2023 Boulder Environmental/Nature/Outdoors Film Festival
Opening Night Program includes (Reception at Hilton Garden Inn and Film at the Dairy Arts Center)
Opening Night Reception & Film
Thursday, July 13 at 5:30PM to 9:00PM
Reception at Hilton Garden Inn Boulder on Canyon. Outdoor Courtyard
Heavy Appetizers & Libations (each attendee gets one ticket for either a cocktail, wine, or beer. Cash bar thereafter)
Live Music by The Atom Collective, a jazz band making people happy on Colorado’s front range since 2019.
Kyle Banker at Piano, Tobin Munsat on Drums, Adisa Nickerson on Trumpet, & Todd Van Selus on Bass. Click here for short clip
Film at 7:30PM at Dairy Arts Center NUCLEAR NOW
We suggest you park free at the DAC and walk 2 blocks to the Garden Inn
Click to BUY Ticket for Reception and Film Combined - $75
Click to BUY “FILM ONLY” Ticket - $15
To avoid online service charges, purchase your opening night tickets in person at the DAC Box Office prior to dates!
Or Purchase A Festival Pass - no service charges on any festival tickets!
Mark Jensen holds the Jerry and Tina Grandey University Chair in Nuclear Science and Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines where he is a Professor of Chemistry and the Director of the Nuclear Science and Engineering Program. He earned his PhD in Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry from the Florida State University and was a scientist at the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory from 1994 to 2014. His research in the chemical properties of heavy elements, such as plutonium, that are generated in the production of nuclear energy focuses on their environmental and biological behaviors as well as methods of recycling nuclear fuel for advanced nuclear reactors.
Opening Night Film - NUCLEAR NOW WITH MARK P. JENSen Director, Nuclear Science and Engineering Program
Colorado School of Mines and Chris Noonan, PEREGRINE ENERGY
Dairy Arts Center — Gordon Gamm Theater at 7:30 pm
Click for Trailer
As fossil fuels continue to cook the planet, the world is finally becoming forced to confront the influence of large oil companies and tactics that have enriched a small group of corporations and individuals for generations. Beneath our feet, Uranium atoms in the Earth’s crust hold incredibly concentrated energy- science unlocked this energy in the mid-20th century, first for bombs and then to power submarines and the United States led the effort to generate electricity from this new source. Yet in the mid 20th century as societies began the transition to nuclear power and away from fossil fuels, a long-term PR campaign to scare the public began, funded in part by coal and oil interests. This campaign would sow fear about harmless low-level radiation and create confusion between nuclear weapons and nuclear power.
With unprecedented access to the nuclear industry in France, Russia, and the United States, iconic director Oliver Stone explores the possibility for the global community to overcome challenges like climate change and reach a brighter future through the power of nuclear energy an option that may become a vital way to ensure our continued survival sooner than we think.
"A strong, clear and courageous film.
I admire it for defying all trends."
- Werner Herzog, Filmmaker
"An intensely compelling,
must-see documentary."
- Owen Gleiberman,Variety
2023 FESTIVAL FILMS at the DAIRY ARTS CENTER
2023 Festival Passes on Sale Now! Click Here
Student climate activists file lawsuit against the US Government
Nic Venner
Age: 21, Hometown: Lakewood, Colorado
"Climate impacts in the U.S. are real and getting worse. We're running out of water, we're facing record-setting heat waves, and wildfires and superstorms are becoming more common. We must act now to protect our planet and our civilization."
As a young Catholic, Nic is drawn to the intersection between their church and environmental stewardship, and was inspired by Pope Francis’s 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home. “Our moral call to protect the common good (and not the profits of a selfish few) is clear in the Pope’s call to action,” says Nic. When Catholic groups came on board to support the lawsuit, they wanted to “thank God for their support in our fight to save our Nation’s climate.” Where they live in Colorado, Nic enjoys fishing, but due to wildfires and variable water flows from droughts and floods, they have not been able to go fishing for the past three years. Nic and their family grow some of their own food, but hail, rainstorms, drought, and pests have ruined their garden for several years.
