This coming Sunday is a day for mom. What better way to spend that time with the woman, who gave your birth, then learn more about saving Mother Earth. While you’re at it, help the Montana International Film Festival (MINT) and Northern Plains Resource Council continue its quest to raise awareness about the planet and climate change through the annual environMINT Film Festival.
COVID-19 has been a curse to many film festivals, who have had to either cancel their fest altogether or drastically scale down their programming while providing online screeners. But one blessing to come out of this viral situation is the ability to bring nationwide attention to small and regional festivals. The environMINT Film Festival is one of those festivals. Formed by two local non-profits, the Montana International Film Festival (MINT) and Northern Plains Resource Council, are partnering to bring environmental films to Billings and beyond. Northern Plains and MINT collaborated last year to bring a night of conservation-focused films to Billings during the 2019 MINT Film Festival. This event is an expansion of that partnership and a continuation of the goal to bring thoughtful, inspiring, environmental films from all over the world to Montana.
“…a new mother’s quest to understand the increasing isolation…and how bikes, especially cargo bikes, could be an antidote.”
This year’s featured film will be Motherload, an award-winning, crowdsourced documentary about a new mother’s quest to understand the increasing isolation and disconnection of the digital age, its planetary impact, and how bikes, especially cargo bikes, could be an antidote.
The online showing is scheduled for Mother’s Day afternoon – Sunday, May 10, at 2:00 PM (Mountain) – and will include a Q&A with film director Liz Canning. Ticket pricing is tiered as pay-what-you-can (from $5-15) with all proceeds benefiting the programming of Northern Plains and MINT.
“While the world is experiencing isolation like never before, I believe that the human spirit will remain undefeated,” says Brian Murnion, Executive Director of MINT. “If the cinema has taught me anything, it is that humans are resilient and can persevere through the worst of times. We are capable of creating innovative and beautiful solutions that make the world a better place, especially when the odds are not in our favor. It is this triumphant human spirit that is at the heart of the film MOTHERLOAD. Not just a film about cycling, but a story about people who go against the odds and creatively solve problems that will have an impact for generations to come.”
“a story about people who go against the odds and creatively solve problems that will have an impact for generations to come.”
While Northern Plains and MINT have always viewed film fests as an opportunity to reach new audiences, this year, the focus will turn even more toward celebrating community and bringing people together through film and story. The goal is to make this an engaging event with audience participation in the online format.
“For Northern Plains, our film fests have always been an opportunity to share our values with the broader community,” continued Gulick. “This year, especially, we find it inspiring to see stories about local problems and how people work together to develop solutions.”
Northern Plains has also hosted fall film festivals each year in Miles City and Gardiner. Touring of specially-curated short films through environMINT is anticipated to take place in those communities this fall provided social gatherings are deemed healthy and safe at that time.
For more information about this event, visit NorthernPlains.org/FilmFest.
To learn more about the MINT Film Festival, visit MINTfilmfestival.org
Wonderful! This is what happens when a talented, dedicated woman takes on the challenge of motherhood and social responsibility. Who would’a thought a bike could do so much. The stars are the kids! Their faces are unforgettable!