains). Following its premiere last April at the Gateway Mall, the documentary has been featured in Planet in Focus in Toronto, Global Visions in Edmonton, Earth Visions in Sta. Cruz, and the Vatavaran Environmental Film Festival in India. It is also the proud recipient of the Mark Haslam and the Katherine Knight Awards.

Mga Anak ng Kabundukan is a powerful documentary about the plight of the Agta Dumagats, one of the last hunter-gatherer peoples in the world, who fight for their survival in the face of unabated logging that threatens to wipe out their ancestral homeland in the Sierra Madres. The film is 44 minutes long and can be viewed at the Gateway Mall Cineplex from 12 noon-9pm on April 22-23, 2006. Tickets cost P60 only.

In line with this event, CEAE will be hosting an on-the-spot art competition sponsored by San Miguel Corporation on April 22 for young artists aged 9-12 with the theme, “Earth and Me: Caring for Philippine Environment”. Cash prizes are at stake.

Should you have any queries, please feel free to visit our website www.childrenofthemountains.com or contact CEAE at 721 7360.

Awards and Distinctions

Mark Haslam Award

As Canada’s most acclaimed International Environmental Film and Video festival, the annual Planet in Focus film festival exhibits compelling works that “celebrate, question and establish varied ways of viewing the state of our world”. Planet in Focus’ 6th annual festival was held in Toronto from September 28 to October 2, 2005, where 79 films contended for prestigious awards. The event was attended by filmmakers from across Canada, Egypt, the Philippines, Argentina, Israel, Spain, Russia and Denmark.

The Mark Haslam Award was launched in honor of Planet in Focus Festival Founder and former Festival Director Mark Haslam. The Award is given to any work included in the festival that exemplifies the following ideals:

Integrity in the production process, portrayals, creative treatment, and relationships of the people involved; quality in form and content; originality of subject matter and approach; perspective in that the work gives voice to underrepresented communities, and power to inspire reflection and positive action.

More about Planet in Focus: http://www.planetinfocus.org/index.php

More about the Mark Haslam Award: http://www.planetinfocus.org/2005_film_awards_ceremony.php

Katherine Knight Award

An international competition, the EarthVision Environmental Film and Video Festival features films that tackle important issues about the fragile environment that we all influence and share. EarthVision aims to help inform and inspire the public to deal with these issues that profoundly affect our health and the health of our planet. The 8th EarthVision was held in Sta. Cruz from September 29 to October 2, 2005.

Katherine Knight with partner Ed Schehl founded EarthVision International Film and Video Festival in 1998. This award honors and appreciates individuals who, like Katherine, dedicate their lives to raising awareness about environmental issues – by informing, inspiring, and involving those around them.

More about EarthVision: http://www.planetinfocus.org/index.php

More about the Katherine Knight Award: http://earthvisionfest.org/winners_KK.html

Finalist in

Global Visions

As Canada’s oldest documentary film festival, Global Visions endeavors to support alternative media that engages global, national, and local social and environmental issues. The film festival is a venue to screen films that tackle relevant contemporary issues. The 24th Global Visions was held in Edmonton from November 3-7, 2005 with the theme, “Heartbeat of a Planet”.

54th Trento Film Festival

April 29 to May 7, 2006

Partners

Apocalypse Point Productions

As environmental educators we realize the versatility of the video format, allowing us to reach a wider audience than with traditional textbooks. However, the film documentation on local issues, indigenous peoples, flora and fauna is severely limited. Try finding documentaries about our endemic wildlife like the Philippine Eagle or Tamaraw to name only two of the many endemic species found only in this country. Think of the last time you had watched a documentary about our indigenous peoples or learned about a historically or biologically rich place found only in the country. We hope to make documentaries about these issues that will not only educate but also entertain.

Center for Environmental Awareness and Education

The Center for Environmental Awareness and Education believes that one of the ways to achieve sustainable development is through meaningful and quality education for our youth.

In this regard, we have worked hard the past 4 years to bring two award winning environmental education programs to schools all over the country. Project Water Education for Teachers and Project Learning Tree are interactive, interdisciplinary programs that impart lessons about our environment in an atmosphere of fun. A newly created program is the Watershed Box, which brings the common elements and issues facing our watersheds to life. To learn more about CEAE, feel free to browse their web sites at www.ceae.org and www.projectwet.org.ph.

In cooperation with:

Gateway Mall and San Miguel Corporation

CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND EDUCATION

3A Gilmore Heights 18 Granada cor. Castilla St., Valencia Quezon City 1100

Telephone (02) 721 73600 | Telefax (02) 533 3712

www.ceae.org | www.projectwet.org.ph | www.moonrisefilmfest.com

email@ceae.org