Photos by Sandra Michaud
Wild and Scenic River Film Fest 062919
Wild and Scenic River Film Fest 062919
Torie Grass is selling raffle tickets for artwork by Elli Sorensen, which will be the basis for the posters for the Gila River Festival
Wild and Scenic River Film Fest 062919
A closer look at the artwork
Wild and Scenic River Film Fest 062919
Door prizes donated by some of the sponsors
Wild and Scenic River Film Fest 062919
Harry Browne, Grant County Commissioner, welcomes the audience
Wild and Scenic River Film Fest 062919
Frances Gonzales, Gila Resources Information Project Outreach/Education Advisor introduces the first set of films
Wild and Scenic River Film Fest 062919
Indi Blake, Silver City Watershed Keepers
Wild and Scenic River Film Fest 062919
The Festival played to a packed house
Wild and Scenic River Film Fest 062919
Emily Cox and Aiden Young of Thinking On a Mountain
Wild and Scenic River Film Fest 062919
Rhiannon Farley, Aldo Leopold Charter School
The Gila Conservation Coalition hosted the 8th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival Friday evening to a packed house at the Light Hall Theater. The Festival, themed “Where Activism Gets Inspired” featured 17 films, including two by local filmmakers. “Finding Refuge” by Aldo Leopold Charter School student Hawk Fugagli showed how a concept called climactic refugia can be used to preserve biomes. “Change” by Juniper and Escher Bowers demonstrates how Aldo Leopold Middle School students attempt to turn the climate crisis around.
Master of Ceremonies Harry Browne welcomed the filmgoers and told the audience how the Gila River has the dubious distinction of being American Rivers Most Threatened River of 2019.
The films, for the most part, were upbeat, showing how people the world around are able to make a difference in their own part of the world; how science is learning about the way even the smallest organisms are affecting water resources and how young indigenous people are getting involved in preserving their heritage.