Seven Days: Vermont's Independent Voice

A Place in the World

Woodstock’s covered bridges and unspoiled farms are already eye candy, but a brand-new village film festival fosters an increased appreciation of nature. Linked with the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital, this four-day celebration of landscapes features 17 films and documentaries from all over the globe, complete with a lineup of filmmakers and notable presenters to introduce each. Filmmaker John Grabowska, for example, attends a showing of his 30-minute short “Ribbon of Sand,” which investigates the untouched Outer Banks of North Carolina. Alan Dater and Lisa Merton’s “Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai” profiles the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner and environmental activist. Other footage, from Frederick Law Olmsted’s urban parks to fly fishing in belly boats, adds to this thoughtful examination of “place.”