GIFF 2023 PROGRAM GUIDE
Morning Block: Future Voices
10:00 AM - Introduction to Festival
I Am Salmon
"Connecting humanity with salmon and the sea through the subtle art of poetry and Gyotaku (fish rubbing), Duncan Berry shares his experience as a longtime environmentalist and former captain of a salmon troller. In adopting the perspective of this transcendent fish, the beauty and power of the Oregon coast becomes the canvas through which the evolution of the salmon is illustrated." Director: Whit Hassett Whit is a filmmaker and aerial videographer based in the Pacific Northwest. With a love for wild places and a passion for environmental advocacy and social consciousness, she has contributed her unique aerial and on-the-ground perspectives to a variety of brands and organizations including Patagonia, Yeti, Earthjustice, Nature Conservancy and Ocean Conservancy. With a background in ecology and conservation, she has shifted focus to communicate the human stories that tie us to our landscapes, and the power of film to ignite change.
JOJO - A Toad Musical
"JOJO" celebrates a creative and musical portrait of JoJo Nyaribo, a young nature lover and wildlife advocate as he explores the meaning of biodiversity and stewardship in his own backyard. This story weaves together Jojo’s love for the natural world with his journey in learning about and fighting against a specific fungus that has been wiping out a staggering number of amphibians around the globe. Jojo will explore what his role is in preventing the spread of this fungus through small actionable tasks as simple as cleaning his own running and hiking shoes and educating his friends and family. This young adventurer is constantly on a path of discovering who he wants to be in the world through a lens of being kind to himself and the environment around him. Using Jojo’s uniquely creative voice and experiences, this film hopes to share an inspiring perspective on the natural world and how larger impact can be made through small actions and sharing joy. JoJo aims to encourage outdoor user groups to look at the positive opportunities they have in caring for biodiversity in the environments they're connecting to." Director: Chelsea Jolly Raised in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, Chelsea is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and producer with a passion for exploring the interconnectedness of the natural world. Dedicated to promoting inclusivity, she aims to amplify voices that have been historically excluded. Chelsea believes in the transformative power of filmmaking as a catalyst for environmental and social activism, fostering closer connections between people and their planet. With over 8 years of experience in the film industry and a background in applied linguistics and conflict resolution, Chelsea brings a unique perspective to impactful communication. Her work extends to conservation, science communications, and community based impact where she strives to raise awareness and inspire meaningful action. By finding common ground among disparate interest groups, she uncovers shared values and builds unexpected alliances. Co-Director: David Herasimtschuk David is an award-winning natural history photographer and filmmaker with images that combine his biological sensibility with a keenly artistic eye, while giving intimate perspectives on the little-known aquatic and amphibious life of freshwaters. Dave has traveled the world to work on and document biological research and conservation, and his images have been published in National Geographic, BBC World, National Wildlife, High Country News, Biographic, National Parks, and many others. Dave has a degree in Wildlife & Fishery Biology from Colorado State University.
Stories from the Canoe
This canoe film project was conceived originally as a public gathering. Several years ago Tribal leaders envisioned a Native canoe race and celebration of culture. The idea was that Confluence could facilitate the gathering rather than act as a formal host. CanoeFluence—as the race event became known—would be an opportunity for canoe family members to compete and share culture. As the pandemic wore on, we had to transition our plans to instead focusing on the film. Though a long way from the original idea, the film’s premiere screening became an opportunity for Canoe Families to gather and share culture to keep this Indigenous movement strong into the future. Director: Woodrow Hunt
With the Tide
Set in the remote village of Yakutat, Alaska, “With the Tide'' follows the youth of the Tlingit tribe as they further explore their relationship to the ocean, themselves, and the expanse of isolated wilderness they call home. Over the span of four years, this story documents the exploration of how surfing can increase health, wellness and value for nature in a community that is constantly facing layers of adversity and the challenges of geographic isolation. Director: Chelsea J Jolly Raised in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, Chelsea is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and producer with a passion for exploring the interconnectedness of the natural world. Dedicated to promoting inclusivity, she aims to amplify voices that have been historically excluded. Chelsea believes in the transformative power of filmmaking as a catalyst for environmental and social activism, fostering closer connections between people and their planet. With over 8 years of experience in the film industry and a background in applied linguistics and conflict resolution, Chelsea brings a unique perspective to impactful communication. Her work extends to conservation, science communications, and community based impact where she strives to raise awareness and inspire meaningful action. By finding common ground among disparate interest groups, she uncovers shared values and builds unexpected alliances.
