Steve Holloway (26) is an American film producer from New York, who came to Eckernförde to present his latest and internationally renowned project “Antarctic Edge 70° South”. The film was nominated in the category “Best ecology and science film”.
Mister Holloway, what are your first impressions on Eckernförde?
Great! This town is so quaint and everyone is extremely friendly. It's such a stark comparison to New York. The hospitality of the people in Eckernförde has been fantastic and the audiences seem to have a special connection to this festival and the films that are shown. I rarely have seen people so curious and passionate about nature films and the environment in general.
What are your expectations for the Green Screen Film Festival?
I definitely want to meet new filmmakers and I also want to be able to see some of the films here. It's great to have a collection of films that are all representative of a single purpose which is showing the beauty of nature and the dangers it faces nowadays. For me Green Screen is also a great platform to meet and collaborate with other artists. I am also excited to see more of the town. I love the sea breeze, one of the first things I noticed when I stepped out of the car was how great the air feels and of course I can't wait to spend some time at this beautiful beach just outside the hotel.
How would you describe the "vibe" during the festival?
The vibe of this festival is very intimate; you can tell that Eckernförde is a very tightened community. People seem very eager to meet and welcome outsiders and show them around the city, which is fantastic. It's great how the Green Screen film festival brings the community together each and every year. The atmosphere is nice and laid-back but at the same time people show a professionality which is extraordinary. This is my first time to screen the film to an international audience and I couldn't be happier to be doing it here in northern Germany.
What is the international reputation of Green Screen?
The fact that I travelled here all the way from New York shows that the festival has an incredible international reputation. There are films produced in the United States as well as from other countries such as China and so on. The movies are in all kinds of languages and that is great because it depicts that Eckernförde is not just a small, beautiful town but also a hub for international thought, progress and sharing of the arts.
What does Green Screen stand for in your eyes?
To me Green Screen stands for bringing people together not just in a small tightened community but also on an international level. The films that are being screened here are important and essential, especially in this day and age, where climate change and conservation should be at the top priority of everyone’s mind-set. Green Screen is an opportunity to bring stories from across the world together in one single space so that people can share and have a dialogue, where we can understand and learn from each other about what is important to our environment and what is important to our own lives and how to move forward in terms of helping nature and conservation.
Interview: Kristoffer Vullgraf / Eckernförder Zeitung