EFFY 2016
2016 Grand Jury Prize: Nerve
Directed by Ben Evans
Feature Film
In 1984, when Vietnam veteran Craig Williams heard that the Department of Defense planned to incinerate over 500 tons of chemical weapons stockpiled in his small Kentucky hometown, he began the fight of his life. “NERVE” tells the remarkable story of a small band of ordinary people who took on the world’s most powerful bureaucracy – building an international movement from the ground up, transforming the way nations destroy their chemical weapons, winning Williams the 2006 Goldman Environmental Prize, and continuing to empower citizens around the world to stand up for their environmental rights.
2016 Honorable Mention: Racing Extinction
Directed by Louie Psihoyos
Feature Film
Utilizing state-of-the-art equipment, Oscar®-winner Louie Psihoyos (The Cove) assembles a team of artists and activists intent on showing the world never-before-seen images that expose issues of endangered species and mass extinction.
2016 Audience Choice: Landfill Harmonic
Directed by Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley
Feature Film
Landfill Harmonic follows the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, a Paraguayan musical group that plays instruments made entirely out of garbage. When their story goes viral, the orchestra is catapulted into the global spotlight. Under the guidance of idealistic music director Favio Chavez, the orchestra must navigate a strange new world of arenas and sold-out concerts. However, when a natural disaster strikes their country, Favio must find a way to keep the orchestra intact and provide a source of hope for their town. The film is a testament to the transformative power of music and the resilience of the human spirit.
2016 Best Short Film: Moving the Giants
Directed by Michael Ramsey
Short Film
In 1991, arborist David Milarch had a near-death experience that inspired a personal quest to reforest our planet. He would harvest the genetics of the world’s oldest trees, initiate tree-planting efforts to combat climate change, and help restore the planet’s health. Remarkably, he has been doing just that. Moving the Giants tells David’s story, as he helps California coastal redwoods migrate northward to survive climate changes that threaten their current habitat. His is one path to promote “treequestration,” a mass movement to use one of nature’s most prolific methods to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and reduce the amount of future climate change.
