It’s the dark of winter — why not enjoy a cozy evening of learning and entertainment about the Chesapeake Bay? Come to the inaugural Annapolis Green Film Fest on Saturday, Feb. 5, from 6-9 p.m., at Maryland Hall, 801 Chase Street, Annapolis.
Several films will be screened, with the common theme of the Chesapeake Bay, its environment, and its people.
The producers will discuss their films and be available to meet with audience after the screening.
Admission to the Film Fest is FREE — $10 donation per person at the door is suggested.
Featured Films
The Sacred Places
For two decades, two friends have organized sea kayaking trips for devotees of Chesapeake Bay, from government officials to renowned artists. The adventurers paddle down the spine of remote islands in Maryland’s south-central Bay where much looks just as it did centuries ago. Join these explorers as they pitch their tents on windswept beaches, exp lore the vibrant life of rare salt marshes, devour fresh-caught rockfish grilled on the campfire, seek inspiration in dazzling sunsets and sunrises, and especially, brainstorm with other compatriots in the fight to save – and savor – the Bay. Produced by Susanne C. Stahley for MPT’s Outdoors Maryland.
Who Killed Crassostrea virginica?
The Fall & Rise of Chesapeake Bay Oysters
The Chesapeake was once home to the richest oyster grounds in the world. The native oyster, Crassostrea virginica, built massive reefs and filtered vast reaches of the Bay, removing algae and sediment. Now those reefs are gone. The historic fishery is a mere shadow. What happened? Who killed the Bay’s native oysters?
This hour-long documentary sets out to answer that question. Produced, written, and directed by local veteran filmmaker Michael W. Fincham for the Maryland Sea Grant College, the film details both the poignant destruction of a fabled fishery and the prolonged scientific inquiry into the origins of a killer parasite.
The film asks whether we can bring the oyster back, and whether we can save both the oyster reefs and the oystermen. It peers toward a future where the Bay’s historic oyster grounds may shrink to low-salinity areas where disease does not dominate.
The Last Boat Out
The Chesapeake Bay, once brimming with life and commerce, is slowly dying. And it’s not dying alone. It’s taking with it a way of life for the thousands of watermen whose families have made their living on the bay for generations. It’s not too late to save them both. The Last Boat Out documentary tells the inspiring story of a family of watermen tirelessly trying to preserve their way of life working the waters on the Chesapeake Bay. It’s also the story of a bay battered by development and pollution struggling to stay alive. Narrated by Academy award-winning actor and environmental activist, Sam Waterston, The Last Boat Out was written, produced, and directed by Seltzer Film and Video’s Laura Seltzer, a local award-winning documentary producer and director. For more info about The Last Boat Out and to learn about Seltzer’s PBS documentary series in development about the Chesapeake Bay, visit LastBoatOut.com.
Seize the Bay (43 min.)
Seize the Bay is a comical musical romp through Chesapeake Country led by local musicians and Bay ambassadors, Them Eastport Oyster Boys who share fun, tradition and history infused with a bit of eco-ethic. This television series showcases the Chesapeake’s people, places and way of life in a fun and lighthearted way. While savoring its bounty and experiencing its lifestyle, the film also helps us understand the Bay’s vulnerabilities and learn what must be done to bring this National Treasure back from the brink. And… you’ll have so much fun watching that you’ll want to experience it for yourself, and be moved to take action.
Seize the Bay was written and directed by Robert Ferrier and produced by Daphne Glover Ferrier of Backfin Media, a local full-service boutique media production company. The Ferriers have produced award-winning documentary programs for the Discovery Channel, Smithsonian Network, and National Geographic Channel, among others.
Admission to the Film Fest is FREE but a $10 donation per person at the door is suggested.
The Annapolis Green Film Fest plans to produce additional film evenings this winter.
The Fest is a production of Elvia Thompson, founder of AnnapolisGreen.com, a website portal to all things environmental in the Annapolis area – also the virtual home of Green Drinks Annapolis – and local insurance executive and environmental activist Paul Murphy.
Questions? Call 410 212-7280 or email starboard@annapolisgreen.com.
www.annapolisgreen.com