EARTH CONNECTION FILM FESTIVAL

innovative environmental film

How can we foster hope in the shadow of environmental crises? Concern for future generations and choosing to be a positive force on Earth.
How do you view our interdependent relationship to Earth? Humans rely on Earth and its resources for our life and wellbeing. The earth is our home.
How do we instill a sense of responsibility to our environment? Guiding philosophies that include stewardship, moral obligation and traditional ecological knowledge.

The 2026 Festival: Earth Day, April 22, at IU Cinema in Bloomington, Indiana

The Earth Connection Film Festival supports filmmakers who address environmental challenges through storytelling. The festival awards $12,000 in screening fees and $5,250 in prizes to the winning films. This free international short film contest blends science and the arts, unleashing the power of storytelling to help channel our ideas of environmental crises to a more actionable, empowering space.

The 2026 festival will take place at the IU Cinema—a world-renown arthouse theater located on the Indiana University campus—as part of IU Cinema’s Creative Collaborations program.

Funding and support for the 2026 Festival is generously provided by the Earth Rising Foundation, the Indiana University Environmental Resilience Institute, the Indiana University Bloomington Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund, the Indiana University Cinema Creative Collaborations Award, the Indiana University Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, the Kelley School of Business Institute for Environmental and Social Sustainability, the Ostrom Workshop, the Jane Goodall Institut Deutschland and Tonic Walter.

Jane Goodall Institut – Deutschland
Tonic Walter - Official Artist Page

COMMUNITY OUTREACH INVITES YOUNG CHILDREN INTO FILM AND NATURE

This fall, we taught toddlers how to film nature. They ran through the forest of a local nature school to capture footage.

Early findings in our research indicate that early childhood memories play a key part in how adults relate to the environment. They remind us of why we love – and relate – to nature, something we ALL share in common. Footage from this event will be used to create short films that will promote our Earth Connection Film Festival and will feature at the event itself, wherein young children use the power of film to reclaim their awe, wonder and perspective of nature for adult eyes.

We face major environmental challenges, and reclaiming and remembering our universal love, wonder and awe of nature may be a tool to help us regain momentum. Longitudinal studies underpinning and informing this project examine deep processing, mental models and social norms, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Toddlers gather after filming the forest to wrap up by singing.
Festival director Dr. Jessica Eise with youngest filmmaker in attendance.
Miniature filmmakers running on set to start capturing footage.

© Earth Connection Film Festival