The First Green Film Festival (GFF) in the Philippines, hosted by SM Prime Holdings, Inc., in partnership with the French Embassy, Japan Foundation, Nokia, and SM Cinemas, opened at the SM City North EDSA Mall last September 23.

The French Embassy and Japan Foundation contributed insightful and meaningful films which showcase these international entities’ advocacies in environmental protection and renewal.

This is in line with SM's advocacy of promoting awareness of the impact of the global climate change that affects all peoples of the world and how humans can help prevent global warming. Organized by SM Supermalls’ Environment Committee, the project is under the aegis of the SM CARES Program.

Entries to the GFF include "The 11th Hour" (a documentary in English), "Home" (lent by the French Embassy), "Penguin, Penguin, Paano Ka Ginawa?" (in Filipino), "Abong/Small Home" (lent by Japan Foundation), "Ligtas Likas: Gubat at Dagat" (produced by Creative Media and Film Society of the Philippines or CreaM), and the highly acclaimed "An Inconvenient Truth."

"The 11th Hour" highlights the last moment when change is possible. The film depicts how people live, how we came to this point, that is, the 11th hour, how we affect the earth's ecosystems, and what we can do to effect change in our environment.

Featured in the film are former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, famed scientist Stephen Hawking, former head of the CIA R. James Woolsley, and sustainable design experts William McDonough and Bruce Man.

Subsequent showings of the entries to the GFF will be at the SM Megamall on September 30, and SM Mall of Asia on October 7.