SHEPHERDSTOWN – Beginning at 7 p.m. Friday at the Byrd Center for Legislative Studies Auditorium at Shepherd University, the recently formed group Sustainable Shepherdstown will present a series of films known as the “You CAN Make a Difference Film Festival.” The films concern energy, food production, the environment and the need for a more localized economy. Admission to all films is free; donations will be gratefully accepted. A mini farm market will precede the film starting at 5 p.m.

The first film, “Fresh,” was shown at SU a few years ago when author and farmer Joel Salatin came to speak at a conference. Produced and directed in 2009 by Ana Sofia Joanes and running 72 minutes, “Fresh” exposes many of the problems and unsustainable practices of the current farming and food-production systems. Wide ranging and informative, “Fresh” doesn’t stop with the problem but goes on to describe many of the ingenious alternative methods that have been instituted around the world. In addition to the work of Salatin, an organic farmer from Virginia, the film includes appearances by Michael Pollan, author of “Omnivore’s Dilemma,” and Will Allen, former basketball star and business entrepreneur who has built an amazing local food-production system in the city of Milwaukee.

Other films lined up in the series are “The Age of Stupid” on Sept. 10, “End of Suburbia” on Oct. 15, “Escape from Suburbia” on Nov. 12 and “Tapped” on Dec. 3. All films are at 7 p.m. and will be shown in the Byrd Center for Legislative Studies at Shepherd.

Sustainable Shepherdstown is associated with Transition U.S. The website for Sustainable Shepherdstown is www.sustainableshepherdstown.us.com. For more information, contact Andy Ferguson at 304-596-3036 or Ruth Raubertas at 304-876-6967.