GREEN SCHOOL TOURS
in partnership with
The 8th annual Green School Tours will run March to May 2021
Since 1999, Planet in Focus has played a significant role in helping to raise awareness about the state of our planet through the power of film in schools and communities across Canada. Planet in Focus Teachers’ Guides are now available for selected titles. These guides provide background on the topics covered in the films, as well as additional resources like news coverage, helpful videos and websites for further research.
Due to current circumstances, Planet in Focus is now offering the free Green School Tours program to your virtual classrooms! A curated list of environmental films are available online, and include teachers guides or filmmaker Q&A sessions.
The first 3 schools in each region will receive a free in-school film festival
- Brantford
- North Eastern Toronto
- Hamilton
- Thunder Bay
If you do not qualify for a free program, please email schools@planetinfocus.org for alternative options.
Canadian Film 
Teacher’s Guide available 
Filmmaker Q&A available 
RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 1-6
Rematriate: Passing the Seeds
Shelby Lisk | Canada | 6 min
Major themes: Indigenous stories, argiculture
In the spring of 2019, Ratinenhayén:thos, a group of seed savers and farmers Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, rematriated a collection of heirloom seeds from the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul, in Kingston, Ontario. In the time leading up to the rematriation*, the two groups shared knowledge of the collection, agricultural practices and solidified their commitment to one another and, most importantly, to the seeds.
Me, A Monster?
Belinda Bonan | Spain | 6 min
Themes: upcycling, global impact
Nono is the only inhabitant of planet Pano. He lives happily and spends his days taking care of his small and beloved planet. One day, the unexpected visit of Be2 will alter everything and will have a big impact on Nono. Despite their obvious differences, both will find a way to communicate and, therefore, live together in harmony.
The Global Food Waste Crisis
Elise Dadourian | The Netherlands | 20 min
Themes: food waste, climate change
Over one third of the food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted. Because food-waste has severe social, economic, and environmental consequences, it is a key sustainability challenge. Fortunately, the people of Denmark are leading the effort fo combat this global issue.
WhateverTree
Isaac King | Canada | 11 min
Themes: technology, natural connections
A dead tree goes viral, attracting wildlife, a nature lover, and a crowd of online followers. Animated entirely outside, “WhateverTree” examines our connection to nature in the age of social media, screens, and selfies.
RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 6-12
Coral Ghosts
Andrew Nisker | Canada | 78 min
Major themes: climate change, ocean preservation
Dr. Tom Goreau, a marine biologist, inherited the family legacy of protecting the world’s coral reefs at a time when they have never faced greater threats. Told through intimate verite, never seen before archival film and photographs and stunning underwater photography, this character driven film brings viewers from a dusty attic in Cambridge to the shores of Jamaica, Bikini Atoll, and Bali on a Scientists journey to protect the coral that his father died documenting.
Meat the Future
Liz Marshall | Canada | 88 min
Themes: global/local food systems, technology
Meat the Future is a timely documentary about “cell-based” meat, also referred to as “cultivated” meat, a food science that grows real meat from animal cells in a controlled and clean environment; a revolution in food production, proposing a sustainable way to feed the world in the future without the need to breed, raise and slaughter animals. From a meatball which cost $18,000 per pound in 2016 to the world’s first cell-based poultry in 2017 for half the cost, the film follows Dr. Valeti over three years as the cost of production continues to plummet and consumers eye the birth of this industry.
Conscience Point
Treva Wurmfeld | USA | 74 min
Themes: Indigenous rights, social justice
Beneath the mystique of The Hamptons, among one of the wealthiest zip codes in the U.S., lies the history of the area’s original inhabitants. The Shinnecock Indian Nation were edged off their land over the course of hundreds of years, pushed onto an impoverished reservation, and condemned to watch their sacred burial grounds plowed to make way for mega-mansions and marquee attractions like the exclusive Shinnecock Hills Golf Club–five-time host of the U.S. Open.
That’s Wild
Michael Thomas | USA | 76 min
Themes: environmental racism, natural connections
The award-winning feature documentary That’s Wild tells the inspiring journey of three underserved teenage boys from Atlanta attempting to climb four 12,000 ft snowcapped peaks in the heart of the Colorado wilderness, all while overcoming their own personal mountains.
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