Friday, July 14 at 4:00 PM @ Boedecker Cinema
YOUTH v. GOV
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Youth Climate Justice organizer and Colorado resident, Nic Venner, one of the subjects in the film will join us for discussion afterwards.
Screened at 48 festivals worldwide | Winner of 24 Audience & Jury Awards | Featured at American Association of Law Schools and Educational Conferences
YOUTH v GOV is the story of the Juliana v. The United States of America constitutional lawsuit and the 21 American youth, ages 14 to 25, who are taking on the world’s most powerful government. Since 2015, the legal non-profit Our Children’s Trust, has been representing these youth in their landmark case against the U.S. government for violating their constitutional rights to life, liberty, personal safety, and property through their willful actions in creating the climate crisis they will inherit.
As leaders in the youth climate movement, the twenty-one plaintiffs of Juliana v. The United States of America represent the diversity of American youth impacted by the climate crisis. They hail from 10 states: Florida, Alaska, Hawaii, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Louisiana, and New York. These film characters encompass cultural, economic and geographic diversity and many come from marginalized communities, serving as beacons of hope for those who do not have a platform to share their own stories. They are African-American, Indigenous, white, bi-racial, and LGBTQ, and their diversity speaks not only to the impacts of climate change, but to the inclusion required if we are to build a better and more just future together. These young people are activists, students, artists, musicians, and farmers, and their stories are universal.
Directed by Christi Cooper
Runtime: 110 mins.
“I am 100% behind our youth having a say in decisions affecting their future and holding the government accountable to them.” – FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA
“One of the most fascinating aspects of this astounding documentary is that it shows the 21 young plaintiffs becoming seasoned and articulate advocates for the planet they want to inherit. Their resolve is tested again and again, as they persevere against the odds. I found it humbling, educational and deeply inspiring. Bravo! – GLENN CLOSE
“Youth v Gov is both a documentary and a kind of superhero movie.” – MADELINE LINES – POV MAGAZINE
Sean Kohler, Development Manager from BOULDER FOOD RESCUE will Facilitate a discussion on Food Equity afterwards with his colleague Bob Boggs.
Boulder Food Rescue aims to create a more just and less wasteful food system. We facilitate the sustainable redistribution of healthy food that would otherwise be wasted to low-income communities, by bicycle. We work with communities to facilitate their own food redistribution and create decentralized systems to bypass barriers to food access. Our work envisions a world in which everyone has equitable access to healthy food.
Friday, July 14 at 4:30PM @ Gordon Gamm Theater
THE GRAB
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Sean Kohler, Development Manager from BOULDER FOOD RESCUE will Facilitate a discussion on Food Equity afterwards
An investigative journalist uncovers the money, influence, and alarming rationale behind covert efforts to control the most vital resource on the planet. “The Grab” unspools like a thriller in one sense and a dystopian science fiction movie in another.
Gabriela Cowperthwaite and Nate Halverson create a perfect marriage between documentary and journalism in The Grab. This taut investigative docu-thriller six years in the making follows Halverson as he digs into the global crisis of land grabs. The process essentially sees developed nations take aggressive measures to counter food scarcity and resource depletion by snapping up huge parcels of land in other countries. The aim is to pillage as much natural resources of a foreign nation to feed one’s home supply. Halverson’s inquiry into a curious matter—the acquisition of 25% of the USA’s pork supply—leads him down a rabbit hole that connects pork chops with private militia, Saudi princes, forced homelessness in Zambia, and even the war in Ukraine.
Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and Nate Halverson
Runtime: 102 mins
“This is the ‘holy s&%t’ documentary of the year.” – ROGER EBERT.COM
“Astonishing, eye-opening … unspools like a thriller in one sense and a dystopian science fiction movie in another.” – VARIETY
“Paced like a sleek, complex international thriller, where nothing less than the future of the world is at stake.” – LOS ANGELES TIMES
2023 FESTIVAL FILMS at the DAIRY ARTS CENTER
2023 Festival Passes on Sale Now! Click Here
Matt Jessmore, Development Associate for the Wild Animals Sanctuary will facilitate a discussion on animal rescue and the Captive Wildlife Crisis.
