28 Feb Rainforest Partnership presents Films for the Forest 2014

            People love things that they find beautiful; they protect things that they love. This was a theme of one of the winning films last year in the Films for the Forest short film contest presented by Rainforest Partnership. The short film highlights emotional aspects exposing the relationships people directly have with the rain forests. This connection is what drives people to help, to donate or to learn more about what is going on where these beautiful species are living. Creating awareness and providing information about these important regions of the world are the goals for these films.

            Rainforest Partnership presents its fifth annual Films for the Forest event, one of the community screenings of the South by Southwest Film Festival. It is a friendly competition with three categories, short films under 40 minutes, films under 4 minutes and youth films, accepting submissions from student, amateur, and professional filmmakers around the globe. In previous years, Films for the forest received films from individuals spanning across 4 different continents. An impressive list of judges, whom are filmmakers and environmentalists themselves, will determine the winners out of the numerous entries. The style for how the outline of the film is encouraged to be as creative and engaging as possible. The films have a tendency for thought-provoking perspectives and moving the audience to spark solutions to the challenges forests endure as well as communities affecting forests.

            The Rainforest Partnership organization hosts this event each year to further promote the protection of the forests and the prevention of deforestation. They want to assist communities generate income in a more sustainable way to disregard selling to developers. Framing a financial stake in the community with the forests proposes more reason for the protection of them instead of the destruction.

            The Films for the Forest screening takes place on the night of March 10, from 6pm-9pm at the Marchesa Theater with a reception initially at 6pm then the film screenings beginning at 7pm. A SXSW badge is not required to attend and everyone who’s interested is welcome! The more, the merrier! People fascinated by anything associated with the tropical rain forests or this organization are surely encouraged to get involved either by appearing at the event or even volunteering or simply donating!

            Saving our rain forests is the main goal for this organization and these films will offer awareness in a way people are able to connect on a more intimate level. With the various benefits the rain forests grant us, we should be just as willing to give back to what provides us with resources necessary for our daily activities. These films have such a strong, sentimental tone overall to motivate people to be proactive in the prevention of deforestation. Information is powerful. Delivering this information through films is an effective way for revealing images, as well as statistics, describing the forests and ecosystems. Around the world, people want to help. Communicating and relaying this help to the people with the power for change is the objective. Visit the website, FilmsfortheForest.org, for more information and rainforestpartnership.org for additional information referring to this non-profit organization.