Claudia Kanne spoke with eloquence as she discussed the life-and-death experience she had more than 12 years ago when she ingested a toxic dry-cleaning solvent. Kanne survived and was able to tell her story through a diary-turned-documentary called “Dry-Clean Only.”
Kanne’s film, along with more than 40 other submissions, will be presented at the sixth annual Cinema Verde International Environmental Film and Arts Festival today through Sunday at the Paramount Plaza Hotel.
“Cinema Verde provides environmental education to the public to foster sustainable solutions and help forge a healthier future for all,” said Trish Riley, festival director.
Cinema Verde was one of the first film festivals Kanne sent her documentary to.
“The Q&A is the thing I am looking forward to most, and I am so thrilled to be in this festival,” Kanne said.
Seven of the directors chosen in the festival will attend via Skype for people in the audience to walk up to the computer and ask questions, Riley said.
Cinema Verde presented one of its films at the Key West Film Festival in November and is set to take films to the International School of Sustainable Business in the Philippines at the end of February.
“This is the year we need to move from a volunteer effort to a fully professional operation, so we are seeking a strong corporate sponsor to partner with us and help Cinema Verde achieve its personal goal,” Riley said.
Tickets are $10 for about a two-hour entry, and a film-only day pass is $25.
Emily Schmidt, a 19-year-old UF environmental science sophomore, said she’s attending because of her strong concern for the environment.
”I am looking forward to the live music and watching environmentally driven films with other people that share the same care and passions I do.”
[A version of this story ran on page 6 on 2/12/2015 under the headline “Cinema Verde festival starts today"]