The Wild Animal Sanctuary’s mission is focused on rescuing and providing large-acre habitats for captively bred animals. We work with governments and organizations all around the world to facilitate the rescue of animals from small cages or enclosures and bring them to outdoor habitats hundreds of acres in size. We currently care for roughly 750+ rescued animals coming from places like Ukraine, Argentina, South Korea, and Puerto Rico across 4 locations totaling over 33,000 acres of space for the animals. We strive to educate the public on how we can end the Captive Wildlife Crisis and prevent further suffering to truly incredible creatures.
Friday, July 14 at 7:00PM @ BOEDECKER CINEMA
DEEP IN THE HEART
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Matt Jessmore, of The Wild Animal Sanctuary will lead a discussion on Wild Animal Rescue
DEEP IN THE HEART is a visually stunning celebration of what makes Texas unique — its diverse landscapes and remarkable wildlife behavior that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Told through the eyes of wildlife species ranging from the mysterious blind catfish to the elusive mountain lion, the story follows our ever-changing relationship with the natural world and showcases our ability to destroy, conserve, and recover wildlife and the habitat we mutually depend on.
Narrated by Matthew McConaughey and featuring state-of-the-art cinematography, this family-friendly film journeys from the highest peaks in West Texas, through our aquifers, rivers, and bays, and deep into the Gulf of Mexico. DEEP IN THE HEART aims to conserve our remaining wild places, to show the connectivity of water and wildlife, and to recognize Texas’ conservation importance on a continental scale.
Directed by Ben Masters
Runtime: 101 mins
Stunningly shot and lovingly presented, there's quite a bit to marvel at here.
— Paul Salfen AMFM Magazine
A gorgeously filmed nature documentary that has the potential to sway the opinions, hearts, and minds of anti-environmentalists and others who are uninterested in the conservation conversation.
— Louisa MooreScreen Zealots
Friday, July 14 at 7:30PM @ Gordon Gamm Theater
ENTER THE SLIPSTREAM with director Ted Youngs and Producer Matthew Rogers
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director Ted Youngs and Producer Matthew Rogers will join us afterwards for a discussion
Jonathan “JV” Vaughters runs the United State’s oldest professional cycling team, an international organization of over 120 riders and staff that race across the globe. A former pro and teammate of Lance Armstong, JV founded the team as a repudiation of cycling’s rampant culture of doping. Over the course of a decade, he built a squad that competes at the highest level–drug free.
In 2020, after sweeping the top three spots at the season’s first major race, Tour Colombia, his team appears poised to capture cycling’s most coveted prize: a win at the 21- day odyssey of the Tour de France. JV’s top rider, Rigoberto “Rigo” Urán, a Colombian superstar, is returning to form after a catastrophic injury. He is accompanied by two acolytes and countrymen, Dani Martinez and Sergio Higuita, both of whom would sacrifice themselves to place Rigo on the podium. A pair of U.S. riders, TeJay van Garderen, a steely veteran and father of two young girls with nine tours under his belt, and Neilson Powless, a doe-eyed newcomer, complete the ensemble. Enter the Slipstream lives within the world of JV and this band of riders during a year of insecurity and potential, voyaging from Colombia to Spain and onto France, where they fight their way from the Cote-d’Azur through 3,000 kilometers of French countryside all the way to Paris. Through victories and heartbreaks, these young men ceaselessly pedal forward while JV maintains a brave face and hides the secret that could tear the team apart.
Along the journey, we discover why the Tour de France is not so much a race as a cultural institution. We learn about the sport’s fragile economics, made only more vulnerable by a coronavirus settling like dust across the planet. And we take inspiration from seeing how the seemingly solitary activity of riding a bike competitively is an act of teamwork in the purest form.
