ECOS film series draws a crowd

More than 80 people came to the opening film for the Ecology Center of the Siskiyous winter film series last Wednesday, more than any of the showings last year.

“Dirt” provided a comprehensive, and sometimes comical, look at what was described as the largest living system on our planet, urging veiwers to pay a little more attention to the ground beneath our feet.

“The soil is a living system,” said film contributor Pierre Rabhi. “It’s not dead, but we treat it as if it’s dead.”

ECOS began its winter film series last year, and based on the large turnout for this years first film, expect to see bigger crowds.

“It’s a way to screen documentaries about important issues of our time,” said ECOS co-director Sarah Rudeen. Each screening, attended by students and community members, is followed by an open discussion about the issues presented in the films.

“It’s great to see so many people from both the campus and the community coming together,” Rudeen said.

Every other week will be “off-weeks,” where more lighthearted presentations are screened.  This week there will be a showing of “Planet Earth.”

The next feature film, “Tapped” will be shown Wed., Jan. 26. The movie explores the bottled water industry, which media critic Barbara Lipert calls “the greatest advertising and marketing trick of all time.”

“Tapped” is being screened in support of the Associated Students of Southern Oregon University Senate proposal to ban plastic water bottles on the SOU campus.

According to the film, roughly 18 million barrels of oil are used each year to transport water, an act that is counterproductive to the issue of global climate change.

ECOS partners with the Ashland Food Co-Op, who is catering each of the five feature films.

Films are screened every Wednesday at 6 p.m., in SU room 319.

For more info about either ECOS, or the Winter Film Series visit the ECOS office in the lower level of the Stevenson Union where they meet Fridays at 11 a.m.

 

Leave a Reply