Friday, March 17, 2006; WE38

The 14th annual Environmental Film Festival opened Thursday with animated children's films in the morning and then a screening of Hubert Sauper's Oscar-nominated documentary "Darwin's Nightmare" (also showing Friday at the Austrian Embassy). These two opening events illustrated the festival's dual focus: to entertain and teach with films that celebrate our natural world and the threats it faces.

Managing director Helen Strong says, "What we try to do is to use the power of film to show not only the environmental issues that everyone's concerned about, but also to show the majesty of the environment."

Showcasing 100 films from 23 countries, this year's festival, through March 26, will include world premieres by major filmmakers. "We try to get as much diversity as possible," Strong says. "We have everything from the Amazon rain forest to the Anacostia River." Films about local issues include Todd Clark's "The Anacostia -- Restoring the People's River," "Brood X: Year of the Cicada" (directed by Rohit Colin Rao and Greg R.S. Kihlstrom), "On the Edge: The Potomac River's Dyke Marsh," directed by Dave Eckert, and "EnvironMentors Investigators" by students from Eastern Senior High School.

Among the 46 filmmakers who will introduce their films and answer questions from audiences will be some big names in documentary filmmaking: Jacques Perrin (whose "Winged Migration" was nominated for an Oscar in 2003) will introduce 1989's "The Monkey Folk"; Bolivian documentarian Jorge Ruiz will present a new print of his landmark 1953 film, "Vuelve Sebastiana"; Christian Frei will show his Oscar-nominated "War Photographer," plus Cuban-themed "Ricardo, Miriam y Fidel" and "The Giant Buddhas," about the statues destroyed by the Taliban in central Afghanistan in 2001. Canadian TV host and scientist David Suzuki will show "The Green Revolution in Cuba"; Les Blank and Gina Leibrecht will screen "The Tea Film," their work in progress about the quest for China's finest organic teas; and "Affluenza" director John de Graaf will present his latest film, "Buyer, Be Fair: The Promise of Product Certification."

Other highlights include the Environmental Student Short Film Festival (Saturday at American University), with films by high school and college students; a 13-day Terrence Malick retrospective, starting with "Badlands" at the AFI Silver Theatre on Saturday afternoon; and the D.C. premiere of director Werner Herzog's "The White Diamond" Sunday at the National Gallery.

From issue films to celebrations of nature, Strong says, "we don't want [audiences] to think of the environment as this depressing thing. It's nice to point out the really wonderful [aspects] of the environment, too." Ultimately, Strong hopes the festival will entertain while encouraging "responsible stewardship of [our] natural resources."

For film listings, see Repertory (Page 43), call 202-342-2564 to request a brochure, or visit http://www.dcenvironmentalfilmfest.org .

In a nod to the National Gallery of Art's "Dada" exhibit, 16 baby grand player pianos will play a portion of George Antheil's score as accompaniment to Fernand Leger's 1924 short film "Le Ballet Mecanique," a collaboration among Leger, Man Ray and Dudley Murphy. Catch the show daily in the East Building Mezzanine through March 29 at the gallery, Fourth Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Call 202-737-4215 or visit http://www.nga.gov .

Thursday marks the start of American University's third annual Reel Journalism festival, through March 25, focusing on journalists in the movies. The first offering is the documentary "Democracy on Deadline: The Global Struggle for an Independent Press," at the Weschler Theatre on AU's campus. Other festival offerings include a screening of "Good Night, and Good Luck" at the Greenberg Theatre, followed by a panel discussion with media figures and Edward R. Murrow's son, Casey Murrow. After a screening of Bill Gentile's new documentary, "Dateline Afghanistan: Reporting the Forgotten War," Christian Frei makes another appearance, this time in a panel discussion after a showing of his 2002 documentary, "War Photographer." Some screenings are free. Call 202-885-2587 or visit http://www.american.edu/media .

It lost the Oscar battle to "March of the Penguins," but "Street Fight" has another shot on the big screen at AFI, in a special one-week engagement beginning Friday. Marshall Curry's documentary chronicles the 2002 mayoral campaign in Newark, N.J., in which two African American Democrats were engaged in a hotly contested race. Friday at 7:30, Curry will introduce the film and answer questions from the audience afterward. At the AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring. For information and showtimes, call 301-495-6720 or visit http://www.afi.com/silver/new .

-- Christina Talcott