Directed by Ted Youngs
Produced by Matthew Rogers
Runtime: 88 mins
TED YOUNGS | DIRECTOR (left above)
Ted Youngs is a filmmaker and artist. Youngs produced “Capturing Everest”, a 2016 virtual reality
series which followed a team climbing the world’s tallest peak. This Emmy-winning piece was
distributed by Sports Illustrated. Youngs’ narrative video work is in the permanent collection at
Seattle’s Pacific Science Center and The Grand Coulee Dam. “Enter the Slipstream” is Youngs’
directorial debut.
MATT ROGERS | PRODUCER (right above)
Matt Rogers is in private practice working as production counsel with independent filmmakers
(Spelling the Dream, Uncle Peckerhead, Furever, Divide in Concord, among others). This is his first
time in the producer’s chair.
Saturday, July 15 at 4:00PM @ BOEDECKER CINEMA
SHORT FILM Competition Program
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Finalists of short films curated from over 100 submissions to the festival in 2023 - Additional Short Selections Forthcoming
DROP — USA — 18:30 mins
Directed by Liam Gallagher
Patagonia, Protect Our Winters (POW), and Hilary Hutcheson teamed up to produce a new film titled “Drop.” The film follows the drop of water from its source in the Rockies of Montana, to its final destination in the Pacific Ocean.
DIAGONAL — USA — 10:30 mins
Directed by Ryan Ernstes (Boulder resident will attend)
Colorado local India Wood bucks the traditional way of recreating and takes an unique and in-depth look at the world around her. India’s walk is a celebration of the originality that makes us human, and the delight that comes in doing things a little bit differently.
BICYCLE ISLAND — USA/CUBA — 19:55
Bicycle Island weaves portraits and artistic explorations into a contemporary mosaic of Havana’s bicycle culture, positioning the bicycle as a re-adopted mobility tool and critical resource for the future of the island.
Directed by Mitra Elena Ghaffari (Boulder native will attend)
CONNECTED TO THE TERRAIN — SPAIN - 12:00
We enter the world of Jonathan Trango, where we learn about the keys to proximity, a sport in which technical and psychological preparation play a very important role. In Malaga, in the Sierra de la Almijara, Jonathan shows us how to open a line and the things to keep in mind. It is a pleasure for the senses to see him flying in a wingsuit.
Directed by Alberto Collantes
I SEE — CANADA — 2:37
Ni Wapiten is a plea to better respect Mother Earth. In this poetic film, we follow a child's journey through the woods to his community's local dump. Playfully, he reuses the waste to build a bear, symbolizing nature.
Directed by Noémie Echaquan & Julie Ottawa
HEART OF MAUI — USA — 7:30
This National Park Service film follows two biologists fight to save a bird species so rare, there are only 200 left on the planet. The extinction event of our lifetime is unfolding inside Haleakala National Park's remote backcountry. Discover what will be lost if humans do not take take action to save these rare Maui forest birds.
Directed by David Ehrenberg
PROVIDE FILM — USA — 10:46
Micheli Oliver grapples with her relationship to the outdoors, she looks to her family and the ways they love the outdoors for guidance. A film centered on ethical hunting ,fishing and a families love for each other and the wild.
Directed by Micheli Leona Oliver & Luke Robert Kaneb
DRIVING SWEEP — USA — 9:54
Few river guides ever get the chance to drive Idaho’s Iconic sweep boat. Driving Sweep follows Katie Veteto as she learns how to “drive sweep” down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. She’s learned the rapids and the river. Now she learns to drive a 4,000lbs sweep down steep rocky rapids.
Directed by Gregory Cairns
RESTORING THE SPIRIT OF PLACE — USA — 12:00
This is the story of wildlife passages along Highway 93 which runs through the Flathead Reservation and the work of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai (CSKT) tribes to support coexistence along human and wildlife corridors. The CSKT pushed for a “context-sensitive design of the expansion of Highway 93” to take into account the surrounding mountains, plains, hills, forests, valleys and sky. This includes the paths of waters, glaciers, winds, plants, animals and native people. The CKST call this approach "Spirit of Place".
