Sunrise light on a grove of tufa towers emerging from the water of Mono Lake with soft green and dusty-red wild grasses in the foreground, Canada geese in the shallow water with reflections of the rocky towers, and desert hills in the distance.

Wild & Scenic Film Festival program preview

This post was written by Julia Frankenbach, 2014 Project Specialist.

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival–Los Angeles, to be held this year in El Segundo, is fast approaching! On Thursday, March 6th, we will celebrate our theme of “Watering the Future” with ten inspiring films exploring water-related issues and journeys. These previews will give you a taste of what to expect during the first segment of the festival.


Our night of film will open with I Am Red, a short film that celebrates the beauty and power of the Colorado River and laments the challenges faced by a river that no longer flows to the sea. This narrative film takes on the water’s perspective, featuring incredible footage of the river as it winds 1,450 miles through the North American landscape.

Our second film, Ryan’s Stories, documents the journey of Ryan Hudson, who grew up homeless in the inner city before discovering a talent and passion for snowboarding. Enjoy footage of inspiring alpine athleticism while learning how snowboarding can change lives.

After Ryan’s Stories, we will transition to a film that grapples with one of America’s most challenging water problems—hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”—a water-intensive process used in the natural gas extraction industry. Backyard is a gripping film featuring the testimonials of five very different people, each of whom has come in close contact with the industry, either working for it or watching fracking operations move in and begin operating near their homes. The film explains hydraulic fracturing and its effects in concise, animated segments. By capturing the similar concern of different people in four states, the film asks its audience to question the rights of the natural gas industry. When human health is called into question, where do we draw the line?

To view these and seven other inspiring documentary films, join us at the Wild & Scenic Film Festivaltickets are on sale now!