Stretch Break
Paddle Tribal Waters
When the largest dam removal project in history begins, a group of indigenous youth learn to whitewater kayak in hopes of becoming the first people to paddle the restored river from source to sea. Director: Rush Sturges & Paul Robert Wolf Wilson Rush Sturges is an acclaimed adventure filmmaker and professional whitewater kayaker. Rush has spent equal time in front of and behind the camera, directing and producing projects like “The River Runner” (available on Netflix), as well as branded content for companies like Ford, Mexico Tourism, National Geographic and Polaris. Rush’s experience as both athlete and filmmaker make him a go-to partner for companies seeking a director who understands the intricacies of producing captivating content in dangerous and remote environments. While Rush remains active as a professional paddler, much of his energy has shifted towards directing and producing content. Having studied film at the Art Institute of Vancouver, B.C., Rush's career has taken him to the most majestic locations on earth, including places like Pakistan, China, Nepal and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He focuses on telling stories that touch on subjects from extreme sports to conservation to branded and commercial content with a focus on the outdoors. In 2009, Rush founded River Roots, a media production house based in his adopted hometown of White Salmon, WA. In 2022, he collaborated with the non profit Rios to Rivers to co-found the Paddle Tribal Waters program, an educational program designed to teach tribal youth the sport of kayaking. Currently, Rush is working on a documentary following tribal youth as they train to become the first group to successfully navigate the Klamath River from source to sea. Outside of managing River Roots and his many film projects Rush is also an avid musician with a catalog of music that can be found wherever you get your music.
.png)
Janwaar
Janwaar celebrates a rambunctious group of kids whose lives are transformed when a skatepark is built in their small village in India. Raw talent, creativity, and unadulterated childhood find a home on four wheels, and manage to break down generations of caste and gender barriers in the process. Dirctor: Danny Schmidt Danny is an award-winning director, producer, and cinematographer of non-fiction television, documentaries, and web-content. He has produced, directed, and photographed documentary films for clients including PBS, National Geographic, Netflix, Disney+, EarthX, NASA, and many others. He won an NW Emmy award for cinematography for his DP work on the PBS film Indian Relay and another for best topical documentary for Finding Traction on Netflix. He received his MFA in Science and Natural History Filmmaking in 2012 from Montana State University and his BS in Earth Science from the University of Utah. He currently lives in Salt Lake City.
Inseparable - Myia
As one of only 30 fluent Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) language speakers left in Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), Myia Antone teaches as a way to preserve her language for generations to come. Seeking to learn more about her culture and language, Myia uses her mountain bike as a needle weaving through her ancestral lands and language. While biking with other Indigenous women, Myia utilizes the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh language to point out geographical features and native plants on rides. Weaving complex conversations through nuanced layers of generational trauma, Inseparable ultimately paints Indigenous joy and community as vital elements for a path forward. Director: Andrew Harrison-Brown Andrew (he/him/his) is a proud descendant of Chief White Crane Tarhe of the Wyandot-Huron nation. Working as a humanitarian, he stumbled into a film career while serving in the international field for non-profit organizations. Through this experience, he witnessed how stories told through images transcended barriers and acted as levers for change. Most recently, Andrew was the producer (p.g.a.), editor & provided cinematography for KIFARU (Best Feature Film & Audience Award at Full Frame Documentary Festival). As the editor for KIFARU, he was nominated by Jackson Wild for Best Editing. Prior to that, Andrew spent four years building relationships within northern Kenya’s poaching network, unveiling the intricacies of the illegal ivory trade as the producer of WHEN LAMBS BECOME LIONS (Tribeca Film Festival 2018); a recipient of Sundance’s Documentary Production Grant in 2017. https://sprucetone.com/inseparable
Voices from the Land
The Eagle Creek Trail fire was personal, as it is a sacred and beloved area my family has loved for over 30 years. During the making of this film, a project of Arts in Education of the Gorge, Hood River Middle School students in science teacher Adam Smith’s Enrichment Class learned observational drawing skills, ipad animation techniques and did a deep dive into ecology and environmental science. I am grateful to artist, Chloë Hight, for instructing students in observational drawing and animation, and to journalist and award winning environmental writer, Michelle Nijhuis, author of Beloved Beasts: Fighting for Life in the Age of Extinction, for sharing interview techniques and environmental research skills with our students. Lastly, we are thankful to the Portland Art Museum for an amazing field trip of the Laika Studios Exhibition to explore stop-motion animation through the wonders of Coraline, the Boxtrolls and Kubo and the Two Strings. Director: Shelley Toon Lindberg I am a visual/media artist and educator based in Hood River, Oregon who collaborates with K-12 students, adults, and teachers in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and Hawaii. Through stop-motion animation, I engage students in inquiry-based thinking and art making to explore the natural world, interdisciplinary connections, intercultural understanding, and indigenous language revitalization. I am the principal animation producer for Sealaska Heritage Institute’s Voices on the Land: Sharing Our Stories (Juneau, Alaska) and When We Shine Foundation’s Voices of the Earth animation and songwriting collective (Maui, Hawaii) as well as a teaching artist and Executive Director of Arts in Education of the Gorge.