Directed by Jerry van de Beek, Lara Tomov & Nick Stone Schearer
2023 FESTIVAL FILMS at the DAIRY ARTS CENTER
2023 Festival Passes on Sale Now! Click Here
Saturday, July 15 at 4:30PM @ Gordon Gamm Theater
ONE KIDNEY CLIMB: KILIMANJARO + ALL AMONG THE BISON + ELEVATED
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After the screening, we will be joined by three Mt. Kili KDA climbers for a discussion: Samantha Carreiro, Emily Polet Monterosso, and Matt Harmody.
Three films that share the common goal of overcoming physical adversity to succeed in their passion for the outdoors.
ALL AMONG THE BISON tells the story of Steve Holly and Cody Spencer, two entrepreneurs and activists working in Southwestern Alberta. Both are dedicated in different ways to restoring balance and a natural order that has been lost. Set in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies as well as Canada’s prairie grasslands, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, the film showcases the work of these two passionate individuals: Steve Holly works with physical and cognitively disabled individuals to restore their access to outdoor recreation and Cody Spencer re-introduces bison to their natural habitat of the prairie grasslands in an effort to help restore native grasses and biodiversity, preserving this precious resource for generations to come.
Directed by Duncan McDowall
Runtime: 19 mins
ELEVATED: effective communication is a challenge that every climber faces. It’s a sport that requires intense focus, dedication, and overcoming fear. For Deaf climber Sonya Wilson, communication and community is of vital importance. Elevated is a non-verbal film sharing Sonya’s experience as a Deaf woman and outdoor advocate working to bridge the gap between the Deaf community and the outdoor industry, one crag at a time.
Directed by Palmer Morse
Runtime: 15 mins
ONE KIDNEY CLIMB: KILIMANJARO: Kidney Donor Athletes climb to Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise awareness about live organ donations. Hulick and the rest of the climbers are part of 22 separate donation chains. When someone donates to a stranger on behalf of someone they know, it sets off a chain reaction and an opportunity for many more lives to be saved.
After the screening, we will be joined by three Mt. Kili KDA climbers for a discussion, Samantha Carreiro, Emily Polet Monterosso, and Matt Harmody.
Directed by Tom Racek
Runtime: 33 Mins
Molly Kawahata, THE SCALE OF HOPE
Molly Kawahata is a former White House advisor in the Obama Administration and the Founder of Systemic Impact Strategies, an organizational development, strategy, and communications consultancy. Her life story, depicted in Patagonia's film, THE SCALE OF HOPE (2022), intimately explores her pursuit of climbing steep ice faces in Alaska, her personal struggle with Bipolar 2 Disorder, and her work to transform societal narratives by infusing them with hope and empowerment. She has been asked to speak at Fortune 100 companies such as Google and Nike, for IMAX audiences around the world, for international organizations, and at institutions such as Harvard University, the U.S. Congress, and the Kennedy Center presidential monument. Outside of work, Molly is an avid ice and alpine climber and her focus on the Alaska Range.
Saturday, July 15 at 7:00PM @ BOEDECKER CINEMA
THE SCALE OF HOPE
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Molly Kawahata, former climate advisor to the Obama White House will join us for a Q&A
The film’s subject is Molly Kawahata, a former climate advisor to the Obama White House. She is also a dedicated alpine climber who dreams of climbing higher and more challenging summits as she continues to hone her climbing skills. This desire to overcome seemingly impossible situations is mirrored in her lifelong passion for helping the environment and alleviating the effects of global climate change. As she works hard to prepare for a climbing expedition in the Alaska Range, Molly is also working on a hope-centered strategy and narrative in addressing climate change. And in a life-affirming twist, her mental health struggles allow her to find a way.
Directed by Josh "Bones" Murphy
Runtime: 67 Mins
Saturday, July 15 at 7:30PM @ Gordon Gamm Theater
VERTICAL LIFE – ROCK CLIMBING SHORTS
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Vertical Life Film Tour is in its third year and again brings the best of vertical adventures to the globe. From untold stories, unsung heroes, and the faces we've come to know and love in climbing - the Vertical Life has something for everyone.
