Cape Town Eco Film Festival opens this week

"We've got so many environmental documentaries to share with Capetonians, we've had to extend the length of the festival by a day," says the event's co-founder and organiser, Dougie Dudgeon.

Among the 25 short and feature-length films to be on show, are 10 movies that have never been seen in South Africa. "Whether you're interested in fracking or industrial hemp production, genetic engineering or climate change, the fate of the world's bees or organic food, we've got a documentary film for you," adds partner Andreas Wilson-Späth.

Highlights

• Gasland Part II - the follow-up to the 2011 Oscar-nominated film Gasland about fracking
• Blackfish - an eco-thriller about the plight of killer whales in captivity and the danger that comes with it.
• Bringing It Home - a film about industrial hemp cultivation featuring Cape Town's own hemp expert Tony Budden of Hemporium fame
• More Than Honey - a Swiss masterpiece that compares old-fashioned beekeeping with its modern industrial counterpart

The Cape Town Eco Film Festival is a project of While You Were Sleeping, a non-profit organisation dedicated to bringing documentary films with important environmental, social and political messages to South African audiences.

Sponsored by Greenpop

Tickets will sell for R45, of which R5 will go towards festival sponsor Greenpop's tree planting efforts. "Festival goers will also be able to buy 'Tree Tickets', which will cost R160 and each of which will allow Greenpop to plant a tree," explains Wilson-Späth.

The festival is made possible through contributions from sponsors Reliance Compost, JoJo Tanks, Hemporium, Ballo and Earthbound wines, and is hosted in partnership with Greenpop, Exploring Consciousness, Simply Green, Green Times, Project 90 By 2030, Bicycle Cape Town, Bellovista Productions, Janet Botes, Coz it Counts and the Charter for Compassion.

For more information, go to www.capetownecofilmfestival.com.