This article was scraped from Rochester Subway. This is a blog about Rochester history and urbanism has not been published since 2017. The current owners are now publishing link spam which made me want to preserve this history.. The original article was published March 10, 2015 and can be found here.
![GREENTOPIA | FILM, a documentary film festival that lives at the intersection of Art and Ideas, returns March 17.](https://senseofplace.dev/content/images/photos/greentopia-film-2015.jpg)
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GREENTOPIA | FILM, a documentary film festival that lives at the intersection of Art and Ideas, is back for a fourth year. In partnership with Monroe Community College, the festival's documentaries hale from around the globe and illuminate sustainability in its most wide-ranging sense. The films empower audiences to discuss the important topics of today and create sustainable changes in their own lives and communities. Screenings during the five-day festival, March 17th-21st, will be preceded by artistic performances from local buskers and followed by lively panel discussions with filmmakers from across the nation or local experts...
![Maidentrip](https://senseofplace.dev/content/images/photos/greentopia-film-2015-maidentrip.jpg)
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is part of Greentopia(r)
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, a non-profit organization designed to educate and advocate for a more sustainable future while transforming the historic High Falls District of Rochester, NY. As part of Greentopia's transition to year-round activities, Greentopia | FILM has moved to the spring, independent of the fall Greentopia I FEST. One of its trademarks is the combination of home grown films and docs from around the globe.
![Walking Under Water](https://senseofplace.dev/content/images/photos/greentopia-film-2015-waking_water.jpg)
Film submissions represented 26 countries on six continents. The 34 films being screened this year come from 20 countries, 8 are locally produced, 7 are World Premieres and another 11 are New York State Premieres - screening in Rochester even before New York City audiences. For a complete film and event schedule or to buy tickets, visit www.greentopia.org/film; or connect with Greentopia | FILM at facebook.com/GreentopiaFILM and twitter.com/GrnFILM.
![The Immortalists](https://senseofplace.dev/content/images/photos/greentopia-film-2015-immortalist.jpg)
The 2015 festival features a wide array of inspiring and entertaining films through which we encounter the kaleidoscope of people that make up an Arizona prison town or literally make the shirt on your back; scientists passionate about saving seeds or fighting the ravages of time; and local teenagers who through a course called Hospice help strangers in their last days of life.
![Beginning With The End](https://senseofplace.dev/content/images/photos/greentopia-film-2015-beginning_end.jpg)
Continuing its tradition of including free events and non-traditional venues, on March 19th at the this year's URBAN FOREST CINEMA in the Brown's Race Market Atrium, Greentopia I FILM will host three free special events (5-8:00pm): TRUTH BE TOLD - a panel of local and visiting journalists and filmmakers explore storytelling at the intersection of journalism and documentaries; GREEN DRINKS - a networking social for members of Rochester's sustainability community; and the World Premiere of three locally-produced documentaries, including a multi-media film with narration and original score, performed live.
![A Will For The Woods](https://senseofplace.dev/content/images/photos/greentopia-film-2015-willforwoods.jpg)
A highlight each year is SHORT COURSES, the often sold-out opening night event at Good Luck Restaurant where four short food films are paired by Chef Dan Martello with four courses of food and wine inspired by them. Another annual tradition is KIDTOPIA | FILM, a mini-festival of short films for children.
![Pandora's Promise](https://senseofplace.dev/content/images/photos/greentopia-film-2015-tiny.jpg)
A highpoint of the festival takes place on Friday, March 20th when Cotton Road receives Greentopia | FILM's FORK IN THE ROAD AWARD, which honors "a film that helps us understand how our choices determine the world we live in and and the possibilities for those who follow," said Linda Moroney, festival Director. "We're proud to bring all the films in this festival to Rochester, but the FORK IN THE ROAD AWARD is reserved for a truly exemplary feature that aims to make a difference in people's lives."
![Tiny](https://senseofplace.dev/content/images/photos/greentopia-film-2015-pandoras_promise.jpg)
New this year is SHORTOPIA, a program showcasing new visions and new voices through documentary shorts, most of which are Premieres or directorial debuts. It is followed by SHORT DOCS I TALL BOCKS, a social at Roc Brewing hosted by the Rochester Young Professionals, featuring the Greentopia Trivia Contest.
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