Alfalfa: The Future of Climate Storytelling
ALFALFA is a dynamic eco-noir thriller set against the backdrop of the fast-developing, parched American West, from award-winning Director Jack Fessenden (Stray Bullets, Foxhole). In this Altman-esque tale of a desert community ravaged by water scarcity, every drop counts, and people's choices matter. An indie movie for the LANDMAN audience, ALFALFA is a case study for bold, entertaining storytelling with an impact.
To solve the climate crisis, we must first solve the crisis of imagination. Join philanthropist and thought leader Reverend Lennox Yearwood (Producer, Alfalfa) actress and environmental activist Alysia Reiner (Orange is the New Black, Sideways) and director Jack Fessenden for a panel discussion and fundraiser to support ALFALFA, which will help reframe climate change as a cultural fight.
For those interested in supporting the future of impact storytelling, this evening will feature unforgettable climate moments in film and TV, a sneak peak of the feature film, and real life solutions from Project Drawdown that demonstrate the intersection of climate action and culture.
Join us at the Ideal Glass Atelier (22 E 2nd St, New York NY) on May 27th from 6:00-9:00 PM. Reception with Panel Discussion and Q+A to follow. Food and drink will be provided!
To make a tax deductible donation to the film through our 501(c)3 Fiscal Sponsor The Utah Film Center, click here.
PANELISTS:
JACK FESSENDEN is one of IndieWire's "11 Great Indie Filmmakers 30 and Under You Need To Know". Jack completed his first feature film, Stray Bullets, during his sophomore year in high school. It received a 12-city theatrical release through Screen Media Films, and is available to stream on major platforms. Starring James Le Gros and Kevin Corrigan, Stray Bullets was heralded by the Hollywood Reporter as a “strikingly impressive…blazingly confident debut” and by Slant Magazine as “[reducing] a stock scenario to its primal essence, informing genre blood sport with pulp transcendentalism.” His second feature, Foxhole (2021), “achieves an almost abstract beauty” (Josh Siegel, MoMA) and is the winner of the Woodstock Film Festival’s ‘Best Ultra Indie’ award, heralded as a “deft and accomplished piece of work” by the festival jury. It was distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films with a theatrical run at the IFC Center in New York and the Laemmle Music Hall in L.A.
REV YEARWOOD is the President & CEO of Hip Hop Caucus. He is Executive Producer on the upcoming Tom McCarthy/Artist Equity climate movie "The Statement" starring Paul Rudd and John Turturro. Rev Yearwood is the Host of the award-winning climate and environmental justice podcast The Coolest Show, Senior Advisor of Bloomberg Philanthropies Beyond Petrochemicals Campaign, and one of the most innovative advocates and strategists for racial justice and climate justice. He is a White House Champion of Change for Climate leadership and according to Rolling Stone he is a "New Green Hero".
ALYSIA REINER (she/her) is a SAG Award–winning actress (Orange Is the New Black, Ms. Marvel, Better Things, The Diplomat etc) and a fierce advocate for climate justice, food equity, and sustainability. She created Fridge Raid for Environmental Working Group's “Save the Food” campaign and champions regenerative agriculture, zero waste, and conscious consumption through both grassroots action and global platforms.
She is an ambassador for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, Plastic Pollution Coalition, and The Dandelion Project, serves on the advisory board of Earth Day Initiative, is the co-founder of LIVARI, a zero-waste fashion initiative, and the eco-emissary for zero waste Izzy Beauty. Additionally she is on the advisory board for https://www.airprotein.com/ - the first negative carbon, vegan, nutrient-dense, affordable food made from air!
Awarded a “Pioneer in Filmmaking" award she’s been invited to speak at the United Nations, The White House, Milken Global, Cannes Lions, Sundance and countless film festivals on the intersection of art and activism. Whether onscreen or on the frontlines of climate advocacy (yes, she’s even a volunteer firefighter), Alysia is committed to building a more sustainable, equitable future for all.