Thai environmental film festival goes international

BANGKOK -- "Welcome to the fourth CCCL Film Festival in Bangkok; I am so glad you made it." There was a poignant element to the opening speech by Christopher Moore, founder of Bangkok's "Changing Climate, Changing Lives Film Festival," as he thanked participants and audience members for showing up.

The Thai government had warned citizens to stay at home that day because of extreme air pollution that gripped the Thai capital in mid-February, making the city of 11 million one of the most polluted metropolises in the world. The circumstances highlighted the growing importance of events that raise climate awareness, and the growing momentum around what began as a small, homegrown event.