What Is a REEL CHANGE SustainAbility Film Fest?
There's no doubt how significantly documentaries can influence motivated audiences. In fact, few other mediums are powerful enough to reveal unique perspectives, capture imagination, and trigger change. To celebrate the substantial importance of this art form, and to educate and motivate the people who enjoy it, FOF's REEL CHANGE SustainAbility Film Fest presents critically acclaimed documentaries focused on a wide variety of social, cultural, environmental, and economic issues.
We have hosted many REEL CHANGE events held in multiple venues in several communities throughout the southern interior of BC, such as Kamloops, Kelowna, Salmon Arm, Revelstoke, and Trail. Each event featured many films that enabled hundreds of people from all sectors to be entertained, enlightened, and impassioned, which then led to motivated action and the desire to bring about real and lasting change.
Why is the REEL CHANGE Festival Unique?
Unique to the REEL CHANGE festival are the panel discussions that follow each documentary. Ideally, one representative each from the public, private, non-profit, and/or academic sectors sits on the panel and shares his/her perspectives on the film, the topic, and its local implications.
Using informal engagement techniques, a facilitator encourages filmgoers to share their thoughts with the group. The intended ‘take-away’ is a commitment to become more sustainable at home, work, and/or play. This interactive format is extremely popular, and contributes significantly to emotional engagement, which, in turn, has stimulated positive behaviour change.
Since its inception in Kelowna several years ago, REEL CHANGE has built a loyal following and spawned projects ranging from composting programs to community gardens, eco-holidays to neighbourhood parties, and green buildings to green lifestyle choices.
Measurable REEL CHANGE Outcomes
Following each REEL CHANGE festival, FOF conducts an online survey to determine the likelihood of participants' changing their behaviors at home, work, and play based on what they learned and/or who they met at the film fest. These are the results from one of our events:
- Roughly 26% said they were "very likely" and 37% said they are "somewhat likely" of making a change at HOME based on what was seen and discussed.
- Roughly 12% said they were "very likely" and 40% said they are "somewhat likely" of making a change at WORK based on what was seen and discussed.
- Roughly 20% said they were "very likely" and 41% said they are "somewhat likely" of making a change at PLAY based on what was seen and discussed.
- Roughly 33% said they were "very likely" and 38% said they are "somewhat likely" of collaborating with others or participating in community sustainability projects.
Participant Comments
Got me thinking differently about the Earth. Surprising how much effort is going into wind turbines and how popular they are becoming.
Interesting how we need 16 TW to power the world and how green energy creates jobs... liked the green roof idea.
Documentaries can provide information on a topic without proving true examples. On The Line took a different approach and I feel like I have a better understanding of the topic because opinions and viewpoints were expressed from many areas affected by the pipeline.
Makes me think about things that give us moments of happiness, but reminds us that time and memories with family, friends, and experiences lead us to longer lasting happiness.
I particularly liked the exposure to films and topics that I wouldn't normally become aware of.
I took my 18 year old daughter to view the documentaries because she is searching for a place to meet like-minded and aware people.
The opportunity to discuss the films after the screenings was great.