Local activists hope an upcoming documentary screening will get people talking trash — literally.

Organizers from the Geneva Green Market and Geneva Film Festival will present Toronto filmmaker Andrew Nisker’s “Garbage! The Revolution Starts at Home” in September at River Park in Geneva. Admission is free.

The film details the global impact of local waste. Nisker asked an urban family, the McDonalds, to keep every scrap of garbage they created for three months. He then takes them on a journey to find out where it goes and at what cost to the environment.

“(The film) really makes you think,” said Karen Stark, Geneva resident and the brainchild of the popular Geneva Green Market. “For example, do you really need to pick up that plastic bag when you’re only picking up one item?

“And can I bring in my [plastic] bags from the grocery store to clothing stores and not have them give me a plastic bag?”

It’s not just excess plastic bags that Stark is concerned about, but even the packaging around toys and other items.

“How can we look at our consumption to lessen what we’re taking in and what we’re taking out of our house every week?” she said. “We want everyone to take small steps to how they want to contribute to greener living.

“This film gives them more food for thought.”

Movie-goers are encouraged to bring blankets, flashlights and chairs.

Locally made root beer floats, apple cobbler or three large cookies will be available for purchase for $5 at the screening. Pre-dessert tickets will be sold at Geneva Green Market (five desserts for $20) from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays. All proceeds will benefit the Geneva Green Market.

The rain location for the screening will be the Geneva History Center, 113 S. Third St.

The event precedes the second annual Geneva Film Festival, to be held Saturday, Nov. 8.

Sponsored by the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission, the film festival will feature morning workshops by film producers, writers and directors. Screenings of the finalists in the film festival contest will be held throughout the day. Individuals of all ages are welcome.

Already, Geneva Cultural Arts Commission members have received 40 submissions.

“We’ve gotten double what we had last year,” said Vic Portincaso, event chair. “And we’ve gotten them from Australia, Hong Kong, London and all over [this] country.”

He attributes the increase to the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission partnering with Withoutabox, Inc., a worldwide network with the  mission to advance independent films by allowing filmmakers in more than 200 countries to distribute, screen and monetize their work.

“It’s kind of like an e-harmony for film festivals,” Portincaso said of Withoutabox.

Winners will be announced the evening of Nov. 8, in seven categories: Short film; short documentary; animation; music video; student film (college/university); high school student film; and  feature film.

Commission members have received submissions for every category, including several feature films.

“We’ve had to add more viewing venues to give people enough time to see all the movies they want to see,” Portincaso said.

Contest submissions must be postmarked by Monday, Sept. 15.

For information, visit www.genevafilmfestival.org.