In celebration of Earth Day, American Film Showcase, a film exchange program sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, hosted a virtual film screening of the award-winning documentary Inventing Tomorrow. The documentary follows young scientists from Hawaii, India, Indonesia, and Mexico as they take an innovative approach to solving complex environmental challenges in their local communities. The global event, which featured participation from over 50 countries, united people from all walks of life around important issues such as climate change and the environment.
Following the screening, Inventing Tomorrow director Laura Nix moderated a discussion with Sahithi Pingali, a student scientist highlighted in the film, and Megan Smith, former U.S. Chief Technology Officer. Nix discussed her reason for creating the film, which was to showcase young people putting forth solutions to today’s environmental problems and to leave the audience with a sense of hope. She said, “When we believe in change, that’s when things can happen.” Pingali and Smith emphasized the importance of personal responsibility in meeting today’s challenges, as well as community engagement and finding innovative solutions to tackle these issues.
Follow the virtual film screening coverage and ongoing Earth Day conversation on Twitter #SolutionsStorytelling and #EarthDay.
American Film Showcase brings award-winning American documentaries, independent narrative films, web series, and animated shorts to worldwide audiences, offering insight into American society and culture. Since its inaugural year in 2011, AFS has produced over 300 programs in 111 countries from every geographic region, reaching an estimated 200,000 people.
