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Director: Cristina Ceuca
10 min, United Kingdom, 2019
Age restriction: 0+
Genre: Short Documentary
This is a short wildlife documentary about the fascinating Turing patterns in nature and how they may help endangered species around the world.
The first half of the film introduces three characters – a science writer, Philip Ball and two mathematicians, Natasha Ellison and Philip Maini. They will take us on a quest to explain who Alan Turing was and what is his connection with patterns in nature. Alan Turing was able to explain, using two mathematical equations, how the patterns arise in nature, from zebra stripes and leopard spots to landscapes and even animal movements. This is quintessential for the story, as we will later show how this can help endangered species.
The second part of the film is showing how these patterns can help with conservation. The main example for this will be the beautiful patterns of a whale shark, as their spot point configuration forms a Turing pattern. The last person introduced will be Iru, the Lead Field Coordinator of the Maldives Whale Shark Research. Through her, viewers will discover how the team can identify individual whale sharks by their unique spots on their skin.
Natasha Ellison specialises in models which describe ecological processes. This means she can describe the patterns formed by animal movements, using Turing’s pattern formation theory. She will explain to the viewers that the patterns can also exist in the way the animals use their landscape. Where animal coat patterns are created by chemical reactions, animal movement patterns are created by behaviours, such as foraging for food or avoiding predators. Natasha will link then the animal movement theory with the whale shark movement. This film will take viewers on a fascinating journey, from the secret world of mathematical ecology to incredible Turing patterns in nature and beautiful underwater scenes.
Solar for all
Director: Michael Skinner , Jon Michael Shink
27 min, USA, 2020
Age restriction: 0+
Genre: Documentary
The District’s Solar for All program is one of the most progressive solar mandates in the United States, with a goal of providing 100,000 low-to-moderate income families with lower energy costs through solar. Solar For All explores how the District is using innovation and equitable access to local, clean energy to lower the energy burden for the city’s most vulnerable residents and protect underserved communities in the face of our changing climate.
Goodwill Dumping
Director: Teddy Cherim
26 min, Netherlands, 2019
Age restriction: 0+
Genre: Documentary
A stylised documentary about what happens to donated clothing from the moment it is discarded.
The stylised fashion documentary Goodwill Dumping brings the enormity of the industry surrounding donated secondhand clothing to light. The film showcases the journey that discarded pieces of clothing make and what kind of impact this has on local industries. Due to its globalized scale this immense industry has something otherworldly. The film shows the process and butterfly effect caused by the simple action of donating your old T-shirt. Creatures consisting out of mountains of discarded clothes add a layer of stylized and surrealistic commentary on the industry.
Festivals:
WINNER – Best Short Documentary Wellington Independent Film Festival
WINNER – Best Short Film Environmental Film Festival at Yale
WINNER – Short Documentary Winner SIMA (Social Impact Media Awards)
NOMINATION – Official Selection ARFF Amsterdam