Beautiful, Powerful, Mysterious Nature

By JBFC Marketing Volunteer Dotty Battel

Waters rise, winds roar, fires burn and the earth shakes….

Mother Nature certainly has our attention! What better time for our annual series Focus on Nature (Oct 5-30) during which we explore her power, her beauty, her mystery, and how we humans impact planet Earth. Groundbreaking (no pun…) films and provocative discussions will be offered each week in October.

Additionally, Southern Exposure Photography Exhibit is on view in our Jane Peck Gallery through the series. Don’t miss seeing the stunning images from Antarctica by acclaimed photographer, filmmaker and marine biologist Paul Nicklen.

Here are a few highlights from the film series:

Opening Night
Thursday, Oct. 5 at 7:30

Screening: Look & See: A Portrait of Wendell Berry, a beautiful homage to rural America seen through the eyes of this novelist, poet, and activist.

Q&A: Mary Berry, Wendell’s daughter and executive director of The Berry Center, and Fred Kirschenmann, board president of Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture

Reception and Book Signing

Amazon Adventure 3D
Saturday, Oct. 7 at noon

Screening: “Youngsters may be fooled into thinking they’re watching a mindless blockbuster, when in fact, they’ve actually been fooled into thinking.”(Variety) This is a detective story, based on the true story of naturalist Henry Bates, who risks his life for science during his 11-year journey through the breathtaking Amazon rainforest in the 1850’s. Along the way, he discovers the truth of Darwin’s theory of natural selection. Recommended for ages 7 and up.

FREE hands-on activities: Following the screening, join us across the street for our Family Saturdays @ the Lab program, featuring nature-themed activities for all ages.

Before the Flood
Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 7:30

Screening: Perhaps the most timely of the films, this informative doc takes a look at how climate change affects our environment and what we can do about it. Oscar-winning filmmaker Fisher Stevens teams up with producer/host Leonardo DiCaprio as he travels the world as a UN Messenger of Peace looking for answers from scientists, political leaders, researchers, and activists. Listen to DiCaprio talk about the film on The Ellen DeGeneres Show:

Q&A: filmmaker Fisher Stevens, Jennifer Hile, Head of Production on the research ship Alucia, and Dale Bryk, NRDC Chief Planning Officer

For more information about all the films in Focus on Nature 2017 and to buy tickets, visit the series page.