Contact:HelenStrong,helen@dceff.org

Spotlight:BirdsandBirdingThe24thannualEnvironmentalFilmFestivalintheNation’sCapital,thelargestandlongest-runningenvironmentalfilmfestivalinthecountry,willpresent140+filmsselectedtoprovidefreshperspectivesonawidevarietyofenvironmentalissuesfacingtheearth,fromMarch15-26.Anumberoffilmsaboutbirdsandbirdingwillbeshown–seedescriptionsbelow.ThecompleteFestivalschedulewillbepostedinFebruaryatwww.dceff.org.Pleasecheckthereforanyupdatestoprograms.BluebirdMan,WinneroftheEFF’sEricMoeSustainabilityFilmAward(USA,2014,28min.)Washington,D.C.PremierePeoplecallAlLarson“TheBluebirdMan”forgoodreason:at92,thisself-taughtconservationisthasdedicated35yearsofhislifetosavingNorthAmerica’sbluebirdsbymaintaininganetworkofover300“nestboxes”inthehighlandsofIdahothatprovidevitalsupporttoapopulationinrecovery.BluebirdManaimstoinspireournextgenerationofcitizenscientists,showingallthehumbleeffortandnaturalbeautyofLarson’sendeavorandthegrandeurofthebirdshe’sfightingtosave.DirectedbyNeilPaprockiandMatthewPodolsky.Discussionwith“BluebirdMan”AlLarsonandfilmmakerMatthewPodolskyfollowsscreening.March17,7p.m.CarnegieInstitutionforScience,ElihuRootAuditorium,1530PSt.,NWTickets,$10.Purchaseathttp://moeprogram.bpt.me/PuffinPatrol(USA,2015,50min.)U.S.PremiereOntheremotecoastlinesofMaine,Wales,andNewfoundland,scientistsobservetheannuallifecycleoftheAtlanticPuffintodiscoverwhatthisintriguinglittlebirdcanteachusaboutthedangersfacingournaturalworld,whileenvironmentalistsfighttoprotectvulnerablechicks.JoinourteamofexpertsandpuffinloversonPuffinPatrol!DirectedbyScottDobsonandproducedbyCharlotteEngelandRosemary

House.Tuesday,March15at4p.m.&6p.m.IntroducedbyFloStone,Founder,EnvironmentalFilmFestivalintheNation’sCapital.DiscussionwithdirectorScottDobsonfollowsscreenings.Receptionfollowsfinalscreening.FREE.Reservationsrequired.Reserveathttps://puffinpatrol.eventbrite.com.EmbassyofCanada,501PennsylvaniaAve.,NWSecondScreeningofPuffinPatrolonSaturdayMarch19,1:15p.m.precededbyOsprey:MarineSentinel(seebelow)NationalWildlifeVisitorCenter,U.S.FishandWildlifeService,PatuxentRiverRefuge,Auditorium,10901ScarletTanagerLoop,Laurel,Md.DiscussionwithdirectorScottDobsonfollowsscreenings.FREE.Reservationsrequired.Reserveatospreyandpuffinpatrol.bpt.me/.Osprey:MarineSentinel(USA,2015,15min.)Therecoveryoftheospreypopulationafterdamageduetoenvironmentalcontaminantsisoneofthegreatconservationsuccessesofourtime.Osprey:MarineSentineltellsthestorythroughacombinationofdramaticfootageofthisiconicraptorandinterviewswithexpertornithologists.DirectedbyJacobSteinberg.Saturday,March19,1p.m.NationalWildlifeVisitorCenter,U.S.FishandWildlifeService,PatuxentRiverRefuge,Auditorium,10901ScarletTanagerLoop,Laurel,Md.FREE.Reservationsrequired.Reserveatospreyandpuffinpatrol.bpt.me/TheBirdRanger(Netherlands,2015,68min.)Washington,D.C.PremiereThe“birdrangers”oftheBoschplaatnaturereserve,onthenorthernDutchislandofTerschelling,havealwaysdonemuchmorethanjustguardthewetlands:they’refull-fledgedscientists,closelymonitoringtheisland’svariedavianlife:Rifs,RedKnots,Curlews,Godwitd,andmanyotherspecies.OenedeJong,theNationalForestryService’slastprofessionalbirdranger,takesusonarevelatorytripthroughthereservethatchroniclesarichhistoryofconservationandspeakstothedireneedforcitizenscienceinthepresentday.DirectedandproducedbyHansdenHartog.Wednesday,March16,6p.m.IntroducedbyDutchAmbassadorHenneSchuwerandfilmmakerHansdenHartog.Discussionwithfilmmakerandreceptionfollowscreening.RoyalNetherlandsEmbassy,Auditorium,4200LinneanAve.,NWFREE.Reservationsbyemailrequiredatwas-rsvp@minbuza.nlorcall202-274-2736.Poached(UK,2015,90min.)Washington,D.C.PremiereEggthievesrobthenestsofrarebirdswhileanationalUKpoliceinitiativenamed“OperationEaster”triestostopthem,confiscatingthousandsofeggsfoundstrapped

underbeds,beneathfloorboards,andinsecretrooms.Theoffendersaremotivatednotbymoneybutbydesireforthebeautyoftheeggandthethrillofthechase,buttheirapparentlyharmlesscompulsionhasdisastrouseffectsonanalreadythreatenedecosystem.Withunprecedentedaccesstothemostnotoriousandinconspicuousperpetrators,Poacheddelvesintothepsychologyoftheeggcollectorsastheyconfronttheirdestructiveobsession.DirectedbyTimothyWheelerandproducedbySteveBrown.Thursday,March24,7p.m.EStreetCinema,55511thSt.,NW(Metro:MetroCenter,GalleryPlace-Chinatown)Tickets,$10.Reserveatlandmarktheatres.com/washington-d-cPresentedaspartofathree-filmprogramfromtheDominicanRepublicEnvironmentalFilmFestivalwiththeGlobalFoundationforDemocracyandDevelopment7Grams(DominicanRepublic,2015,12min.)U.S.PremiereWhenaHispaniolanEmerald,oneoftheworld’ssmallestbirds,buildsitsnestinaconstructionsite,aruralcommunityintheDominicanRepublicfacestoughdecisionsaboutconservation.DirectedbyJonatánVilaandHadzaelGómez.DiscussionwithNatashaDespotovic,Director,DominicanRepublicEnvironmentalFilmFestivalfollowsFriday,March18,7p.m.GALAHispanicTheatre,333314thSt.,NW(Metro:ColumbiaHeights)FREE.Reserveathttp://dreff.pbpt.me/TheArtofFlying(Netherlands,2015,7min.)Washington,D.C.PremiereEverynight,alloverEuropeandNorthAmerica,populationsofCommonStarlinggatheratdusktoperformastunningairshowinvast,amorphousflockscalled“murmurations.”Theirabilitytoflyinsuchdenseswarmswithoutcollidingstillbafflesscientists,andproducesoneofthemostunrealspectaclesnaturehastooffer.JanvanIJkencapturesthisphenomenonincrispblackandwhiteoverDutchfarmland,distillingitsbeautyandmystery.DirectedbyJanvanIJken.Sunday,March20,12:30p.m.,screeningaspartofVisionaryGreenShortsProgramFREE.Reservationsrequested.Reserveathttp://visionarygreen.bpt.me/.CarnegieInstitutionforScience,ElihuRootAuditorium,1530PSt.,NW