Here’s what to expect at the environment-themed film fest ALT EFF in Mumbai

The most recent known and studied mass extinction which is a phenomenon that the planet has witnessed a handful of times was one where we lost creatures that still continue to star in and inspire our thriller movies mdash dinosaurs While this was about 65 million years ago for the subjects of the next mass extinction all the wise eyes are on humans But unlike the many species washed away from the face of earth we are aware about what will presumably bring us to the brink of extinction mdash an asteroid strike another nuclear war or climate changeKunal KhannaBringing stories from those on the forefront of the human battle against climate change is one of the countryrsquos largest environment cinemabased festivals All Living Things Environmental Film Festival ALT EFF from December 1 to December 10 ldquoThe motive behind founding ALT EFF was to drive awareness at scale about the most pressing issue of our times mdash the environmental crises we are in today We are doing so by using the most powerful medium of storytelling which is films The festival will showcase some of the best environmental films from around the globe that will be freely accessible on our virtual platform as well as through inperson events across the country This year we will be hosting over 50 screening events across 22 states of Indiardquo says founder Kunal KhannaProgramme director Anaka Kaundinya shares that this year witnessed over 400 submissions They selected 65 of which 40 are Indian premieres ldquoThese are films that put light on the effect of climate change on gender relations labour politics land rights and other relevant topics Movies like Razing Liberty Square could be a challenge for some audiences because it requires them to engage with convoluted policies that have marginalised an already oppressed people But itrsquos an immensely valuable narrative and helps to develop our critical lens when thinking about systems here in India as wellrdquoKhanna hopes to highlight the omnipresence of the climate crisis via this dual model of online and offline screening ldquoWe believe that awareness to drive action should be widespread so solutions can emerge and adopted by people everywhererdquo He signs off on a positive note ldquoIn terms of the audiences that have experienced ALT EFF our research shows that 8337 of those who attended the fest in 2022 made a change in their behaviour or approach to certain issues after watching films at the festivalrdquoDeep in SiberiaA still from Pleistocene Park Pics CourtesyYoutubeThe opening night film will be followed by a discussion with filmmaker Luke GriswoldTergis and protagonist Nikita Zimov who have flown down from Siberia for the launch at Carnival Cinemas Liberty This movie is highly recommended by Kaundinya and KhannaPleistocene ParkRussian geophysicist Sergey Zimov and his son Nikita have been working on a project called Pleistocene Park in Siberia The goal is to restore the Ice Age mammoth steppe ecosystem and avoid a catastrophic feedback loop leading to runaway global warming Fifteen years ago Sergeyrsquos research showed that frozen arctic soils contain twice as much carbon as the earthrsquos atmosphere These soils are now starting to melt Can two Russian scientists stave off a worstcase scenario of global environmental catastrophe and reshape humanityrsquos relationship with the natural worldOn December 1 630 pm At Carnival Cinemas Liberty Marine LinesLog on to insiderinCost Rs 499Online picksPatrick And The Whale Follow Patrick as he travels to Dominica again to find this special whale he named lsquoDoloresrsquo so she can help him show us the hidden world of her speciesPatrick and the WhaleFeeling The Apocalypse A psychotherapist struggling with climate anxiety explores what it means to live in a dying worldFight With Care The film brings forward two major themes mdash the rising pressures of development such as encroachments and industrial pollution on the coastal wetlands of Chennai and the carework offered by women of indigenous communities that has facilitated life on the wetland for generations and offers an alternative way to understand and value the wetland ecosystemLog on to watcheventiveorgalteff2023Suggested by Anaka Kaundinya