Hamptons Doc Fest Celebrates Earth Day With Four Environmental Films in Four Days

Hamptons Doc Fest inaugurates spring with its annual Docs Equinox celebration that includes four days of live programming of four dramatic documentary films and Q&As—all happening on Earth Day weekend, April 21-24, in partnership with both the Southampton Arts Center and Sag Harbor Cinema.

Said Hamptons Doc Fest founder/executive director Jacqui Lofaro in introducing the special film weekend: “The great naturalist Arnold Leopold once said: ‘Like winds and sunsets, wild things were taken for granted until progress began to do away with them.’ “Each documentary film in our environmental film series speaks to saving Mother Earth. We are her stewards, we are the watch-keepers. Earth Day is a good time to remind ourselves of that responsibility.”

Film “Aquarela,” Thursday, April 21, 6 p.m. at Sag Harbor Cinema

In a Hamptons Doc Fest collaboration with the Sag Harbor Cinema, the first film in the documentary series, “Aquarela” (2019, 90 min.), will screen on Thursday, April 21, at 6 p.m.

Using no dialogue or narration but only fast-frame cinema, sound, and a heavy metal score, director Victor Kossakovsky captures stunning images of the raw power of water and ice in their many forms in seven countries around the world—from Russia’s frozen Lake Baikal, to Miami during hurricane Irma, to Venezuela’s mighty Angel Falls—plus dramatic footage across the Atlantic Ocean.

Said director Kossakovsky, who has won over 100 national and international film festival awards: “When I was first approached about making a film about water, I actually refused. I have seen several dozens of films about water in the last ten years. But they are mostly people just talking about water — the importance of water, politics of water, lack of water, climate change and water. So I said if we are going to do another film talking about water, then no, I am not interested in this. But if water will speak by herself for 90 minutes, if water will have a chance to be our main actor — this I will do.”

Added Sag Harbor Cinema artistic director Giulia D’Agnolo Vallan, “I have been wanting to bring ‘Aquarela’ to our cinema for years now. It is a brilliant example of how daring artistic ambition in a documentary can empower what is already a very urgent message. Furthermore, water surrounds us here on the East End. It is an integral part of our landscape, of our economy and has been a constant source of inspiration for generations of local artists. This co-presentation with Hamptons Doc Fest is a perfect opportunity to celebrate it.”

The next three Hamptons Doc Fest films for Earth Day weekend are co-presented by and will be screened at the Southampton Arts Center.

Said its executive director Tom Dunn: “Southampton Arts Center’s commitment to the environment is evidenced in the exhibitions and programs we present throughout the year with and for our community. As we endeavor to creatively confront the alarming state of our planet and its inhabitants, we understand the value of partnering with like-minded organizations like Hamptons Doc Fest. We’re thrilled to collaborate with our friend Jacqui Lofaro and her team to co-present three thoughtful, dynamic and actionable documentaries in celebration of Earth Month. These incredible films have the power to inspire the critical actions needed to save our planet.”

Film “Bring Your Own Brigade,” Friday, April 22 (Earth Day), 6 p.m. at Southampton Arts Center

The second film in the Hamptons Doc Fest’s Docs Equinox series, screening on Friday, April 22 (Earth Day), at 6 p.m. in partnership with the Southampton Arts Center, will be “Bring Your Own Brigade” (2021, 127 min.)

The film, which held its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2021, was directed, produced and written by two-time, Oscar-nominated British filmmaker Lucy Walker.

She and her crew embedded with a team of firefighters during the 2018 Camp Fire in Malibu and Paradise, the most destructive fires in California history. Drawing on hundreds of hours of wildfire footage and interviews with firefighters, survivors and scientists, the film reveals the heroism and horror of the fires, investigates the causes of wildfire epidemics, and examines what can be done to lessen the staggering death and destruction and restore health to woodlands that have been mismanaged too long.

After the screening, director Lucy Walker will appear in a live Q&A Zoom about the film.

Film “The Velvet Queen,” Saturday, April 23, 2 p.m. at Southampton Arts Center

Third in the Doc Equinox series, screening on Saturday, April 23, 2 p.m. at the Southampton Arts Center is “The Velvet Queen” (2021, 90 min., in French, with subtitles).

The film, a meditative and philosophical experience, directed by wildlife photographers Vincent Munier and Marie Amiguet, follows Munier and writer Sylvain Tesson as the two men perched on a cold mountain ridge, patiently wait in hopes of catching sight of the elusive Tibetan snow leopard, in the meantime filming Tibetan wild yaks, foxes, bears and mountain cats.

Renown in his field, Munier was named BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year three years in a row. Tesson is the author of the book “The Art of Patience—Seeking the Snow Leopard” about the story of the film.

Post screening, there’s a live Q&A with ecologist and author Carl Safina, where his books will also be available for sale.

Film “River,” Sunday, April 24, 3 p.m. at Southampton Arts Center

Closing the four-part film series will be “River” (75 min., 2021), co-presented with the Southampton Arts Center on Sunday, April 24, at 3 p.m.

Written and directed by Jennifer Peedom, co-written/co-directed by Joseph Nizeti, “River” is a bird’s eye view of our most precious resource as seen in 39 countries spanning six continents around the globe.

Narrated by Academy Award-nominated actor Willem DaFoe, with a score performed by the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the film, with its extraordinary cinematography, shows rivers from perspectives never seen before, including satellite filming, and retells the history of rivers and human civilization.

After the screening, director Joseph Nizeti will appear in a live Q&A Zoom about the film.

Tickets and information for the Docs Equinox screenings are available at www.hamptonsdocfest.com, www.sagharborcinema.org and www.southamptonartscenter.org