Ultimate Citizens
Jamshid is an Iranian who came to study in 1970’s America, and due to the Revolution, never went “home.” Now a guidance counselor in Seattle, Jamshid’s best work takes place out of the building and on a playing field with “his kids,” the children of refugees and immigrants. Their parents are in the grips of their own struggles to make a living and a home in a strange land. Mr. Jamshid is the charismatic, fiery, funny human with a Frisbee in hand, who is the first to show that “love wins" on the field, off the field, boldly forging a new community, in a new country - one kid, chicken, extreme mile and friend at a time. Director: Francine Strickwerda Francine’s Strickwerda’s award-winning independent feature documentaries, including “Oil & Water,” and “Busting Out” have screened on Showtime, PBS, Netflix, Amazon and television channels all over the world. With stories ranging from one of the world’s worst toxic disasters, to the politics of America’s breast obsession, and now immigrant kids winning at Ultimate Frisbee, her films explore power, trauma and healing. Francine’s work has been funded by MacArthur Foundation, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Chicken & Egg Pictures, and many others. As co-owner of Seattle creative video agency Hullabaloo, she directs, produces and writes strategic films for some of the world’s most recognizable brands and non-profits. Francine grew up a teacher’s kid and began her career in journalism, first as a newspaper reporter, and then as a producer at Seattle’s KCTS Public Television. She has a 12-year-old son and is an avid Salish Sea open water swimmer.
Filmmakers Q & A
1:00 PM Lunchbreak
Afternoon Block
2:00 PM - Global Innovators
Guest Speaker - Jim Aikman
How It's Made - Filmmaking From A-Z
Jim Aikman has been making documentaries for nearly 20 years and running a full service production company for 8. In this presentation, Jim will show a "work in progress" teaser of an upcoming project that uses stunning imagery of a ground breaking highline in the North Cascades mountain range as a metaphor for a well balanced life. He will explain the process of developing a project like this, finding funding, and getting it out into the world.
Film Intro - Jim Aikman
Like a River
Artist and climber Jeremy Collins has had a long and loving relationship with the desert canyons of the American southwest. In this short film, he describes his passion for three canyons in particular as he creates a new mural that combines them on paper. Captured with cutting edge robotic technology and featuring stunning timelapse imagery of Grand Canyon, Black Canyon, and Zion Canyon. Director: Jim Aikman Jim Aikman is an award-winning filmmaker, cinematographer, writer and commercial director living in Portland, Oregon. He works on feature and short documentaries, podcasts, web series, branded content and more for dozens of clients and distributors around the world, with an exceptional work ethic and unique creative vision. He specializes in character driven stories about adventure, natural history, science and the triumph of the human spirit, creating content for brands like National Geographic, AT&T and REI. As a Director, Jim brings his experience from all stages of production to craft meaningful stories from conception to delivery.