MIDAIR
In scaling rocks by the hardest routes, boulderers seek to escape gravity in an endless quest to achieve weightlessness and momentarily leave the world behind.
MIDAIR is a metaphysical bouldering film starring the UK's best all-round climber, Jim Pope. Filmed in iconic Lake District locations and set to a pumping techno soundtrack.
Director: Louis-Jack | Runtime: 4:00
EVERYDAY CLIMBERS - PABLO
Pablo, a young Belgian climber, is biking through France in the winter, looking for the best 8A route of the country.
Director: Florent Quint
ELEVATED
Effective communication is a challenge every climber faces. It’s a sport that requires intense focus, dedication, and overcoming fear. For Deaf climber Sonya Wilson, communication and community is of vital importance. Elevated is a non-verbal film sharing Sonya’s experience as a Deaf woman and outdoor advocate working to bridge the gap between the Deaf community and the outdoor industry, one crag at a time.
Director: Palmer Morse
SEVEN 7 SEVEN
Seven hundred and seventy seven metres. The bizarre number that measures a gap between two cliffs.
In March 2021, a group of dirty and like minded individuals come together to break the Australian record for longest line rigged and bridge this 777m gap.
Heartfelt and soulful, Divya Gordon and Ali Vann give you a glimpse into what it is like to be part of the Australian highlining community and what it means to highline.
Director: Divya Gordon, Ali Vann | Runtime: 21:29
THE PROCESS
Tom Randall is a world class crack climber. He is also a terrible runner, which is why his latest challenge seems like an odd choice. He decided to link up two of the Lake District's biggest and toughest endurance challenges, the Bob Graham Round and The Classic Rock challenge into one hellish 24 hour mad dash. A funny, honest, genuine and heartfelt story.
Director: Matt Pycroft | Runtime: 15:00 mins
GRACE
Having spent her teenage years in hospital, Grace finds healing in the climbing community.
Director: Sandro Gromen-Hayes | Runtime: 11:56 mins
ROUTE SETTERS
Short sport documentary film about route settings in Hong Kong's indoor climbing gym
Director: Tony Cheung | Runtime: 7:15 mins
GIGANTOR - THE DOG FACE
Australian Climber Zac Vertrees is at home on the Dogface climbing Gigantor, a route first aid climbed in 1967. Zac freed the route in 2005, yet it has not seen a second free ascent since. 15 years later he returns to re-climb it and finds it tougher than ever before. The Dogface is notoriously scary, gear can pop, rusty bolts snap by hand and the climbing is always a sandy affair.
Director: Ben Sanford
INNER MOUNTING FLAME
The story of North Carolina musician and rock climbing legend Mike Stam and the second ascent of his high country bouldering test piece, The Inner Mounting Flame.
Featuring climbers Mike Stam, Taylor McNeill, Nathan Draughn, and Elijah Kiser
Director: Andrew Kornylak
2023 FESTIVAL FILMS at the DAIRY ARTS CENTER
2023 Festival Passes on Sale Now! Click Here
The Regional Air Quality Council welcomes Kelsey Simpkins to the RAQC staff. Prior to joining the RAQC, Kelsey worked at the University of Colorado Boulder in media relations and as a science writer, specializing in climate and environmental science. She previously worked for sustainability science NGO Future Earth as a digital engagement and communications specialist, and for the Twin Cities-based ecological restoration nonprofit Great River Greening in development and communications.
As Communications and Programs Coordinator, Kelsey will manage media, public relations, and community outreach and events for the Simple Steps Better Air program.
Sunday, July 16 at 1:00PM @ Boedecker Cinema
SOLUTIONS
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Kelsey Simpkins (she/her), Communications and Programs Coordinator, Regional Air Quality Council will join us afterwards to discuss HOW RAQC is Working on local solutions for better air quality
In the desert of New Mexico, a group of scientists, entrepreneurs and innovators come together with an ambitious goal: to secure the future of humanity by creating a new and optimistic pathway into the future. Their expertise is diverse – from science and technology to economics, social studies and the business world.
