WEST PLAINS, Mo. – “A World Apart” is the theme of the 15th annual film series, which will be hosted by the University/Community Programs Department at Missouri State University-West Plains during the month of February.
Films for this free, weekly event will be shown at 6:30 p.m. Thursday evenings in the West Plains Civic Center theater.
“Inspired by Missouri State-West Plains’ selection for its common reader, Garbology: Our Dirty Love Affair With Trash by Edward Humes, this year’s film series focuses on the ideas of sustainability and the footprint humans are leaving on the earth,” said Emily Gibson, coordinator of U/CP theater and events programming. “We are excited to bring a series of films ranging from the challenges you can try at home (“The Clean Bin Project”), popular films for young audiences (“WALL-E” and “Over the Hedge”), and a documentary detailing how trash can become powerful art. We hope these films, ranging from light-hearted to real-life challenges, can help audiences connect to the idea of sustainability and our impact on our planet.”
The series begins Feb. 5 with the showing of “The Clean Bin Project.” In this multi-award winning festival favorite, partners Jen and Grant try to answer the question, “Is it possible to live completely waste free?” by going head to head in a competition to see who can produce the least garbage. The film features laugh-out-loud moments, stop motion animations and unforgettable imagery. Captivating interviews with renowned artist Chris Jordan and TED lecturer Captain Charles Moore make this film a fun and inspiring call to individual action that speaks to crowds of all ages. The film is not rated.
The series continues Feb. 12 with Disney Pixar’s animated feature “WALL-E.” Set in 2700, the film tells the story of WALL-E, a trash-compacting robot who has been left behind on a garbage-filled Earth after it was abandoned by humans. Despite finding a “few” mementos among the trash which he believes are worth keeping, WALL-E continues to do what he’s been programmed to do until he comes across a visiting robot, Eve, who has been sent back to Earth by the humans, who are now living in outer space, to see if there is any sign of life on the planet. When WALL-E shows her a living plant among the rubble, she takes it back to the spaceship housing the humans, with a love-struck WALL-E on her heels. The result is a journey that will ultimately decide the fate of human kind. The film is rated G.
On Feb. 19, “Waste Land” takes center stage. Filmed over nearly three years, this award-winning documentary follows renowned artist Vik Muniz as he journeys from his home base in Brooklyn to his native Brazil and the world’s largest garbage dump. There, he photographs an eclectic band of “catadores” – self-designated pickers of recyclable materials. The film offers stirring evidence of the transformative power of art and the alchemy of the human spirit. “Waste Land” is not rated.
The series will conclude Feb. 26 with “Over the Hedge.” This animated film featuring the voice talents of Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell, Wanda Sykes, William Shatner, Nick Nolte and Allison Janney, among others, tells the story of traveling raccoon con artist, RJ, who arrives in some woods outside a human city in the Midwest and is excited about the wonders that living near humans can bring hungry animals. Encouraged by RJ, the other forest animals slowly venture over the hedge that separates them from the brand new suburban development that appeared over the winter while they were sleeping. RJ shows them a whole new world where humans leave large bins of food and trash ripe for the taking, but they also discover that humans are more threatening than they had thought. This film is rated PG.
Each film showing will be followed with a discussion session facilitated by a Missouri State-West Plains faculty or staff member.
For more information about the annual film series, call the U/CP Department office at 417-255-7966.