Established in celebration of Earth Week 2008, the ECO Film & Arts Festival is the only festival of its kind in Canada that is dedicated to supporting the local creative community with the net proceeds from each year.

Accordingly, the ECO Artist Program was established with the net proceeds from the 2009 ECO Film & Arts Festival to support local filmmakers and artists in creating environmentally-inspired works that will be featured at upcoming festivals.

In addition to screening the most acclaimed Canadian and international environmental films, an important part of the festival’s mandate is to showcase the works of local and student filmmakers, photographers, artists and designers.

The ECO Film & Arts Festival is a celebration of our local arts and environmental communities working together to increase awareness and affect social change. Audiences will leave feeling that they can be a part of the solution to environmental problems.

An important component of the festival is the opportunity for open discussion, either with filmmakers or with local experts on environmental issues. Thought-provoking films that raise awareness of interconnected ecological, social, and economic themes at the local and global community levels provoke dialogue and stimulate effective action.

The ECO Film & Arts Festival provides an experience that goes beyond passive film viewing: through the power of the arts to inspire, educate and motivate, audiences will be encouraged to be the change they wish to see in the world.

The ECO Film & Arts Festival aims to promote environmental filmmaking in the Hamilton area by developing a program that nurtures local and student filmmakers, allowing them to be a catalyst for social change through the power of film.

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Students Bridging Borders (SBB) is a not-for-profit, Canadian NGO driven by secondary school students and their passion for environmental and social justice issues. It was founded at Westdale Secondary in 2008. Our mandate is to engage students to become dedicated global citizens advancing endeavors in the areas of environmental stewardship, international development, poverty relief and education.

SBB projects empower students, allowing them to become leaders on a world stage, to be risk-takers and innovators, to learn that almost anything is possible on this planet if you believe in yourself and have a clear vision. Proceeds from our initiatives are supporting communities in Kenya, and other developing nations struggling to cope with the impact of climate change. We also support local social justice and environmental projects that reduce our ecological footprint.

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The ECO Film & Arts Festival aims to model sustainability by reducing waste and providing recycling at all festival events ( “zero waste”); using reclaimed materials for art and fashion design submissions; encouraging the use of public transportation, carpooling and bicycling; and supporting local, organic, and Fair Trade producers.