Screening Report – Center for Environmental Filmmaking
Last night I was the guest of legendary filmmaker Chris Palmer (author of Shooting in the Wild: An Insider’s Account of Making Movies in the Animal Kingdom) at his Center for Environmental Filmmaking. This is one of several outstanding programs in the School of Communications at American University in Washington DC.
I shared clips from GrowthBusters and answered questions about the film and the issues it raises. I’m pleased to report it got a very enthusiastic reception. Most of the crowd stayed beyond the appointed end time, and it took me another half hour to get out the door (I’m not complaining).
I’ve been looking forward to this moment for several years – the point in time when the public can begin to rally. Based on the comments I got, as more and more people see this film there is going to be a groundswell. More and more screenings will be organized. Word is going to travel! Cross your fingers. This is our moment! This is our children’s moment. And their children’s. In my film, sociologist Juliet Schor called the movement toward localization and self-provisioning “a ‘change the world’ movement.” The GrowthBusters movie could make this a “change the world moment.”
Yesterday and today major U.S. television and radio news producers are receiving a pre-release review copy of the film. If you’re outside the U.S. we could use your help getting word to your major media outlets. Our Economists Gone Wild! video hit YouTube Monday morning and exceeded 500 views its first day. Perhaps GrowthBusters and the notion of embracing the end of growth will be the talk of the world as world population passes the 7 billion mark on Monday.
I’m in DC all week, hoping to be talking to the global and national news media here. And next Wednesday we hold our world premiere here in the U.S. capital. Luminaries from the film we’re expecting include Dennis Meadows (leader of the original Limits to Growth study), Brian Czech (President of the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy and author of Shoveling Fuel for a Runaway Train), and Tom Horton (environmental journalist and author of the report, Growing! Growing! Gone!).
Thanks to the Population Institute, the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy and the Center for Environmental Filmmaking for hosting the premiere.
Screenings are being scheduled, DVDs are being ordered, and the growth boosters are starting to notice (this is a good thing)!
Forward! Thanks for following and participating in the adventure.
Dave Gardner
Filmmaker & GrowthBuster
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