CLEVELAND—February 21, 2023 – On Friday, March 10, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History is hosting the South Yuba River Citizens League’s Wild & Scenic Film Festival (WSFF), presented locally by Appalachian Outfitters. The festival, to be held in the Museum’s Murch Auditorium, features 11 selections from the WSFF’s lineup of 2022 and 2023 films. These documentaries, narrative shorts, and feature films from around the world illustrate the earth's beauty, the challenges facing our planet, and the work communities are doing to protect the environment.
"Films have a unique power," said Robyn Kaltenbach, Director of Programming and Community Partnership at the Museum. "There's something about the collective impact of film's narrative and visual appeal that engages people on a deeper level than, say, a news story or social media post. Powerful storytelling challenges the way we see things and can even inspire personal action or change."
The festival plays at more than 150 events each year, partnering with groups who are working to protect and restore the important places in their communities. Globally, WSFF generates critical funds and increases awareness for grassroots environmental causes.
Combining beautiful cinematography with exceptional storytelling, collectively, the films will provide the audience with fresh perspectives on the threats to our planet and the importance of environmental advocacy, justice, and activism. Individually, the stories range from the challenges facing the giant Sequoias to a mountain climber confronting his carbon footprint; from a boy’s unlikely friendship with a sea creature to the interconnectedness of all living things at the intersection of art and science. The scope of this year’s film selection is unparalleled:
I Am Salmon | 2022 | 3 min.
Connecting people with salmon and the sea through the subtle art of poetry and
gyotaku (fish rubbing), Duncan Berry shares his experiences as a longtime environmentalist and a former captain of a salmon troller. In adopting the salmon’s perspective, he turns the beauty of the Oregon coast into a canvas for illustrating the evolution of this transcendent fish. Filmmaker Whitney Hassett.
Giant Sequoias—Yosemite Nature Notes | 2022 | 9 min.
Giant sequoia trees are impressive for their great size, old age, and stoic resilience, but this resilience is being tested by bugs, drought, and catastrophic wildfires. These challenges offer opportunities to research these wonderful trees and develop better ways to support their ability to thrive and survive in the face of a changing climate. Filmmaker Steven M. Bumgardner.
An Imperfect Advocate | 2020 | 21 min.
A jet-setting mountain climber confronts his carbon footprint while becoming an activist in the fight against climate change. Filmmakers Jim Aikman and Graham Zimmerman.
Song of the Hermit | 2022 | 8 min.
The hermit thrush's song has long been a magical part of a visit to Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Researcher Allison R.P. Nelson and collaborators are working to better understand the subspecies that breeds along coastal California and identify the impacts of the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire on the park's population of thrushes. Filmmakers Sarinah Simons and Allison R. P. Nelson.
Antarctica: The Intersection of Technology and Climate Action | 2022 | 10 min.
Abby Barrows, a microplastics scientist, and Mike Libecki, a Nat Geo explorer, embark on a journey to research climate and microplastics in Antarctica. Their team uses cutting-edge technology in hopes of learning more about the urgent and devastating problem of microplastics pollution. Will the results of Barrows’s research show evidence of microplastics in the most pristine, remote area of our planet? Filmmakers Mike Libecki, Abby Barrows, Keith Ladzinski, Tommy Joyce, Davis Burch, Michael Neave, and Skye Prentice.
Cormie: The Pickpocket Cormorant | 2020 | 10 min.
A rescued cormorant will go to any lengths to help her wildlife center stay afloat. Filmmaker Morgan Heim.
The Rock Pool Waltz | 2021 | 8 min.
A boy’s affinity with nature helps to ease his worries and loneliness during the COVID-19 lockdown—and leads to an incredible friendship with an unlikely creature from the ocean. This inspiring film brings awareness to our connection with nature and the importance of caring for our environment and the amazing creatures that share it. Filmmaker Marlon Denning.
Green the City | 2021 | 5 min.