Throughout the ages, each time a new technology has appeared, it has transformed our lives and society--today more than ever. Lead by digitalization, followed by new living and intelligent technologies, our world is being transformed in a way that's difficult for us to comprehend. A group of the world's leading scientists isolates themselves for 10 days at the renowned Santa Fe Institute, hidden awFocusing on the rising gap between rapidly evolving 'physical' technologies (like artificial intelligence and automation) on the one hand, and our slowly responding cultural systems (government, education) on the other, the group identifies some of the major side effects: rising populism, financial instability, income inequality, and the breakdown of a collective conception of objective facts – all against the backdrop of climate change. Without a change in direction, worldwide turmoil will continue to grow.
SOLUTIONS offers deeply inspiring insights into a new vision for humanity, with concrete ideas that will pave the way for solving some of the world's most challenging problems.
Directed by Pernille Rose Grønkjær
Runtime: 75 mins
Dylan Beeson, Founder of Travel-Well Consultancy.
He created the firm, Travel-Well to help guide others to travel and see the world in a different way. To become part of the story, to wind themselves into the tapestry of the place and space and to create moments of serendipity and joy both for themselves and the local people and communities they visit.
The goal is to reward smaller, soulful and intentional vendors and hotels, tosteer clients to what is off, off center and to create a new travel zeitgeistthat is a "slow travel," movemnt. To see what is around the corner and to do itorganically and thoughtfully.
Travel-Well helps individuals and business design better travel stories bydistilling the over-abundance of information out there into a simple, elegantand beautiful travel experience.
Dylan is passionate about his mission to help people see and experience this unbelievable planet.
Sunday, July 16 at 1:30PM @ Gordon gamm theater
A CRACK IN THE MOUNTAIN
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Dylan Beeson, Founder of Travel-Well Consultancy will join us for a discussion on Eco-tourism afterwards
Filmmakers explore the Hang So'n Đoòng cave in Vietnam, which is the world's largest cave passage with its own lake, jungle and unique weather system. Hang Son Doong which translates as “mountain river cave”, is in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh Province in Vietnam. The national park is also a UNESCO world heritage site. First found in 1990 by a local farmer, it wasn’t explored until 2009 when a British expedition team rigged ropes and descended down. Many people have described Son Doong as a lost world. It has its own lake, jungle and even a unique weather system. In 2014 plans were announced to build a cable car into Son Doong. With many arguing that this would destroy the cave’s delicate eco-system and the local community divided over the benefits this development would bring, the film follows those caught up in the unfolding events. The documentary also uses the narrative as a lens through which to investigate related themes such as the challenges of modern-day exploration, environmental conservation & sustainability, and the perils of operating as an activist in a country such as Vietnam where freedom of speech is severely curtailed.
Directed by Alastair Evans
Runtime: 99 mins
"The film is breathtaking, as Alastair Evans captures Hang Son Doong's beauty incredibly. The imagery alone nails down the importance of keeping these caves untouched by anything resembling corporate greed." — Alan Ng, Film Threat
"Magical, remarkable, dramatic, indescribable, otherworldly... A Crack In the Mountain is a portal to understanding the balances to be negotiated in a dynamic and ever-changing world. It is an experience that enables the viewer to become a fellow-traveler to an edenic world, all the while appreciating what is at risk and what obligations we have to protect, preserve and sustain it." — Herbert Paine, Broadway World
"Thought- provoking, stimulating, powerful...4 green thumbs up." — Carol Kahn, Green Living Magazine
Closing Night Film at Dairy Arts Center, Award Presentation, and Reception at the Hilton GARDEN INN
James Balog, our 2023 EARTH ANGEL HONOREE
Prior to Closing Night festivities, the festival will honor James Balog with the festival’s EARTH ANGEL statuette and presented by COLORADO LOTTERY for his lifetime work in environmental advocacy. For more than 40 years, visionary photographer Balog has revealed the most crucial environmental issues of our time, from endangered wildlife and deforestation to melting glaciers and wildfire. His 2018 award-winning film, The Human Element, has been screened worldwide. Balog’s Extreme Ice Survey is the most extensive, ground-based, photographic study of glaciers ever conducted, and was the basis of the film Chasing Ice, which won an Emmy and the Sundance award for cinematography. An avid mountaineer, Balog is the author of nine books. His photographs are in many dozens of public and private art collections have been extensively published in electronic and print media worldwide.
