Festival features independent, local films

With this month's Oscar Awards highlighting the past year in film, the time to look forward begins as well. Festivals provide an opportunity for filmmakers to debut new work. Corvallis plays host to the 2010 da Vinci Film Festival during the weekend of March 12-14.

With its own awards to be handed out, the program has 64 independent shorts and features as part of its schedule. Audiences may take in the moving art at Oregon State University's La Sells Stewart Center or Darkside Cinema, located downtown.

This event also provides an opportunity to youth filmmakers, including a K-12 category among the documentaries, animation, experimental, narrative, short and features length films.

Adult weekend passes cost $20 and student weekend passes are $12. These passes provide priority seating. The passes can be purchased at First Alternative Co-op, Grass Roots Books and Music, or The Book Bin in Corvallis. For more information or to purchases passes online, go to davincifilmfest.org

Plastics aren't the popular one's here

At South Salem High School one student group is trying to defy the lackadaisical stereotypes that often define the teen years.

With a screening of "Addicted to Plastic," the South Salem Environmental Club hopes to raise funds for their projects as well as for other green projects, such as the No Idling Campaign and the Heifer Project Charity.

The feature length documentary begins at 6:30 and the group is asking for a $3 donation, though the event is free. Refreshments are available before and after the movie.