Twin Oaks
Twin Oaks" chronicles the Hoyt family's multi-generational trail building experiences in the Pacific Northwest. Through breathtaking visuals and intimate interviews, the film explores the profound connection between humans and nature. Avery, Daryl, and Krista Hoyt reflect on their personal journeys, revealing how trail building serves as a medium for finding solace and connecting with the natural world. The documentary delves into the challenges they've faced, including mental health struggles and addiction, while emphasizing the unwavering support within the family. "Twin Oaks" showcases the transformative power of nature, the spiritual aspect of trail building, and the enduring legacy it leaves behind. Director: Sean O'Connor & Whit Hasset Sean is an EMMY® award-winning visual storyteller, passionate media educator, and internationally published photographer. Since 2002 his creative work has been dedicated to creating socially responsible stories and educating others in the art of visual storytelling. Collaborating with dynamic nonprofits and leading industry brands, Sean works to cultivate global relationships with social and environmental impact. His credits include his most recent film being screened in over 45 countries and translated into 14 languages, contributions to National broadcast television shows on PBS, as well as print and web photography publications with Smithsonian Magazine, The Wallstreet Journal, The Boston Globe, National Geographic Adventure, Outside Magazine, High Country News, and others. He has also served on the judging panel for The James Beard Foundation Media Awards and the Pacific Northwest Chapter student EMMY® award selections. Whit Hasset: Whit is a filmmaker and aerial videographer based in the Pacific Northwest. With a love for wild places and a passion for environmental advocacy and social consciousness, she has contributed her unique aerial and on-the-ground perspectives to a variety of brands and organizations including Patagonia, Yeti, Earthjustice, Nature Conservancy and Ocean Conservancy. With a background in ecology and conservation, she has shifted focus to communicate the human stories that tie us to our landscapes, and the power of film to ignite change.
Apayauq
"Apayauq" is a documentary following the story of a young Alaskan woman named Apayauq Reitan, who in 2022 became the first openly transgender musher to compete in the Iditarod, a grueling dog sled race that covers more than 1,000 miles through the Alaskan wilderness. The film explores Apayauq’s journey as a transgender person in a state where discrimination and prejudice against LGBTQ+ individuals are still prevalent. It also showcases the strength, perseverance, and dedication it takes to compete in the Iditarod, a challenging race that tests both the musher and the dogs. Throughout the film, viewers get a glimpse into Anna's life as a musher, the bond she shares with her sled dogs, and the obstacles she faces on and off the trail while highlighting the supportive community that rallies behind her and the impact of her story on others. ""Apayauq"" is a powerful film that sheds light on the struggles and triumphs of the LGBTQ+ community in Alaska and celebrates the courage of individuals who defy societal norms to pursue their dreams." Director: Zeppelin Zeerip Zeppelin is a filmmaker with a passion for character-driven narratives at the intersection of the environment and the outdoors. He has produced and directed feature-length documentary projects including The Ground Between Us and Far From Home for clients including REI, The North Face, Red Bull, Burton Snowboards, The Wilderness Society and Bridgestone. His films All Bodies on Bikes, Chains of Habit and Made in the Mitten have received Vimeo Staff Picks and screened at festivals globally.
From Sender Films and REEL Rock - A crew of aspiring ice climbers from the Memphis Rox gym travels to the frozen wilds of Montana, where mentors Manoah Ainuu, Conrad Anker and Fred Campbell share their love of winter adventure in the mountains. Director: Peter Mortimer Peter Morimer is the founder of Sender Films, which he started as a do-it-yourself rock climbing video production project in 1999. Peter and the Sender team joined forces with Big UP Productions in 2006 to found REEL ROCK Film Tour, which has become one of the biggest climbing and adventure film tours in the world, with over 400 shows globally. Over the last decade Peter has directed acclaimed feature-length documentaries such as The Alpinist, The Dawn Wall and Valley Uprising, cutting-edge television series and a variety of commercials. Director: Zachary Barr Zachary Barr began his career at REEL ROCK with a trip to Mt. Everest that resulted in the multiple-award winning film High Tension. He brought a decade of experience in public media and storytelling - starting at the NPR oral-history project StoryCorps, and then producing and reporting for Colorado Public Radio. Zac earned a degree in history from Lewis and Clark College and a certificate in documentary radio from the Salt Institute in Maine. He now shares his love of climbing with his two sons, who insist on bringing plenty of books and crackers to the crag.
