On April 22, the Hoboken Historical Museum and the Thomas Edison Film Festival pay tribute to Earth Day by presenting an on-demand streaming showcase of selected short films, including a conversation with award-winning documentary filmmaker Otto Bell.

Bell’s film is a 35-minute documentary, “The Toxic Pigs of Fukushima” (pictured above). Other films include “Beneath” – an animated film by Ian Martinez, of Nevada City, CA (5 min.); “Tides” – an experimental 8-min. film by Andre Silva, of Wilmington, NC; “Metamorphosis” – an 4-minute animation by Wang Xi, Los Angeles, CA; “Alder” – an experimental 9-min. film by Vanda Ladeira, of London; and “Green Grass” – an animation by Michael Greco, of Toronto, Ontario (8 minutes).

The program will go live starting on Thursday, April 22, and will run through the end of the month, April 30. The curated program is available to view for free to the public – donations are welcome and much appreciated.

To view the programs go to www.tefilmfest.org – the Festival’s homepage – choose “Click here to view” to select the curated selection.

To make a donation to the Thomas Edison Film Festival visit http://tefilmfest.org and click on Donate in the menu bar. 

Background on the films included in this showcase:

The Toxic Pigs of Fukushima – Documentary (35 min. by Otto Bell, NY, NY, US) The Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 triggered a tsunami, nuclear meltdown and mass evacuations in Fukushima Prefecture. Today, as part of a Government push to encourage resettlement, local hunters have been enlisted to dispose of radiated wild boars that now roam the abandoned streets and buildings. The film follows a lone hunter into an isolated and changed landscape. Along the way, other citizens who still live near the reactor share their perspectives on the aftermath. “The Toxic Pigs of Fukushima” was inspired by the photographs of co-producers Toru Hanai and Yuki Iwanami. The original score was written and performed by renowned ambient artist Midori Takada.

Beneath – Animation (5 min. by Ian Martinez, Nevada City, CA, US) A caretaker spirit living at the bottom of the world makes an unsettling discovery about the world above.

Tides – Experimental (8 min. by Andre Silva, Wilmington, NC, US) Filmed at Masonboro Island, an undeveloped barrier island in southeastern North Carolina, “Tides” contemplates the liminal space between the modern technological world and that more ecological dimension we label as “nature” or “the environment.” 

Metamorphosis – Animation  (4 min. by Wang Xi, LA, CA, US) A butterfly is resurrected from a rare specimen collection and explores the ruins of an ancient civilization that leads to a mysterious underground frozen cave. In the cave, the butterfly meets the Butterfly Man, who is an amalgamation of many other butterflies. The film explores philosophical ideas about life forms decomposing and then transforming into new organisms, between dreams and reality, and between humans and non-human creatures.

Alder – Experimental (9 min. by Vanda Ladeira, London, UK) “Alder” is a magical realist short drama set in an imaginary and eerie forest. The guardian spirit of the forest faces a dilemma between following its heart or its mind. The film looks at the power struggle we all face when duty and love pull us in opposite directions. “Alder” has an ecological message conveyed through visual metaphors and inspired by folk and fairy tales.

Green Grass – Animation (8 min. by Michael Greco, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) Poignant, powerful, and told without dialogue, “Green Grass” is a thought-provoking allegory that follows two hopeful migrants who make the arduous journey to what they believe must be a better life only to discover their destination may no longer be the place they thought it was.

For 40 years, the Thomas Edison Film Festival has been advancing the unique creativity and power of the short form. The Festival is an international juried competition open to all genres and filmmakers across the globe.

The Festival’s touring program reaches out to diverse audiences in diverse settings with screenings of cutting-edge, cross-genre films — narrative, experimental, animation, and documentary. Subject matter includes issues and struggles within contemporary society such as the environment, public health, race and class, family, sustainability, and much more. These exceptional works range from animation, comedy, and drama to the exploration of pure form in film and video.

To learn more about the Thomas Edison Film Festival visit blackmariafilmfestival.org. 

The festival’s Hudson County Movie Tour is made possible through the generous support of The Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs & Tourism, Gina Hulings, Director/Administrator.