News & Events

For Immediate Release                                                      

DATE: October 24, 2008

Contact:          
Tatiana Petrone at (304) 876-7373 or (202) 316- 8281
Amy Mathews Amos at (304) 876-0647

American Conservation Film Festival Announces Festival Preview and Extra Viewings at the Historic Opera House

Shepherdstown WV –  Filmgoers looking forward to the start of the annual American Conservation Film Festival  (ACFF) November 6-9 now have even more opportunities to view and discuss conservation film.  ACFF will co-host  a November 5  Festival Preview event with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s  National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) and has expanded its weekend viewings to include the Opera House theatre in downtown Shepherdstown.

On November 5, Gregg Mitman, a Professor of History of Science, Medical History, and Science and Technology studies at the University of Wisconsin – Madison will discuss the history of conservation film and our relationship with this enduring medium.  Professor Mitman is the author of several award winning articles and books, including Reel Nature:  America’s Romance with Wildlife on Film (1999).  His presentation will begin at 7:00 p.m. at the Byrd Auditorium at NCTC.

Festival films over the weekend will now be shown at the historic Opera House theatre in addition to locations at Shepherd University and NCTC.  Saturday night and Sunday afternoon screenings will include the U.S. premiere of Seed Hunter.  Produced by Smithsonian Networks, Seed Hunter chronicles the remarkable journey from the drought ravaged farms of Australia to the heart of the Middle East, to the mountains of Tajikistan to identify plants that could help our food supply withstand the impact of 21st century global warming.  Seed Hunter will be shown at the Opera House at 7 p.m. on November 8 and 5 p.m. November 9.

Smithsonian Networks contributed to last year’s festival as well, and is a joint venture between Showtime Networks Inc. and the Smithsonian Institution. It was formed to create new channels to showcase scientific, cultural and historical programming based largely upon the assets of the Smithsonian Institution.  Its film Zoo Vets goes behind the scenes at the National Zoo and shows us the lives and work of people who care for sick animals.  Zoo Vets will be screened Saturday November 8 at noon during ACFF’s Children’s Festival at NCTC. After the film, National Zoo biologist Linda Moore will talk about the care of zoo animals and there will be two presentations of live reptiles and birds.   According to ACFF President Amy Mathews Amos, “this is a really fun opportunity for kids learn about caring for wild animals and to see some handled up close by the experts.”

For a full schedule of all 20+ films, activities, and venues at this year’s festival please visit the ACFF website at conservationfilm.org.

The 2008 American Conservation Film Festival is sponsored in part by the Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment, West Virginia Humanities Council, Carl M. Freeman Foundation, the West Virginia Film Office, National Conservation Training Center, Friends of the National Conservation Training Center, Bowles Rice, LLC, and many individual donations.