Stretch Break
Black Ice
100,000 Beating Hearts
"Director Peter Byck’s short film “One Hundred Thousand Beating Hearts” tells the story of fourth generation cattleman Will Harris’s evolution from industrial, commodity cowboy to sustainable, humane food producer. The consumption of beef as a food source has long been vilified as terrible environmental and moral consumption choice. Harris’s work in Georgia shows that we can adapt agricultural practices and raise and grow healthy food in harmony with nature. Wild Oak Pastures, Harris’s family farm, is a prospering testament to the economic and environmental benefits of regenerative food production - boasting healthy soils, thriving farm animals, and a diverse eco-system with flourishing wildlife. The jobs created there are breathing new life into a community left behind and forgotten after the industrialization of agriculture. The land that once sustained only a cow/calf operation now is home to cattle, goats, pigs, turkeys, chickens and more. At any given day there are 100,000 beating hearts present at White Oak Pastures – all happy to be there." Director: Peter Byck Byck has over three decades’ experience as a director, producer and editor. His 1st documentary, “Garbage,” won the South by Southwest Film Festival, screened in scores of festivals and played at the Museum of Modern Art and Lincoln Center. He is the director, producer and writer of “carbon nation,” his 2nd documentary, which won the IVCA Clarion Award, the GreenMe Global Festival, and was runner-up for the EMA Award. In 2020, Byck completed Carbon Cowboys, a 10-part documentary short film series, focused on regenerative grazing. The shorts screened in numerous festivals. “One Hundred Thousand Beating Hearts” in the series, won Best Short Documentary at a string of festivals, including at the Cleveland International Film Festival, and Phoenix Film Festival amongst others. His current production is an episodic documentary series in 4 parts, “Roots So Deep (you can see the devil down there).” The series follows Byck as he works with a group of farmers and scientists participating in a large research project to examine whether cattle grazing can be a benefit to the environment, if done differently from the modern-day, harmful, conventional agriculture practices. The science team compares conventional grazing and adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) grazing to see if the latter turns farming into a benefit for the land, the animals, and the farmers, and a carbon mitigation tool for climate change. Along the way, the viewer encounters endearing and engaging profiles of American farmers and their experiences.
PLACE - People, Lamprey and Cultural Ecology
"Follow Cayuse Tribal Member, Gabe Sheoships, into an ancient cultural practice, and discover the connections between migratory fish, urban forests, and community stewardship... and the work one group is doing to re-build the strength of these connections for future generations. Produced in Partnership with the Friends of Tryon Creek" Director: Jeremy Monroe & David Herasimtschuk Jeremy founded Freshwaters Illustrated to help create more immersive imagery and stories that carry the beauty, biodiversity, and value of freshwater ecosystems. I see my job as helping to reconnect people to the intricacy, wonder, and needs of rivers, lakes, and wetlands. My background in aquatic ecology helps me access stories that celebrate the vibrance and value of freshwater life, and with a talented group of visual artists and communicators, I work to make those stories as immersive as they can be. I have degrees in Aquatic Ecology and Fishery Biology from Colorado State University. David Herasimtschuk is an award-winning natural history photographer, and is the visual force in our imagery, stories, and films. Dave's images combine his biological sensibility with a keenly artistic eye, and give intimate perspectives on the little-known aquatic and amphibious life of freshwaters. Dave has traveled the world to work on and document biological research and conservation, and his images have been published in National Geographic, BBC World, National Wildlife, High Country News, Biographic, National Parks, and many others. Dave has a degree in Wildlife & Fishery Biology from Colorado State University.
Technicolor
When Byron Sanders, a superhero-obsessed Black kid from South Dallas, seizes an opportunity to go to a predominantly White private school, his reckoning with race and class puts him on a path to becoming CEO of one of the most influential nonprofits in the city. Director: Scott Faris Scott grew up in West Virginia and was a wide-eyed rube at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts before teaching 5th grade on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. After working as a video producer for various educational nonprofits, Scott co-founded Universe Creative, an LA-based doc production company, with his friend and long-time colleague, Meg Griffiths. Scott enjoys stories that challenge conventional wisdom and preconceived notions about people and places often overlooked by popular media. He is proud to have visited all fifty US states. Director: Meg Griffiths Meg began her career as a photo and video journalist at the Houston Chronicle and then held a leadership role at Teach For America where she built the nonprofit’s first video studio. After overseeing content development and digital strategy at an LA-based agency, Meg co-founded Universe Creative, a documentary production company focused on social impact storytelling. Meg’s work has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and is supported by the International Documentary Association and Redford Center. She holds a MA in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin.
