In celebration of Earth Day on Monday, April 22nd, the Climate Action Alliance of the Valley and Court Square Theater are offering a FREE, community showing of the Academy-Award-nominated animated film The Red Turtle!
The Red Turtle
Monday, April 22 | 7PM
Court Square Theater
41-F Court Square, Harrisonburg
FREE! All welcome!
The Red Turtle‘s simple but stunning story about humankind’s struggle against nature will appeal to audiences young and old. The film is completely dialogue free, so members of the community who speak different languages can appreciate its universal message together!
At its simplest level, the film is about a man who is isolated on an island and battles a giant turtle. Looking at it symbolically, Dutch illustrator, animator and director Michaël Dudok de Wit says that the man represents humankind and the turtle represents nature. In recorded interviews he calls it “a love letter to nature.” He also intended the story as a statement about the power of nature and about humankind reconnecting with nature.
The 80-minute animation was a hit at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, critically acclaimed at its 2017 U.S. release, and later nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Rotten Tomatoes, a leading review website, gave it 94% and called it “…a beautifully animated effort whose deceptively simple story boasts narrative layers as richly absorbing as its lovely visuals.”
The Red Turtle appeals to viewers young and old, English-speakers and non-English speakers, casual movie-goers and analytical movie-goers. De Wit successfully uses visual storytelling and the characters’ face and body language to convey emotion in place of dialogue. He describes The Red Turtle as kid-friendly, though there is animal death which reviewers suggest will be appropriate for children age 10 and up.
Early arrivers can enjoy FREE POPCORN thanks to support from the Shenandoah Group of the Sierra Club! (Limited supply of free small popcorn for the first 33 guests).
Come celebrate our connection to Earth with your community this Earth Day!
Check out the movie trailer HERE.
Learn more about The Red Turtle in this interview with the movie’s director Michaël Dudok de Wit HERE.
Bob Corso of WHSV-TV interviewed organizer Lynn Smith for 1 on 1 about the film and Earth day on April 22, 2019:
Click here or on the image above to find this 1 on 1 segment.
Climate Action Alliance of the Valley 