My Village Doesn't Live Here Anymore

2. Green Screen Toronto Announces Consultant Teams

Green Screen Toronto and Planet in Focus International Environmental Film & Video Festival (PIF) are pleased to announce the selection of Melissa Felder (M.Sc. Eng.) as the lead consultant for establishing Green Best Practices leading toward a bold new Certification Program that will make Toronto, a leader in “greening” the film production industry. Additionally, EnviroTrack a Toronto based technical services team will produce a comprehensive Green Resource Guide that will be an invaluable tool for film companies, unions, guilds and other seeking environmental solutions to greening productions in Ontario. Read complete press release here

For more information on the initiative please visit our website at: www.planetinfocus.org/green_screen

3. PIF a finalist for a Green Toronto Award

The Green Toronto Awards' panel of judges has selected 33 finalists from among more than 120 nominations for the City of Toronto's environmental awards of excellence. The finalists were selected on the basis of their environmental leadership, achievements and overall contribution to a clean, green and healthy Toronto.

The winners will be announced at the City's annual Green Toronto Awards ceremony, which will take place at the Green Living Show on April 25. Each of the winners will receive $5,000 to donate to the environmental organization of their choice.
"It's a tribute to our great city that so many individuals, community groups and organizations are working to protect our environment in so many innovative ways," said Mayor David Miller. "Their efforts are helping make Toronto a liveable city and I look forward to announcing the winners at the awards ceremony on April 25."

Planet in Focus has been named a finalist in the environmental awareness category. Please wish us and all of the other finalists luck! We hope to see everyone at the April 25th event at the Green Living Show.

4. Green Living Show – April 25-27

Join Planet in Focus as we present some dynamic films at the Green Living Show, April 25 - 27 in the Presentation Centre at the Direct Energy Building, Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario. As a very special incentive to our subscribers, we invite you to visit our website at: www.planetinfocus.org/crosscanadatour to redeem a voucher good for $2.00 off admission. Use the voucher when purchasing tickets online or at the door! We have a complete schedule listed on our website.

Also, look for us in the kid’s zone where we will screen family friendly films and on the main stage at the event! Don’t miss the Green Toronto Awards that will be presented on Friday, April 25th! Planet in Focus is up for the Environmental Awareness Award sponsored by Toronto Hydro.

Call for volunteers for the GLS Show:
This is a unique opportunity for volunteers. PIF will be presenting films at the Green Living Show in Toronto April 25-27, 2008 at the Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place. There will be a more complete schedule developed in the coming weeks.

Volunteers are needed for ushering support.

We need volunteers to help guide guests to their seats and encourage them to sign up for our newsletter. Please note that there will be a uniform provided.

Volunteers who work at the Green Living Show will receive access to the show between shifts with PIF. Volunteers who also accumulate more that 6 hours worked will receive a festival pass to the 2008 festival in October! If you are interested in this opportunity, please email kim@planetinfocus.org and we will be in touch with you in the coming weeks.

5. PIF at Hot Docs, April 17 – 27, 2008

With his first son just born, filmmaker Andrew Nisker is very concerned with the state of our planet. As the average household level of consumption rises, so does the astronomical amount of waste we collectively create. Are we turning the earth into one giant garbage can? Determined to understand the damage we are doing, Nisker enlists the average urban family, the McDonald's, to keep every scrap of garbage that they produce for three months in their increasingly smelly garage. From organic waste to dirty diapers, from plastic bottles to Christmas wrapping, the McDonald's discover that for every action there is a reaction that affects them and the entire planet. At turns hilarious, provocative, and alarming, Garbage! The Revolution Starts at Home will change the way you think about the garbage sitting out on your curb and will make you think twice before you eat on paper plates. Directed by Andrew Nisker, Canada, 76 min.

BLOOR Sat Apr 19 1:00 PM
AL GREEN Tue Apr 22 9:00 PM

Ticket info:
Daytime Screenings Tickets (before 6 pm) $10, evening screenings (between 6 pm-11 pm) are $12 each and Late Night Screenings (after 11PM) are $5. Order advance tickets and pass sales at the DOCUMENTARY Box Office (87 Avenue Road, 2 Blocks North of Bloor, upper level of Hazelton Lanes), online at www.hotdocs.ca, or by phone at 416-637-5150. On the day of the screening, all daytime screenings are FREE for students and seniors with valid ID, courtesy of the Toronto Star.

Visit www.hotdocs.ca for further information and detailed film descriptions.

6. LIFT and The Images Festival announce the 2008 TOM BERNER Award Winner

The Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT) and the Images Festival are proud to present the 2008 TOM BERNER AWARD Winner. This year’s jury has selected Sebastjan Henrickson as the well-deserving recipient of this award. He has gone above and beyond running Niagara Custom Lab (www.niagaracustomlab.com) and is a lifeline in filmmaking community.

"Sebastjan has supported independent filmmakers on an individual basis, but also through frequent and extensive collaboration with artist-run organizations such as LIFT, TAIS and numerous local festivals, as well as by processing work by student filmmakers at film schools across the country. His lab's flexibility, its willingness to undertake unusual processes, also increases the range of options available to artist-filmmakers."
- Chris Gehman

About the TOM BERNER AWARD
The Tom Berner Award was created in 2002 to honour Tom Berner, who was an extraordinary supporter of independent filmmaking in Toronto and throughout Canada. Tom retired from DELUXE Laboratories in 2001 after being actively involved with organizations like the National Screen Institute's Drama Prize Program, the OMDC's Calling Card Program, and the CFC's Worldwide Short Film Festival. Tom tirelessly assisted hundreds of independent filmmakers who approached him for advice and help. Tom Berner passed away in December 2004.

For more information visit www.LIFT.on.ca