Get inspired, learn something new, and be entertained this weekend with these five documentaries by Summit Instructors!
1) Nigerians Fight to Protect the World’s Most Trafficked Mammal – Pangolins are believed to be the most trafficked mammals in the world. As the four Asian species of pangolins have dwindled, poachers are increasingly turning to the African species to supply the trade. In this short film, meet the bold Nigerians who are fighting to protect this gentle and vulnerable creature.
Film by Summit Instructor Katie Schuler!
2) A Trout With Feathers – In the upper reaches of North America’s watersheds, one will find a charismatic chunky gray bird dipping and diving underwater in clear, fast-flowing streams. This bird is called the American dipper and is North America’s only aquatic songbird. Photographer and conservationist Mike Forsberg fell in love with the American dipper on a college fishing trip. After learning about these birds and their unique behaviors of dipping and diving underwater, he set out on a mission to document their natural history. This included photographing their behavior above water and below. This film follows Mike on his quest to photograph the American dipper diving underwater in the Poudre River in Colorado and will introduce you to a lifelong birder, retired school teacher, and ex-Harley rider Steve Den who helps Mike along the way. This film was produced with the Platte Basin Timelapse project.
Made by Summit Instructor Mariah Lundgren and featuring Summit Instructor Mike Forsberg!
3) Follow the Water – Follow the Water is a 60 minute NET Nebraska documentary that aired nationally on PBS, Earth Day 2019. This documentary, based in part on the Platte Basin Timelapse project (PBT), tells the story of the Platte River Basin as Mike Forsberg and Pete Stegen journey through the watershed by bike, backpack and canoe – meeting dedicated conservationists, giving voice to the land and wildlife, and exploring what’s at stake in our home watershed.
This project includes two Summit Instructors: Mariah Lundgren and Mike Forsberg! View the full film here.
4) Ay Mariposa – Ay Mariposa tells a story of three characters in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas whose lives are upended by plans to build a US-Mexico border wall. As the director of the National Butterfly Center, Marianna Trevino Wright has become a leader of wall resistance in the Valley, a position that has resulted in violent threats from pro-wall factions and an emotional odyssey as she tries to navigate the ever-shifting sands of border policy. Zulema Hernandez, a life-long migrant worker, immigrant and great grandmother, has been a dedicated advocate for all migrants, both wild and human-kind. Meanwhile the butterfly, la mariposa, fights its own daily battle for survival in a landscape where more than 95 percent of its habitat is long gone and much of what remains lies directly in the path of the wall.
Film made by Summit Instructors Morgan Heim and Jenny Nichols! Watch the full film here.
5) Deer 139 – Three bold women test their endurance and wits as they brave the formidable, migratory journey of a pregnant, scrawny doe.
This film was made by a team including Summit Instructor Morgan Heim! Watch the full film here.
Feeling inspired to start making your own film?! You can learn from these rock-star instructors through 1:1 Summit Sessions or join us this fall at our Nature and Conservation workshop!