Short Film Teaches Kids About Plastic Pollution and Sustainability
Santiago, Chile – March 5, 2021 – Earth’s Ekko, a short film for kids, aged 5 to 12, and produced by Plastic Oceans International, will make its Chilean national broadcast debut on Friday, March 5, at 10pm, with a follow-up airing on Sunday at the same time.
TV Educa Chile, a new channel created as a collaboration between members of Chile’s National Association of Television, with support from the Ministry of Education and the National Television Council, will broadcast the 20-minute short film to an audience of up to 3 million young viewers over the course of the two airings.
“We are thrilled to be selected to air in Chile with a group of films that engage youth on the global issues that will impact their lives,” said Julie Andersen, CEO of Plastic Oceans and Executive Producer of Earth’s Ekko. “We recognize that we are all part of one global community and that includes youth. Our film inspires and empowers young people to be part of the solution in ending plastic pollution.”
Earth’s Ekko mixes animation with live action. It was released in late 2019, but COVID quickly put a stop to extensive in-person screenings, making online viewing and television broadcast the ideal home for it during these unprecedented times.
“TV Educa Chile was spawned from the pandemic,” said Mark Minneboo, Executive Director of Plastic Oceans Chile. “It was created specifically to enhance distance learning for kids, providing parents and teachers with engaging content on a variety of subjects. We’re honored to be a part of that, Earth’s Ekko as a valuable teaching tool for Chile’s youth.”
The film features Ekko, an ocean-dwelling animated character whose species is one of Earth’s oldest-living organisms. With his home being recently disrupted by a human-made material, plastic, he goes on an adventure with three young human friends to learn about the problem and solutions to protect Earth.
Ekko’s name has dual meaning. It refers to the character’s eco-friendly mission to protect the environment, and echoes Earth’s message that human actions have affected and always impact the planet.
The film’s tone and constructive messages teach kids to address plastic waste, catering to their creative, open-minded, thoughtful tendencies. Film characters learn the importance of following the three Rs—refuse, reuse and recycle, which generate awareness about the amount of plastic waste people create, what happens once plastic is disposed of, and the significance of solving the problem.
To view and learn more about Earth’s Ekko, visit the film’s official website HERE.
Sign up to receive the Earth’s Ekko Education Guide HERE.