As pastor of the New Northside Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis, the Reverend Rodrick Burton champions many causes—including renewable energy. Meanwhile, St. Louis Sustainability Director Catherine Werner pushes for energy efficiency and solar workforce programs that support underserved communities. Explore how these efforts come together to help a coal-powered city emerge as an environmental leader. Filmmakers Kika Tuff, Elana Kimbrell, Rese Cloyd, Matt Talarico, and Pete Hoffman.
Endangered Migration: A Monarch Butterfly Story | 2022 | 7 min.
The annual monarch butterfly migration to Mexico is at risk, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed monarchs as an endangered species. Together, local communities and World Wildlife Fund have made significant progress toward protecting the habitat of monarch butterflies in the alpine forests to which they migrate each winter. Here in the U.S. and Canada, we can help support monarch butterflies throughout other stages of their life cycles by preserving habitats and food sources, such as milkweed. Learn more about how you can help WWF save the monarch butterfly at worldwildlife.org/monarchs. Filmmakers Andrew Ackerman, Ted Martens, and Nick Grossman.
The Interconnectedness of All Living Things | 2021 | 10 min.
Artist Georgia Hodges paints a mural paying homage to life on Earth and to H.R. 109, the Green New Deal Resolution. Filmmaker Jeff den Broeder.
Punchline | 2022 | 10 min.
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 sharing the outdoors with those who historically have not grown up with it. As a man of color, he is redefining what it means to be an outdoorsman in America—and even more important, how to be an advocate for preserving the world's natural wonders. Filmmakers Dan Holt, Kaare Iverson, and Alex Palumbo.
Ken Schneider, Administrative Coordinator, Research & Collections/Natural Areas for the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, will serve as the evening’s host. Doors open at 5:30pm; films begin at 6:30pm, and the last film will end at approximately 9:15pm. Food will be available for purchase at the Museum’s new Origins Café. Beer and wine will be available for purchase at a cash bar before the films begin and during intermission. Cost is $20 for members, $15 for youth; $25 for non-member adults, $17 for youth. Pre-registration is required at
CMNH.org/calendar/wild-scenic-film-festival-2023.
All registrants for the film festival will receive a link and code to watch all 11 films on demand for five days following the event.
The Wild & Scenic Film Festival is sponsored nationally by Rivers Are Life, Peak Design, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Earthjustice, HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, Nia Impact Capital, and Earthx Film.
About SYRCL
The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL, pronounced “circle”) is the leading voice for the protection and restoration of the Yuba River watershed. Founded in 1983 through a rural, grassroots campaign to defend the South Yuba River from proposed hydropower dams, SYRCL has developed into a vibrant community organization with over 3,500 members and volunteers based in Nevada City, CA. See:
www.yubariver.org
About the Cleveland Museum of Natural History Transformation Project
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History opened part of its transformed campus in December 2022, introducing a new Wade Oval Entrance, modernized Education Wing, and updated galleries. This opening is the latest milestone in the Museum’s $150 million transformation project, which features an expansion, a complete reimagining of the Museum campus and all its exhibits, and the addition of new public spaces. Pioneering a new model for natural history museums, the redesigned exhibits will place visitors at the center of the Museum experience—allowing them to better understand their connection with the natural world and the relevance of science to their daily lives. Slated for completion in late 2024, the transformation will showcase the Museum’s world-class assets while reflecting its role as a trusted community resource that prioritizes accessibility and engagement. The Transforming the World of Discovery campaign has raised more than $123 million for this project, which will expand the Museum's building and outdoor visitor areas to more than 375,000 square feet. The Museum appreciates the generous support from community members, corporations, foundations, and government grants that has helped to make this transformation a reality.
About the Cleveland Museum of Natural History
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History illuminates the world around us and inspires visitors to engage with the natural forces that shape their lives. Since its founding in 1920, the Museum has pioneered scientific research to advance knowledge across diverse fields of study and used its outstanding collections, which encompass more than 5 million artifacts and specimens, to deepen the public’s understanding of the dynamic connections between humans and nature. Through its Natural Areas Program, the Museum stewards nearly 12,000 acres of protected ecosystems across northern Ohio. A community gathering place, educational center, and research institution, the Museum is a vital resource that serves Cleveland and the nation. For more information, visit
CMNH.org.
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