Climate Action! Festival at Lewes Depot hailed as a success

A Cabinet councillor at Lewes District Council has hailed the success of the recent Climate Action! Festival at the Lewes Depot cinema.

The festival was organised to provide a local focus on the climate emergency and coincided with the COP26 summit.

Councillor Matthew Bird, cabinet member for sustainability, was closely involved in organising the film event and was delighted with the response by film makers and audiences that packed into the Depot.

He said: “First and foremost, I want to thank the huge cast of people who made this wonderful event a reality, their creative brilliance and energy was incredible. Their vision, translated through the medium of film, projected really powerful messages about the need for climate action.

“The students and staff at the Brighton Screen and Film School, Seaford Environmental Alliance, Sussex Wildlife Trust, the Environment Agency, the Lewes Climate Hub and all those at Lewes Depot deserve special mention and my grateful thanks.”

For anyone who missed the film festival, all the films shown can be watched here

Claire Webster, co-ordinator for Creative Industries at the Brighton Screen and Film School, said: “The COP26 Summit Film Project has given Screen and Film School Brighton (SFS) students the opportunity to express values, challenge differences, share skills and genuinely feel active citizens.

“It has been a chance to feel part of something global from a local perspective. Lewes District Council and Lewes Depot have jointly created and supported a unique learning experience, and we are looking forward to a sustainable relationship and new ventures.”

During the festival, Lewes Climate Hub also hosted exhibitions, talks and workshops, exploring themes that are critical to tackling climate change at an international, community and personal level.

Natasha Padbury, Sustainability Manager at Lewes Depot, said: “This event was a powerful and reassuring showcase of the many key agents, organisations and individuals taking vital action in our area. It was an honour to premiere Brighton Film School's short films which offered such a fresh, creative youth voice to the festival."

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