Geographical Society of Philadelphia

GEOFEST

10 Questions for the Dalai Lama with Filmmaker Rick Ray

Against the backdrop of an exotic land, lone filmmaker Rick Ray is granted one hour to ask 10 questions of the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. Containing rare historical footage as well as footage from inside Tibet, a story is woven between a journeyman’s personal observations, the troubled history of a government-in-exile and the life and wisdom of one of the premiere spiritual leaders of our time.

‘Opening Our Eyes’ with Filmmaker/Producer Gail Mooney

Summer of 2010 saw mother/daughter filmmakers Gail Mooney and Erin Kelly embarking on a 99-day journey around the globe, searching for ordinary people who are following their dreams and reaching extraordinary feats. The resulting documentary follows the stories of eleven of these individuals – all making a positive impact on the world.

ABus2Antarctica with Digital Nomad Andrew Evans

Deeply influenced by 1913 Society honoree Ernest Shackleton, National Geographic Digital Explorer Andrew Evans travels the globe, searching for authentic travel experiences and sharing a play-by-play of these moments on social media outlets, such as YouTube and Twitter. We heard from Andrew about his incredible excursion starting in Washington D.C. and ending up in Antarctica, mostly by public transportation!

 

Positively POLAR!

Nancy Glass, former co-host of Evening Magazine, current producer of Animal Planet’s Tanked, and founder of Nancy Glass Productions, introduced Race to the Bottom of the Earth, which documents Todd Carmichael’s solo trek to the South Pole. The evening celebrated the Society’s 100+ year history in Polar exploration with the IMAX film Sir Ernest Shackleton and the Endurance Expedition, followed by a dinner reception by The Frog Commissary under the Polar sky in the Planetarium which will include made-to-order white chocolate snow cones, iced wine, iced vodka, penne pasta with cream, sausage and sage, and La Colombe espresso cascading down vanilla ice cream.

 

OCEANS 8 with Filmmaker Jon Bowermaster

Ten years in the making.. the film explored Tasmania, Gabon, and Croatia from the vantage point of National Geographic explorer Jon Bowermaster’s kayak! Afterward, we enjoyed a three-course seafood feast at TANGO in Bryn Mawr.

 

Mongolia with Filmmaker Buddy Hatton

The film discovers Mongolia, a land of pristine and unspoiled beauty. A savory Asian feast was enjoyed at Asia on the Parkway

 

Across the Hemispheres with Photographer Kevin Loughlin

Renowned Tour Guide Kevin Loughlin crosses the hemispheres, teaching travelers how to capture the perfect photo. The Racquet Club chef then transported our taste buds around the world with a stylish supper at the Rathskeller

 

‘Northern Europe’ and ‘South and Central America’ with Filmmaker Marlin Darrah

Filmmaker Marlin Darrah presented films on both these fascinating regions

 

XTREME DREAM with Diana Nyad

Endurance swimmer Diana Nyad revealed the details of her recent attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida—at age 62! The night included special footage captured by CNN and a Cuban feast prepared by 12th Street Catering which included mojitos and more!