Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital

09/08/2026

2026 DCEFF Closing Night Film and Shared Earth Foundation Award winner YANUNI is now free to stream on YouTube! www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhDdAONYZeQ

Directed by Richard Ladkani and produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, YANUNI follows Indigenous leader Juma Xipaia and the daily lives of the peoples fighting to defend the Amazon. Alongside her husband, Juma confronts politics, threats, and the onset of motherhood, all while bearing the personal cost of standing on the front lines of the resistance.

09/04/2026

DCEFF mourns the loss of author Wendell Berry, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 92. Laura Dunn’s films about Berry, which screened at DCEFF, are available to rent/purchase for those looking to celebrate the author this weekend. Learn more here: substack.com/home/post/p-214158596

09/03/2026

We're proud to again be hosting an official event as part of later this month! Sept. 21-27, we're offering a virtual selection of free films from our 2026 Festival focused on science and scientists! RSVP here: watch.eventive.org/dceff365

What does it mean to study a world in crisis? At the edge of uncertainty in a world of accelerating change, scientists test resilience, navigating the environmental challenges of today. This collection of films captures what can happen when observation becomes action, and when the pursuit of change carries real consequences for both people and the planet.

08/28/2026

We are very excited to be returning as a co-presenter for several unique environmental titles at the AFI Silver's upcoming Latin American Film Festival! Tickets are available at the discounted price of $10 today only! silver.afi.com/afi-latin-american-film-festival

DCEFF Co-presentations:

PAPAYA: Sept. 18 & 19 - New animated feature from Brazil!

MOUNTAINS OF FIRE: Sept. 20 & 23 - New narrative feature from Guatemala

THE DANCE OF THE KOKORRDIT: Sept. 26 - New docudrama from Panama

08/20/2026

Now through Sunday! Don't miss your chance to stream our 2026 Eric Moe Award lineup. This FREE program features this year's winner SALLIE'S ASHES and finalist THE CLEARING.

These powerful films follow activists from different generations in different part of the world fighting back against polluting and extractive industries.

Watch here: https://watch.eventive.org/dceff365/play/6a455d47597b7673abe36b46

08/12/2026

The filmmaker (Tasha Van Zandt) and subject (Dr. Edie Widder) of our 2026 Opener A LIFE ILLUMINATED were recently interviewed by NPR's All Things Considered. Check it out here: www.npr.org/2026/08/01/nx-s1-5913361/a-life-illuminated-is-a-deep-sea-documentary-that-explores-bioluminescence

"I felt the vastness of how much more wondrous discoveries there are to be found and, you know, as Edie often shares, how much more there is to find that we don't even know how to look for yet."

08/07/2026

We're searching for the very best environmental films to screen at our 35th Anniversary Festival. Be part of this milestone event in the nation's capital, April 8-17, 2027!

If you have a new film about climate change, conservation, environmental justice, or any topic centering important issues affecting the natural world, send them our way here: filmfreeway.com/EnvironmentalFilmFestivalInTheNationsCapital

07/24/2026

NUISANCE BEAR is this year's Werner Herzog Film Award recipient! So great to see our 2026 William W. Warner Award winner racking up more well-deserved accolades.

The Herzog Award is "given to special achievements in innovation, courage, and vision."

NUISANCE BEAR wins the Werner Herzog Film Prize 2026.

“ A courageous film: refreshingly youthful and truly groundbreaking. Through its beauty, its sorrow, and its profound insight, it reaches far beyond anything one would ordinarily expect from a wildlife film.” – Werner Herzog

Coming Soon. A MUBI Release.

07/23/2026

Our FREE virtual encore series kicks off today with these popular shorts from DCEFF 2026. Watch it here, now through Sunday: tinyurl.com/DCEFF-TrailblazersEncore

From wildlife photographers and climate scientists to Indigenous activists and land stewards, this showcase highlights individuals who are inspiring future generations to reassess and reimagine their relationships with the environment.

07/22/2026

Renowned oceanographer Sylvia A. Earle (2018 DCEFF Environmental Champion!) and coral conservationist Titouan Bernicot discuss five ways they believe we can turn the tide and revive our ocean.

Renowned oceanographer Sylvia Earle and coral conservationist Titouan Bernicot discuss the state of the ocean, how their organizations are working to protect and restore marine ecosystems, and innovative strategies for scaling conservation impact.