There are many reasons to check out this year’s Planet In Focus, which begins on October 18th, other than the fact that our pal Julian Carrington is an Associate Programmer. There is a really well-curated and relevant selection of films playing at the festival, and it’s a very relevant time to be concerned about and celebrate the environment. Here are a few of the highlights:

Behemoth

Any film that references Dante is a must-see in our books, but to do so in a documentary about Inner Mongolia’s iron mines, evoking heat and a sense of purgatory is a strong achievement. Zhao Liang’s double award winner at Venice is worth seeing for the camerawork alone.

Screens Saturday, October 22nd at 7:30 pm at AGO Jackman Hall.

In Pursuit of Silence

Not every film dealing with the environment is heavy-handed, as Patrick Shen’s documentary focuses upon an element of concern that should be present in more of our lives: this, of course, being silence.

Drawing comparisons to the films of Godfrey Reggio, and focusing on John Cage, the film will hold great appeal for those seeking a life of peace and quiet.

Screens Friday, October 21st at 9 pm at AGO Jackman Hall

Bugs

When the world’s proteins start to disappear, guess what the next craze is going to be? That’s right, it’s going to be eating insects. But why wait, as the intrepid Nordic subjects of Andreas Johnson (director of Ai Wei Wei: The Fake Case) in his film search for ways to incorporate creepy crawlers into their diets. Best of all, audience members at this particular screening will get to maw on some complimentary crickets. Yum yum!

Screens Friday, October 21st at 7 pm at Innis Town Hall