Quad Cities Environmental Film Series Gives Out First Awards
The seventh-annual QC Environmental Film Series (QCEFS) ended on a high note Sunday, March 1, at a crowded Galvin Fine Arts Center, Davenport.
After the screening of the seventh documentary shown this year (since January, including one double feature), “Reef Builders” (2025), series leaders Kristin Bergren and Kathy Wine explained that they started a new tradition to give two awards, the QCEFS Jury Award, and the QCEFS Wine & Bergren Environmental Activism Award.
Another audience award will be announced later this week on the River Action web site and social media.
Two new awards from the QC Environmental Film Series were presented following the final film shown Sunday, March 1 (photo by Jonathan Turner).
Bergren said the Jury Award recognizes storytelling, originality, environmental relevance, technique, research, educational appeal and the film that puts a spotlight on a problem and potential solutions. This year’s winner is “Out of Plain Sight,” directed by Daniel Straub and Rosanna Xia, based on her acclaimed reporting in the Los Angeles Times.
On Jan. 25, 2026, the QC Environmental Film Series brought Xia here as featured speaker for her 2024 award-winning documentary. The L.A. Times newsroom’s most ambitious film project yet, “Out of Plain Sight” follows Xia as she unravels a haunting tip from 2020 and discovers that as many as half a million barrels of toxic waste had been quietly dumped into the Pacific Ocean decades ago.
A committee to decide the activism award did not include its namesakes, Bergren and River Action executive director Kathy Wine.
British filmmaker Stephen Shearman was presented with the first Wine & Bergren Environmental Activism Award (for “Reef Builders”) on Sunday, from its namesakes, Kathy Wine and Kristin Bergren (photo by Jonathan Turner).
That was presented Sunday to Stephen Shearman, director of “Reef Builders.” The award recognizes the film “that makes a compelling case that an environmental issue” is presented and demonstrates “exceptional effort to bring about a change that positively affects the environment,” Bergren said, noting the films were judged on environmental relevance, creative and unique approach in highlighting an issue and solution, that the film’s topic is persuasive and inspirational, and is supported by credible scientific research.
The film also is recognized for making a positive impact on the environment, she noted.
“I’m absolutely blown away,” Shearman said in accepting the award. “When I came to America, through Customs, and I told them what I was doing. They asked, ‘What environment, what is going on? What kind of environmental film are you making?’ They were really quizzing me for five minutes. We live on dark times, and films like this show that, if we get together, we all band together, we can make a change. I’m truly honored to receive this.”
Los Angeles Times environmental reporter Rosanna Xia spoke with Moline-based filmmaker Kelly Rundle on Jan. 25, 2026, after the showing of her 2024 documentary, “Out of Plain Sight” at Galvin on the St. Ambrose University campus (photo by Jonathan Turner).
Filmmaker Stephen Shearman is so passionate about his first feature documentary, “Reef Builders,” that he came over 4,000 miles from his home in Bristol, England, to show it at the Quad Cities Environmental Film Series, Sunday, March 1, at Galvin Fine Arts Center. The last entry in this year’s film series, “Reef Builders” spotlights the inspiring stories of the people behind the Sheba Hope Grows program — part of one of the world’s largest coral reef restoration programs led by Mars Sustainable Solutions (MSS) — and the vital role of ocean communities in the move to help restore our planet’s coral reefs.
After 2025 outgrew the Figge Art Museum, the series moved for its seventh season to Galvin at St. Ambrose University, which offered not only a larger theater but also space for tabling with other organizations, closer parking and popcorn.
This was the fifth year they partnered with the environmental clubs from Augustana College, Black Hawk College, Davenport North High School and St. Ambrose. “Our partnership brings more students to our film series and most importantly brings their energy and passion for caring for our planet,” the series website says. All students received free admission and school clubs received a $250 donation for their environmental projects.
Rebuilding coral reefs around the world is the topic of the documentary “Reef Builders,” shown Sunday, March 1, at the QC Environmental Film Series, at Galvin Fine Arts Center, Davenport.
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