WILD WONDERS: This session focuses on ways humans and wildlife can coexist in harmony.
Sponsored by Sussex School, Art & Rays Lock & Safe, Montana Natural History Center, Blue Cross Blue Shield
FLORA, FAUNA, FUNGA - dir. Sam Sheline
This film follows mycologist Giuliana Furci’s search for new mushrooms on the island of Tierra del Fuego. She’s joined by the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks, whose goal is to map the mycorrhizal networks of the world. Together, these scientists illuminate how—through nutrient cycling and the essential relationships they form with plants—fungi underpin every ecosystem on Earth.
THE BEE - dir. Kim Lowe
THE BEE highlights Bill Perkins, a beekeeper in Boston who shares his knowledge and love of bees with his community, sometimes riding through a busy city with 10,000 bees on the back of his bike so he can show them to second graders who are learning about pollination.
THE ROCK POOL WALTZ - dir. Marlon Denning
During COVID lockdown, a boy’s affinity with nature eases his loneliness and leads to an incredible friendship.
JOJO: A TOAD MUSICAL - dir. Chelsea J. Jolly, David Herasimtschuk
JOJO: A TOAD MUSICAL is a musical portrait of JoJo Nyaribo, a young wildlife advocate, as he explores the meaning of biodiversity and stewardship in his own backyard. This story weaves JoJo's love for the natural world with his struggle against a fungus that has been wiping out a staggering number of amphibians around the globe. JoJo will explore his role in preventing the spread of this fungus through tasks as simple as cleaning his hiking shoes and educating his friends and family.
IMMACULATE - dir. Ninjing Wang
Ecologist Amaël Borzée has dedicated five years to understanding and preserving the legacy of Chinese immaculate treefrogs, an amphibian species on the brink of extinction. Amaël’s path crosses with Ningjing Wang, a local filmmaker whose love for frogs traces back to her childhood. United by a hope to save the immaculate treefrogs, they embark on an extraordinary journey into the heart of rural China.
OTTERS OF YELLOWSTONE - dir. Joshua Bruni
A short film showcasing the beauty of river otters and how they thrive during the harsh winter season in Yellowstone National Park.
PUFFLING - dir. Jessica Bishopp
Every summer, Birta and Selma rescue pufflings (young puffins) at night on an island off the coast of Iceland. The pufflings leave their nests for the first time, following the light of the moon to make their journey out to sea and transition into adulthood. Unfortunately, the pufflings get lost in town, mistaking harbor lights for the moon. Birta and Selma must take it upon themselves to counteract the human impact on nature, exchanging night-time parties for puffin patrol.