On Saturday, February 24, Bellarmine University’s Sustainability and Environmental Club and Terra Learning Community will host the premiere of local filmmaker Ben Evans’ new documentary, “EVOLVE: Driving a Clean Future in Coal Country.” The premiere takes place in Pasteur Hall 102, with screenings at 7 p.m., with an additional screening at 9 p.m. based on demand. This event is free and open to the public. [campus map]

A brief question and answer session takes place after the premiere.

The 45-minute film focuses on grassroots efforts to pursue alternatives to fossil fuels for transportation, especially electric vehicles, in the heart of coal country. The crowdfunded documentary, filmed over a year in Kentucky, is presented in cooperation with a local environmental organization, EVolve KY, which promotes economic resilience and environmental sustainability. That organization has installed 10 electric vehicle charging stations in locations around Louisville.

“My hope is that the film can, in some small way, help to positively transform transportation and energy in this part of the country,” said Evans. “I want my child - and, really, future generations of every species - to have a livable planet. I think Kentucky has some unique challenges, but it also has incredible opportunities. Because of our history as a coal state, we’ve been slower off the line when making the jump to new energy technologies, but once we fully embrace the inevitable transformation that's coming, we can be a fiercely committed and incredibly hard-working state.”

A Louisville native with a bachelor's degree in science, technology and society from Stanford University, Evans’ other works include the multiple-award-winning “YERT: Your Environmental Road Trip,” and the Grand Jury Prize winner of the 2016 Environmental Film Festival, “NERVE.”

The event is sponsored by Bellarmine University’s School of Environmental Studies, as well as the Sustainability and Environmental Club and the Terra Learning Community. 

This article was written by student worker Christina Mudd.


A scene from the film