WATSONVILLE — The Watsonville Film Festival will present the “Healthy Community Film Series” in the fall, hosting local and international filmmakers, panels with local experts and family activities.
“We are offering powerful films and storytelling to inspire people and to expand the conversation about health and well-being in our community,” said Consuelo Alba, executive director of the festival. “We have wonderful local partners who will contribute and enrich the dialogue before and after each movie.”
Local organizations participating in this program include the Community Agroecology Network, Growing Justice, Mesa Verde Gardens, Regeneration Pájaro Valley Climate Action, Jóvenes Sanos, the Center for Farmworker Families and the Pájaro Valley Community Health Trust. In addition, directors from Santa Cruz, San Francisco and Mexico City will be in attendance at the screenings of their respective films.
“Our recent monthly programming, like the Women by Women series, has been very well received,” Alba said. “People enjoy the idea of watching great films all year-round, not just once a year. We want to take that momentum another step further with this new fall series.”
The Healthy Community Film Series consists of six free film screenings between September and November, three at the Appleton Event Lounge, 410 Rodriguez St., and three at the Watsonville Plaza.
The following films will be presented at the Appleton Event Lounge the second Thursday of each month: “Maize in Times of War,” a documentary about the ancestral knowledge and current struggles of corn protectors in Mexico, on Sept. 13; “Evolution of Organic,” a locally-produced film about the transformation in the way food is grown and eaten, on Oct. 11; and “Abundant Land,” highlighting Molokai’s residents’ efforts to heal their island using traditional Hawaiian knowledge, on Nov. 8.
The movies for families at the Watsonville Plaza will be presented in Spanish with English subtitles, and will take place after the Watsonville Farmers Market on the following Fridays: Sept. 14 (“Maíz en Tiempos de Guerra”), Oct. 12 (“Wall-E”) and Nov. 2 (“Coco”). Each outdoor screening will include family-friendly activities. On Nov. 2, the festival will host a Fiesta de Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead Celebration) with dance, music and hands-on activities prior to the film.
The Harbourton Foundation has provided funding for this film series. Co-sponsors include Pájaro Valley Community Health Trust and the City of Watsonville.
For information, visit watsonvillefilmfest.org
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New dates for seventh annual Watsonville Film Festival
The seventh edition of the Watsonville Film Festival will take place March 28-31, 2019.
“After much consideration we are moving the dates for the festival to March,” Alba said. “It’s the best time of the year for us and it allows us to continue building a strong foundation for our new monthly screening program. As always, the festival promises to showcase diverse storytelling, celebrate the human spirit and build community one film at a time.”
Film submissions are now open. Local filmmakers are encouraged to submit their films online at filmfreeway.com, through Dec. 15. Businesses interested in sponsorship opportunities can contact [email protected].
