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GOLETA, CA — The Wild and Free Film Festival has announced that the recipient of its first Wild and Free Spirit Award will be the award-winning documentary How to Change the World — the story of the pioneers who founded Greenpeace and helped define the modern environmental movement. This special event, marking the film’s 10-year anniversary, will take place on Saturday, November 15, at 5:45 p.m. at the Camino Real Cinemas in Goleta.
Accepting the award on behalf of the film is one of its stars, Rex Weyler, co-founder of Greenpeace International. Weyler will also participate in a Q&A after the screening. An American-Canadian author, journalist, and ecologist, Weyler is best known as a co-founder of Greenpeace International and a pivotal member of the organization’s early campaigns. In the 1970s, he served as a director and campaign photographer on the first Greenpeace whale and seal expeditions, capturing images that brought the environmental movement to global attention. He is the author of six books, including Greenpeace: The Inside Story, and has contributed essays, poetry, and photographs to numerous publications.
“We’re delighted to have Rex Weyler join us for this special anniversary screening,” said Gareth Kelly, Executive Director of the Wild and Free Film Festival. “The 1971 protest that led to the formation of Greenpeace was a pivotal moment in the environmental movement, and its legacy through this film, particularly in how these issues are presented by the media, continues today.”
This marquee Saturday night event, part of day two of the festival, will also include the WAFFF Awards honoring the best films of the festival.
WAFFF opens Friday, November 14, at 6:30 p.m. with the Central Coast Premiere of Checkpoint Zoo, directed by Joshua Zeman and executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio. The documentary follows a daring rescue led by a team of zookeepers and volunteers who risked their lives to save thousands of animals trapped in a Ukrainian zoo during the Russian invasion. Opening night is expected to sell out.
The festival will showcase 30 films across three days, along with filmmaker Q&As, panels, receptions, and notable guests.
All Festival Passes and Tickets are on sale now at http://www.wildandfreefilm.org/tickets
More information about all the films and scheduling can be found at http://www.wildandfreefilm.org
