Representation Matters Film Festival

About the Wild and Scenic Film Festival

Considered one of the nation’s premier environmental and adventure film festivals, Wild & Scenic features award-winning short films about nature, community activism, adventure, conservation, water, energy and climate change, wildlife, environmental justice, agriculture, Native American and indigenous cultures.

The Films

Our film selections from the Wild and Scenic library focus on themes related to recreation, activism, community, indigenous culture, finding belonging, and more! These stories highlight diverse voices in the outdoors.

I am Cheo

Inspired by the poem “I Am Joaquin” by Chicano poet Corky Gonzales, this unique film tells the story of a young boy named Cheo who, from the sights and smells of his abuela’s kitchen, takes a sweeping cinematic journey across the lands that are both his history and his future – he sees the gorges of the Grand Canyon, the antiquity of New Mexican acequias, the majesty of the Rockies, and the urban warmth of Downtown Los Angeles. On this journey, Cheo realizes that he is formed by these places – but they need his help, as they are devastated by wildfires, pollution, climate change and disrepair.

Becoming Ruby

This is a film about inclusion, identity, and hand-drawn heroes. Becoming Ruby shows that if you can’t find a hero, you can create your own. For mountain biker, skier, and artist Brooklyn Bell, that hand-drawn hero was a comic character named Ruby J. Using Ruby as a role model, Brooklyn set out to “live like her, breathe like her, be unapologetically black like her,” finding her own identity in a mix of dirt, snow, art, and inclusion.

Here We Stand

For generations, conservation has been about keeping people from places. Now, Save the Redwoods League and Teresa Baker ask what it would look like for conservation to include all people, even those that normally are in the margins.

Dani Burt

For the first few days after she awoke from her coma, Dani Burt didn’t know her right leg, from just above the knee down, was gone. When the doctors finally told her the full extent of her injuries, Burt, an active, hungry-for-life person, wasn’t sure if she could go on. But she found the courage to continue through surfing, which led her on a path to becoming the first-ever women’s World Adaptive Surfing champion.

Camp Yoshi

After moving to Oregon and falling in love with the ability to explore the outdoors with ease with his wife and two kids, Rashad Frazier knew he had to extend the invitation to others. Driven by the magic of his experiences, his background as a chef, and his love of good food and connecting people to incredible places that open up to conversation, he created Camp Yoshi, which curates custom outdoor adventures centered around shared meals and shared experience with the goal of creating a space for Black people and allies to unplug and in turn reconnect with the wilderness. By virtue of being in these places, Camp Yoshi’s trips transform historically segregated spaces into safe havens for community, conversation and nourishment.

TranSending

This film follows the journey of Erin Parisi as she comes into her own identity as a Transgender woman and trains for the Seven Summits to create awareness and visibility for the Trans community. TranSending showcases this journey of extensive vulnerability, heartbreak, and courage.

In the Land of my Ancestors

‘In the Land of My Ancestors’ celebrates the legacy of beloved Ohlone elder Ann-Marie Sayers. Sayers has devoted her life to preserving the stories and culture of her Indigenous ancestors. This documentary challenges viewers to consider the perilous impact of colonization on the Ohlone people in the Bay Area. It also follows Sayers as she provides a refuge in the sacred Indian Canyon for Indigenous people to reclaim their culture, spirituality, and heritage. 

UMUNHUM

Umunhum sweeps you off your feet and places you on top of a mountain that was not accessible to the public for over 60 years. The mountain is Mt Umunhum which stands 3,486 feet tall between San Jose, California and the Pacific Ocean. To restore the top of Mt Umunhum and open it to the public, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District collaborated with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band with an open mind and open arms. The results of this collaboration are deeply meaningful for those involved, and they are visually stunning for anyone who visits the peak of Mt Umunhum. This film will inspire you to think about the land under you and how you can contribute to its restoration and healing.