Between Earth & Sky
"Nalini Nadkarni is a world-renowned ecologist who climbs trees in the rainforest canopy to study “what grows back” after an ecological disturbance. In 2015, her rope snapped on a research climb, and she fell fifty feet from a tree and nearly died. After making a miraculous recovery, Nalini begins to explore a new research subject - herself. Between Earth & Sky follows Nalini as she prepares for another research climb in Monteverde, Costa Rica, before considering retirement from the field. In the process, she unearths the roots of other disturbances she faced throughout her life, as the daughter of mixed Indian-Jewish immigrant parents who prized high achievement and contribution above all else. As a child, trees provided a place of solace and safety to Nalini, so much so that she swore an oath to protect them. Now, Nalini is doing the work of untangling the roots of her past and bringing family secrets to light, in order to understand how each impacted her life's course. In an attempt to heal, she revisits the site of her fall on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, where her past, present, and future converge." Director: Andrew Nadkarni Andrew Nadkarni is a queer multiracial filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. His directorial debut, Between Earth & Sky, won Best Short at Big Sky Doc Film Fest and will premiere on PBS/POV in Fall 2023. A 2023 BRIClab Artist in Residence, he aims to integrate sustainable community care, and trauma-informed practices into his filmmaking process, telling generational stories about diaspora communities. A graduate of NYU Tisch, he’s worked as a reader for documentary grant orgs, production supervisor on the NY Unit of Knives Out 2, and production coordinator on Modern Love and Awkwafina is Nora from Queens. Andrew recently produced the narrative feature, Actual People, now streaming on MUBI.
Filmmakers Q & A
5:00 Dinner Break
Evening Block
6:00 PM - Feature Films
KUMARI: A Father's Dream
*Hood River Premiere!
"Deep in rural Nepal, a group of childhood friends channels their resources and energy into fulfilling Jagat Lama's promise to his dying father; to bring medical care to their home of Kumari. Led by Jagat, the team begins developing a self-sustaining community centered around many of the region's firsts: basic electricity, a women's skill center, a local school, a working community farm, and a medical hospital. Less than 2 years later, a massive earthquake hits Nepal, destroying the community's progress. Wrestling with the continued challenges, Jagat wonders if his promise to his father is slipping out of reach." https://www.kumarifilm.org/ Director: Sean O'Connor Sean is an EMMY® award-winning visual storyteller, passionate media educator, and internationally published photographer. Since 2002 his creative work has been dedicated to creating socially responsible stories and educating others in the art of visual storytelling. Collaborating with dynamic nonprofits and leading industry brands, Sean works to cultivate global relationships with social and environmental impact. His credits include his most recent film being screened in over 45 countries and translated into 14 languages, contributions to National broadcast television shows on PBS, as well as print and web photography publications with Smithsonian Magazine, The Wallstreet Journal, The Boston Globe, National Geographic Adventure, Outside Magazine, High Country News, and others. He has also served on the judging panel for The James Beard Foundation Media Awards and the Pacific Northwest Chapter student EMMY® award selections.
Discussion with the filmmaker
Stretch Break
Path of the Panther
"Drawn in by the haunting specter of the Florida panther, Nat Geo photographer Carlton Ward and a coalition of biologists, ranchers, conservationists, and Indigenous Peoples find themselves on the front lines of an accelerating battle between forces of renewal and destruction that have pushed the Everglades to the brink of ecological collapse. In a struggle resonating across the globe, the panther's habitat has become an island. Its lush territory transformed into subdivisions. A paradise - vanishing into thin air. Perched on the edge of extinction, the panther is an emblem of our once connected world. A vision of what could be again. Or else, a harbinger of what could befall our planet, if the 'Path of the Panther' becomes a dead end. This odyssey of hope and heartbreak is the culmination of more than five years of field research, half-a-million still images, and over 800 hours of ultra high definition camera trap footage. Against all odds, wild panthers have been stunningly captured in their native ecosystem, as they've never been filmed before. These wide-ranging apex predators, one of the most elusive and endangered wild cats in the world, are also the inspiration for a visionary idea: a wildlife corridor. It's the beginning of a wild 'path' that could one day stretch into every corner of the American continent. What began as a moonshot photo and film mission is evolving into a 'Path of the Panther' movement. This groundbreaking collaboration with National Geographic Society and other partners inspired the passage of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act - the first legislation of its kind and a blueprint for addressing habitat fragmentation and species extinction across the globe. Today, the movement continues to grow. The world stands at a crossroads - and the panther is showing the way." Director: Eric Bendick Eric is an Emmy-winning Writer, Director and Series Producer. He’s led filming expeditions in the Florida Everglades, the Grand Canyon, the Great Bear Rainforest, Alaska, and to the most remote spot in Yellowstone. His credits include numerous programs for National Geographic, Smithsonian, PBS, History Channel, Animal Planet, Microsoft, ABC, and the U.S. Department of Defense. Eric is a graduate of Brown University and Montana State University.
Discussion with the filmmaker
Stretch Break
9:30 PM Awards Ceremony
The Ruins indoor event space
10:00 PM Celebration Party
The Elks Club