The Green Lens Film Series returns 7 p.m. Sept. 13 to the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St., with a collection of films that address environmental and political issues. The screenings are free to the public and will take place every Thursday for five weeks, according to a news release from DeKalb Stands.

The first film, “Plastic Ocean,” follows journalist and director Craig Leeson, who came across an immense amount of plastic waste in the ocean while researching blue whales. He teams up with a group of international scientists and researchers to investigate plastic pollution and its effects on the environment.

The documentary film won “Best in Festival” at the Blue Ocean Film Festival and Conservation Summit in 2016, as well as the “Director’s Choice Award” in the 2017 Sedona International Film Festival.

After each screening, there will be a discussion held by NIU film professor Jeffery Chown and other faculty members. Audience members are encouraged to stay after the screening and engage with the panel in a question and answer session.

The Green Lens Environmental and Social Justice Film Series is sponsored by DeKalb’s Tapa La Luna Restaurant, 226 E. Lincoln Highway, and the NIU Department of Communication Studies, with logistical support provided by the Egyptian Theatre and local advocacy group DeKalb Stands.