Patrick and Dolores
Well known among the nature documentary field, Patrick Dykstra is a TV presenter, BAFTA award-winning wildlife cameraman, and expedition leader.
Patrick won a BAFTA for his cinematography work on the BBC’s Blue Planet 2 and went on to host his own eight part television series titled Chasing Ocean Giants that has aired in over 150 countries on the Discovery Channel and continues to be aired and streamed on the Discovery+ streaming service. The eight-part series follows Patrick’s journey across the globe to assist some of the world’s leading scientists in discovering mysteries of the ocean. During the production, the team filmed numerous world-firsts and provided a valuable platform for the scientists with whom they worked. Patrick has also filmed major nature programs for Netflix, National Geographic, AppleTV+, Discovery, BBC and others. A feature film about his friendship with a sperm whale titled “Patrick and the Whale” (WT) has just been released in September 2022.
Sunday, July 16 at 4:00PM @ Gordon gamm theater
PATRICK AND THE WHALE with Patrick Dykstra
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Driver, Adventurer Patrick Dykstra will join us afterwards for a Q&A
An inspiring and engaging tale of Patrick Dykstra and a sperm whale “Dolores.”
For years, Patrick Dykstra has dedicated his life to traveling the globe, following and diving with whales. Over the years, Patrick has learned how whales see and hear, how they perceive other creatures in the water and how they behave at close quarters. He has a finely tuned sense and knows how to act when within touching distance of a whale – what to do, what not to do and when. This allows him to consistently get closer than anyone else alive – a truly unique skill.
Patrick recently experienced a life-changing event. In Dominica, he had a close encounter with a female sperm whale. She seemed to be curious about him, coming within touching distance, pulsing him with her sonar. She studied him as he studied her. Patrick felt an overwhelming sense that she was genuinely trying to communicate.
We follow Patrick as he travels to Dominica again to find this special whale he named “Dolores” so she can help him show us the hidden world of her species. Using stunning underwater footage, Patrick explores the fascinating nature of the sperm whale, attempting to shine a light on its intelligence and complexity, as well as highlighting its current and past relationship with humankind. The film follows his personal journey and explores the psychology of a man who has sacrificed everything in his single-minded quest to connect with and understand one of the the biggest creatures in the ocean.
Directed by Mark Fletcher
Runtime: 72 mins
“Patrick and the Whale is a must-see for whale lovers, oceanic enthusiasts or anyone who wants to be swept up in a wondrous journey under the sea. A gorgeous documentary.” – Film Inquiry
“Plunges viewers deep into the depths of the ocean and in doing so, generates some of the most gorgeous underwater cinematography.” – Awards Radar
Closing NIGHT FILM & Reception
Sunday, July 16
Film at 4:00PM at Dairy Arts Center PATRICK AND THE WHALE
Reception from 6:00PM to 7:30PM
Reception at Hilton Garden Inn on Canyon.
Libations & Appetizers, Live Music by Shawn Cunnane Trio
Shawn Cunnane Trio is an eclectic jazz combo that performs instrumental versions of pop classics. Drawing from such greats as Van Morrison, Jim Croce, and Smokey Robinson the group focuses on smooth grooves and texture to create an enjoyable atmosphere for any event. With all three members hailing from the Northeast, they love to bring their own brand of soul to every performance.
We suggest you park free at the DAC and walk 2 blocks to the Garden Inn
Click to BUY Ticket for Reception and Film Combined - $45
Click to BUY “FILM ONLY” ticket - $15
To avoid online service charges, purchase your opening night tickets in person at the DAC Box Office prior to dates!
Or Purchase A Festival Pass - no service charges on any festival tickets!