“Silt” Film Viewing & Panel Discussion
WHEN
Wednesday, July 24th, 5-7pm MST
WHERE
RedLine Contemporary Art Center - 2350 Arapahoe St, Denver, CO, 80205
WHAT
As part of our FEMA Climate Resiliency, Photography and Storytelling exhibition programming, join us for the screening of the short film “Silt,” followed by panel discussion about the Colorado River with the film director & climate experts.
ABOUT “SILT”
A Native botanist, grieving the death of a beloved aunt, travels alone to northern Mexico, where she is nourished by images of the last trip they took together traversing the Colorado River.
Learn more about the panelists below!
PANELISTS
Shemin Ge, Distinguished Professor, Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder
I am a hydrogeologist. My research involves studying groundwater in the Earth’s crust with a focus on understanding how groundwater flow interacts with and is affected by other geologic processes and how theses interactions advance science and offer insights on societally relevant issues. One research focus is the mechanical interaction between groundwater and rock deformation, which was motivated by an apparent spatial association between some mountain belts and ore deposits in foreland basins adjacent to those mountain belts. Another area of research is to study the impact of climate change on groundwater resources, focusing on high-altitude regions where variations in temperature and precipitation are expected. Relying on the fundamental theory of energy and fluid transport in porous media, this research looks into snowmelt infiltrating through seasonally frozen ground and permafrost into deeper subsurface and discharging back to surface waters downstream.
Emilie Upczak, filmmaker and Assistant Teaching Professor, University of Colorado, Boulder
Emilie Upczak is originally from the mountains above Boulder, Colorado. She is an independent filmmaker, Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Cinema Studies and Moving Image Arts at the University of Colorado Boulder, and a Rotterdam Producers Lab alumni. Emilie has her MFA in Film from Vermont College of Fine Arts.
In 2022, she wrote and directed the narrative short film entitled “Silt”, a story of loss centered on the Colorado river, which premiered at the Independent Film Festival Boston where it won the special jury award and went on to win Best Film Score, Los Angeles Live Score Film Festival, the Audience Choice and Advisory Board Awards a the Feminist Border Arts Film Festival, the Narrative Jury Prize at the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, Borders | No Borders, and a FEMA Climate Resilience Storytelling Award. “Silt” also screened at the Smithsonian Institute Mother Tongue Festival.
Vanessa Castillo, Branch Chief for Planning, Engineering, and Tribal Services
Vanessa Castillo is a Branch Chief within FEMA Region 8’s Mitigation Division. She is a hazard mitigation and climate resilience professional with a broad range of experiences assisting state and local governments develop successful hazard mitigation programs and prepare for the impacts of climate change. Prior to joining FEMA, Vanessa worked in private sector consulting, where she managed projects across the country and helped communities leverage FEMA hazard mitigation assistance grants. Her experience include support for the States of Colorado and California develop projects to mitigate the impacts from wildfire, flooding, and drought. She supported flood and extreme heat mitigation projects in New York City, and she helped communities across Nebraska mitigate future flood impacts after the devastating 2019 floods.
About the FEMA Climate Resiliency, Photography and Storytelling Exhibition
This exhibition presents works from artists investigating and sharing the stories of communities and lands that are adapting to a changing climate.
From sublime foreshadowing to documentation of the real ways natural hazards affect our lives; artists shine a light on resilient communities and their stories of loss, adaptation, mitigation, and restoration.
