Pelicam, the international environmental film festival, already at its 10th edition this year was held between October 15-24. The festival reached over 7,000 views in this online edition, with films broadcast in single screenings, free of charge, on the official website of the festival. The program also included Q&A sessions with filmmakers at the end of screenings, live debates with journalists and environmental specialists and workshops for children. The theme of this anniversary edition was “Defending tomorrow”, in honor of those who fight for the environment. Pelicam is the only film festival in Romania dedicated entirely to the environment and is a member of the Green Film Network, the international network of environmental film festivals.

The grand prize of the anniversary edition is won by the Dutch film White Cube (Netherlands, 2020), directed by Renzo Martens. The film thus receives the Pelicam Trophy, worth 2,000 euros, offered by the National Cultural Fund Administration (AFCN). White cube has been screened with the support of Dutch Embassy in Romania.

White Cube follows Renzo Martens’ attempts to revive the local economy on a Congolese plantation, where former plantation workers make sculptures that are reproduced in chocolate and then exhibit them in major museums in New York and London. The money is used to buy back the land that was confiscated from them by Unilever.

The Jury of the Feature Film Competition was formed by Romana Puiuleț, co-founder of RISE Project and investigative journalist at OCCRP, Monica Lăzurean-Gorgan, documentary film producer and director, and Antoine Avignon, founder of the Albanian Environmental Film Festival (EFFA) and EU Environment Delegate in Serbia.

‘The jury chose White Cube because it covers an intense story, filmed over a considerable period of time, which allows the development of a broader perspective on the history of postcolonial capitalist exploitation and, at the same time, on African art and artists. The film brings more sincere and subtle stories along with excellent image quality. ‘

The jury also chose to give a special mention to the film Current Sea for its compelling story about sea pollution, illegal fishing and marine conservation.

The prize of the Fresh Perspectives competition is awarded to the film We the Power, the documentary by David Garrett Byars. The Fresh Perspectives competition is dedicated to films that offer new and innovative solutions to environmental problems. The prize, worth 1,000 euros, is offered by Orange. ‘We believe that We the Power is the winner because it is inspirational and informative. The solution it suggests has the ultimate goal of fighting global warming and helping communities produce their own energy. ‘, said the members of the Fresh Perspectives jury Bianca Badiu, 17 years old from Cluj-Napoca, Ioana Gioabă, 14 years old from Buzău and Andrei Cupșa, 16 years old from Brașov. The three members of the Fresh jury also decided to give a special mention to the documentary “The People vs. Agent Orange” which tells the story of two brave women who have been fighting with the US chemical industry for over 20 years.

The audience award, which rewards the most popular film of this edition, offered by the Les Herbes Folles Association and worth 1,000 euros, is won by Bread, the documentary reaching over 400 viewers. Bread has been screened with the support of Forum Cultural Austriac.

All the screenings of the films in the anniversary edition of Pelicam took place online, and the film Bread also had an offline screening at Cinema Elvira Popesco. The festival also organized five workshops for children together with the Seneca Eco Logos Association. 57 children participated in the children’s workshops.

Pelicam – The International Environmental Film Festival is organized by the Les Herbes Folles Association and co-financed by the National Cultural Fund Administration (AFCN)

Presented by: Orange

Sponsor: Saga Film

Partners: Seneca EcoLogos, Digidemat, Editura Seneca

Institutional partners: Dutch Embassy in Bucharest, Swiss Embassy in Romania, Swiss Sponsors ’Fund, French Institute, Royal Danish Embassy Bucharest, Spanish Embassy in Bucharest, Austrian Cultural Forum.

Media partners: Radio Guerilla, DOR, Scena9, EduPedu, Hotnews.ro.