Climate Action NOW Monthly Film Festival is excited to launch our 3rd SEASON of monthly film screenings that will help navigate us through climate impacts, biodiversity loss, and the plastic crisis in our communities with innovative solutions.
You don’t want to miss our eye-opening event on Monday evening September 28, 2026! Sea levels on the U. S. East Coast are rising at an accelerated rate since 2010, with some areas experiencing three to four times the global average. A 600-mile “hot spot” from Cape Hatteras, NC to Boston, MA has shown rapid, accelerated, rising rates of over half an inch per year.
JOIN US! 3-Short Screenings & Panel Discussion
DATE: Monday September 28, 2026
TIME: 7:00-9:30 PM
LOCATION: Cinema Arts Theatres
9650 Main Street, Fairfax, VA 22031
FREE!
Ample Parking
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Award-Winning THE RETREAT
Directed by Academy Award-Winning Thomas F. Lennon
THE RETREAT showcases three Rutgers scientists—ecologists Thomas “Motz” Grothues and Lisa Auermuller, along with oceanographer Oscar Schofield—alongside the Rutgers University Marine Field Station.
“We know with sea level rise, water isn’t just going to come and go,” Auermuller states in the film. “It’s going to come and stay. What we know as of today’s high tides… will be the permanent condition moving forward.”
Awarding-Winning Saliqmiut: people
along the coast, at the edge
Directed by Alan Rudolph Marcus
Saliqmiut: people along the coast, at the edge explores the impact of climate change on two communities in sharply different urban and natural settings. In January 2025, Los Angeles experienced the worst fires in its history, destroying more than 18,000 homes and structures. While in the small Canadian Inuit hamlet Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean the community is contending with coastal erosion, flooding and the town’s relocation. Saliqmiut adopts a novel fire and ice bifocal perspective to consider the local implications and adaption to the escalating effects of climate change.
Awarding-Winning SALTED EARTH
Directed by Ben Hemmings
Dive into the gripping world of Salted Earth, a powerful 20-minute documentary that reveals the silent crisis reshaping the Mid-Atlantic: rising sea levels. This film doesn’t just present facts; it immerses you in a vivid narrative of environmental turmoil, where the relentless surge of saltwater threatens to obliterate forests and fertile lands. As we follow a passionate team of scientists navigating these brackish waters, their quest becomes not just about research but a lifeline for vulnerable communities. “Can our strategy against the rising sea succeed, or are we fighting an unwinnable war?” This burning question resonates deeply, urging viewers to confront the stark realities of climate change and the fragile balance of our coastal ecosystems.
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OUR EXCEPTIONAL PANELISTS:
DR. P J RUESS, they/them, PhD, lead writer of the first Virginia Climate Assessment, released November 2025.
DANIEL E. MEDINA, he/him, PhD, PE, Stormwater Program Manager, City of Alexandria, Department of Project Implementation, is an experienced senior water resources engineer with more than 30 years of expertise in water resource systems planning, green infrastructure, and climate resilience across the United States and internationally.
MATT MEYERS, he/him, PE, Fairfax County Division Director of Environmental and Energy Coordination.
SARAH BAGLEY, she/her, Vice Mayor, City of Alexandria, VA. residents.
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MODERATOR:
ELLE KATHERINE CLEVELAND: Elle is an English and Communication Major at George Mason University, where she is dedicated to honing her skills in effective communication and literary analysis.
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EVENT SPONSOR: Climate Action NOW (CAN) 501c3.
EVENT PARTNERS: FIRA, Trace – The Zero Waste Store, American Solar USA, Go Electric DMV, Climate & Clean Energy Working Group.
BOOK SEATS NOW! Theatre only holds 240. Tickets are going quickly.
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SCHEDULE
6:45-7:00 PM | Gathering in Theatre Atrium, connect with event Partners to learn more about how to make small changes in your lives to restore biodiversity, drawdown more carbon, reduce plastic and live more sustainably
7:00 PM | OPENER, Dr. Ruess and the Virginia Climate Assessment (VCA). The VCA is the first comprehensive report detailing the impacts of climate change on Virginia’s economy, agriculture, transportation, and infrastructure. Created by the Virginia Climate Center at George Mason University, it consolidates insights from various experts and institutions. This resource aims to equip legislators, policymakers, and the public with reliable information on climate trends and their effects statewide.
7:15 PM | SCREENING of 3 shorts
8:30- 9:30 PM | PANEL DISCUSSION Q&A
JOIN US & BOOK SEATS NOW!
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Bring your own EMPTY drink and popcorn containers (that you can use to buy a drink and popcorn at Cinema Arts Theatres concession stand) to help make this a WASTE FREE event!