Abstract: This paper aims at introducing and analyzing the theory and practice of ecocinema inspired by literary ecocriticism at the turn of the new century. Based on an examination of the main concepts and lines of thought of some prominent ecocinema theorists and thinkers in the West, the paper argues that ecocinema has acquired its own terminology and become independent of its literary predecessor. This is mainly demonstrated in four aspects. First, from the perspective of cinema as a visual medium, debates about ecocinema have centered on issues of cinematic representations, film genres, and visual languages. Secondly, from the perspective of ecocinema practice, ecological sensibility has emerged from behind the narrative and become an integral part of storytelling in film production, with ecocinema theory and practice establishing a mutually informed and beneficial relationship. Thirdly, from the perspective of film studies, early critical literature on ecocinema tends to draw a self-imposed boundary, limiting its scope of investigation to documentaries and experimental films, but this limit has soon been transgressed to include mainstream/commercial films, even including animations. Perhaps most importantly, in re-reading and reevaluating film classics, ecocinema theory is redefining or has already redefined what is cinema.

Key words: ecocinema, ecocriticism, ecological sensibility, film and philosophy