Shorts Block 1 - The Power of Community

From Indigenous communities fighting to preserve their food sovereignty practices to small-town residents tackling the challenges of invasive species to an intergenerational group of citizen scientists working to save a bird species from extinction, these stories showcase the power of community collaboration in the pursuit of change.


Heritage and Harvest - Quinault Razor Clams
Dir: Sonny DePasquale (US)

The Quinault Indian Nation of Washington state blends traditional knowledge with modern science to ensure the sustainability of their razor clam fishery for generations to come.


Black Water
Dir: Fathima Gaston (Democratic Republic of the Congo, US)

Once teeming with life, Lake Mai Ndombe in the Congo Basin is now depleted and local communities face starvation. The vanishing fish population can be traced back to an unlikely culprit, but the local community has a solution that could turn the tide.

 

From Lassen, with Love
Dir. Maddy Rifka (US)
Sponsored by Farmers Insurance

In Northern California’s Lassen National Forest, wildlife biologist Alyssa enters ground zero of the 2021 Dixie Fire—one of the largest and most severe wildfires in state history. She returns to a place she calls home, in search of a species she knew: pacific marten; an elusive and feisty forest carnivore deeply tied to environmental change. Laced with cautious hope, this is a story of grief, belonging, and the bond between people, wildlife, and place. From Lassen, With Love is a love letter to a wounded but very much alive landscape, and a quiet call to reimagine and re-embrace our relationship with fire.


No Kidding
Dir. Sarah Ford (Canada)
Sponsored by Bayern Brewing

In No Kidding, a quaint and picturesque Welsh town is divided by a serious goat problem. Wild Kashmiri goats stray increasingly far from their home, encountering a quirky cast of characters from the obstinate mayor to an artist with a goat muse. We follow them on their journey, unravelling their place within this slightly absurd village ecology.

The Horses of Cumberland Island
Dir. Jess Lowe Chaverri
Sponsored by Missoula Downtown Partnership

Cumberland Island is one of the largest and most ecologically diverse barrier islands in the United States. More than 60,000 people visit the island each year, but the presence of more than 140 feral horses within the ecosystem has sparked a debate about ecological balance, animal welfare, and preservation. The Horses of Cumberland Island examines the tension between history, tourism, and ecology in a place where what we cherish and what the land can sustain are not always aligned.


Between Moon Tides
Dir. Jason Jaacks (US)

In a ribbon of saltmarsh in coastal New England, an intergenerational group of citizen scientists is trying to save the Saltmarsh Sparrow from extinction, one nest at a time.


Q&A with Between Moon Tides director/producer Jason Jaacks, From Lassen, with Love director Maddy Rifka, Horses of Cumberland Island director/producer Jess Lowe to follow the screening!