At the Wild and Scenic Film Festival, we will be showing 9 films about adventurous people and wild places. Here’s a sneak peek into the films we will be showing Thursday, March 2, 2023, at the Panida Theatre.
Fight or Flight
“Fight or Flight” chronicles the journey of the first female pilot employed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. She shares her story of how she overcame childhood trauma by taking to the sky. Drawn to flying as a means to flee her early life, she pursues a career in professional aviation and discovers she must first assemble the tools required to face her past and heal.
Punchline
Eeland Stribling is many things: fly fisherman, wildlife biologist, Colorado native – but most notably, he is an avid stand-up comedian. Born and raised in Colorado, Eeland is doing his part by exposing the outdoors world to those who have historically not grown up with it. As a man of color himself, he is redefining what it means to be an outdoorsman in America – but more importantly, an advocate for preserving the world’s natural wonders.
Lost on Purpose
A gravel exploration of the Lost Sierra region of Northern California highlighting current recreation opportunities and local businesses in advance of “Connected Communities,” a regional trail project currently being planned and built by the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship. The economically struggling region is using recreation as an attractant for visitors and even residents. This film was born at the intersection of incredible natural beauty, adventurous spirit, and a healthy dose of impatience.
Wading for Change
For conservationist and angler Jr Rodriguez to become “like the pictures he saw in magazines,” he had to leave behind what he loved the most. By juxtaposing Jr’s origins in Houston, Texas, and his current home in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, we share his journey of learning to love the outdoors and what it can be like to participate in outdoor sports in Western mountain towns as a person of color.
From my Window
From her bedroom window, Melissa Simpson looks out at the highest peaks in Colorado. Despite being so close, the mountains have always been worlds away for Melissa, who was born with cerebral palsy. With the help of her friend and mentor, blind adventurer Erik Weihenmayer, Melissa sets out to conquer something far greater than a summit. Through humility and grace, Melissa proves that what is within us, is stronger than what’s in our way.
High Road
“High Road” celebrates the unbreakable bond between Paralympian Meg Fisher and Jack Berry, a young para-athlete who’s cycling career is just beginning to unfold. Together, the two navigate life’s obstacles with grace and integrity- creating space for the next generation of para cyclists.
ANTARCTICA : The Intersection of Technology and Climate Action
Abby Barrows (micro-plastic scientist/researcher) and Mike Libecki (Nat Geo explorer) embark on a journey to research climate and micro-plastics in Antarctica. Their team integrates cutting-edge technology in hopes to learn more about urgent and devastating problems with micro-plastics polluting and corrupting our planet. Abby gathered more than 60 samples of water types to look for micro-plastics in one of the most remote areas of our planet. Will the results show micro-plastic pollution in such a pristine part of our planet?
Wood Hood
“Wood Hood” features DeVaughn, a 15-year-old kid from New York City who loves skateboarding and craves a “quiet place” to escape the chaos of his home, the city, and kids that steal from him. The film follows DeVaughn on a weekend-long group camping trip with Camping to Connect, a BIPOC-led mentorship program that teaches leadership, brotherhood, and inclusion in the outdoors. “These kinds of conversations are rare for men that look like us,” one leader states, and as the film weaves between the city and the woods, a space that is unfamiliar and historically inaccessible to these kids, we witness the joy and growth that is possible when kids have an opportunity to find that “quiet place.”
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