It’s been called the toughest endurance race in the world ... why would anyone do this, especially when it’s 40 degrees below zero? Set in Northern Minnesota, we meet Leah, a junk food eating scientist, and Bill, an accomplished ultra-marathoner who just can’t seem to finish this incredibly challenging race. They run, bike or ski 135 miles over three days in the solitary woods, sometimes hallucinating and barely stopping to rest or sleep in the snow without getting frostbite or freezing to death. What can we learn from them about life, love and happiness?

Directed by Marius Anderson

99 minutes

When a news publisher in Arkansas, an attorney in Arizona, and a speech therapist in Texas are told they must choose between their jobs and their political beliefs, they launch legal battles that expose an attack on freedom of speech across 36 states in America.

Directed by Julia Bacha

74 minutes

Visit: justvision.org

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At America’s elite MIT, a Ghanaian alum follows four African students as they strive to become agents of change for their home countries Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Over an intimate, nearly decade-long journey spanning two continents, all must decide how much of America to absorb, how much of Africa to hold on to, and how to reconcile teenage ideals with the truths they discover about the world and themselves.

Directed by Arthur Musah

93 minutes

Visit: brieftenderlightfilm.com

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The Engine Inside tells the stories of six everyday people from all over the globe who reveal the unique power of the bicycle to change lives and build a better world.

Through their stories, the film uncovers the often-overlooked potential of this 200-year-old machine, exploring its impact on a wide range of global issues such as physical and mental health, socioeconomic inequality and climate change.

Directed by Darcy Wittenburg, Darren McCullough, Colin Jones

84 minutes

Visit: engineinsidefilm.com

Greener Pastures captures the day-to-day lives of four small, multigenerational family farms over the course of four years. Through an intimate, observational lens we examine the various farm stressors, policies and politics farmers must maneuver to survive, connecting the dots between mental health, industrialization, food production and climate change. It is a story of perseverance, patience and determination that tackles nothing less than the future of farming in America.

Directed by Samuel-Ali Mirpoorian

88 minutes

Follow on social media @greenerpasturesdoc

It’s not easy to stage an opera in the middle of northern Minnesota, but this is the Iron Range where the people are stubborn and the music of the Old World still runs deep in their veins. Watch as a renowned concert pianist teams up with an Ojibwe language teacher, a skateboarding accordionist, and talent imported from every corner of the Earth to pull off the impossible.

Directed by Mike Scholtz and Marius Anderson

68 minutes

Jack Tuller’s career as a budding San Francisco musician was altered in 1994 when he was diagnosed with a terminal condition and given six months to live. Jack Has a Plan tells the story of the following 25 years as Jack dodges one bullet after the next. How is it possible to be terminal for two decades? But Jack somehow turns his predicament into a Left Coast art-performance project complete with experimental movies, diaries, and funky dance moves. Finally, Jack engineers a graceful exit from life’s stage. But not if his family and friends have anything to say about it. San Francisco Examiner: “As joyous, thrilling and funny as any film about death could be.”

Directed by Bradley Berman

73 minutes

Visit: JackDocumentary.com

A filmmaker searches for the truth about her grandfather Edward Jones, a charismatic African American who rose to the heights of financial and political prominence in Depression-era Chicago.
 In shaping the destiny of a city, Ed Jones could not however escape discrimination. In conflict with both the mob and the Feds, he was forced into a life on the run.

Exploring the rise and fall of the most famous ‘Policy King’ of all times, the filmmaker uncovers an unparalleled story, while showing the lasting repercussions of his untold story, both within her family, and for Chicago’s South Side where he once embodied the American dream.

Love, success, violence, revenge, mafia, murder, betrayal, prison, kidnapping... Edward Jones’ story holds all the best ingredients of gangster movies. Add segregation and you have a very explosive cocktail!

Directed by Harriet Marin Jones

98 minutes

Trailer

From 1831-1996 Canada’s 139 residential schools, ran in partnership between the Canadian Government, Catholic, Anglican and other protestant churches, were the country’s sanctioned system of dehumanization. Neglect, brutality and child abuse in all it’s forms were used to achieve the desired out come of, “not a single Indian in Canada”.

The film features Survivors of the Mohawk Institute, in order of appearance, Elder Blanche Hill-Easton, Turtle Clan of Six Nations of the Grand River, Mohawk Nation, Elder John Elliott, Wolf Clan Six Nations of the Grand River Mohawk Nation, Grandmother Roberta Hill, Turtle Clan Six Nations of the Grand River Mohawk Nation, Grandmother Dawn Hill, Turtle Clan Six Nations of the Grand River Mohawk Nation, Grandmother Sherlene Bomberry, Wolf Clan Six Nations of the Grand River Cayuga Nation, Grandfather Jimmie Edgar, Anishinaabe of Bawaating, Elder Bud Whiteye, Turtle Clan Lenape Nation, (Delaware of the Thames) and guest appearance, daughter of Mohawk Institute Survivor, Shelley Clark, Snipe Clan Six Nations of the Grand River Cayuga Nation.

Directed by Faith Leone Howe

79 minutes

"Space, Hope and Charity" follows the remarkable journey of Charity Woodrum as she overcomes poverty and then tragedy while chasing her dream of becoming an astrophysicist. Charity was a first generation high school graduate, a young mom and wife, when she returned to college to study physics. Her life felt perfect. It was suddenly thrown into chaos when her husband and son died tragically. With help from mentors, childhood friends and perfect strangers, she got her life back on track. The film highlights resilience and the life-changing power of human connection.

Directed by Sandy Cummings

79 minutes

Trailer

Visit: spacehopecharityfilm.com

A year in the lives of six members of the Minnesota Roller Derby, as they compete to win the Hydra, the top international prize of the sport. When the star of the team gets injured, will her teammates find their own power?

MINNESOTA MEAN is a human drama about the pounding heart of roller derby: powerful, self-sufficient women. It’s a vital and relevant story of triumph, loss, strength, determination, and a search for balance between individuality and community. How do women who pride themselves on their hard-won independence thrive in a sport that requires them to rely on a team? How do they meet the full-time demands of the sport without sacrificing their own dreams for life outside the rink? A meditation on strength: in our bodies, our hearts, our minds, and our friendships.

Directed by Dawn Mikkelson

81 minutes

Trailer

Visit: https://www.minnesotameanfilm.com/

US Air Force JAG Attorney Yvonne Bradley volunteered to defend a man named Binyam Mohamed who was facing a death penalty case at Guantanamo Bay in 2005. Believing the detainees at Guantanamo were ‘the worst of the worst’ in the war on terror, Yvonne’s world was turned upside down as she arrived in Cuba and began to untangle an unimaginable case. Spending the next 4 years battling to uncover the truth, Yvonne’s is a captivating story of taking responsibility in the face of corruption at the highest levels of power, and the dangers of choosing to stand up for what you believe in. What’s the difference between a terrorist sympathizer and a hero? Would you risk it all to do the right thing?

Directed by Chris James Thompson

93 minutes

Visit: WeAreNotGhouls.com

Follow on Instagram @GoodCreditProductions

Animated Diaries of War: COFFEE is an animated short film based on an authentic interview with Olha Ostapenko and her daughter Milana, Ukrainian refugees who survived the first weeks of the war in their native city of Sumy in northeastern Ukraine.

Directed by Sophia Kornienko

5 minutes

Visit: unschoolingfuture.net

This short film explores the life and work of the renowned sculptor Aris Demetrios, known for his innovative use of materials and his quest to create art that engages with the natural world. Through historical interviews with Demetrios himself and current interviews with those who knew him best, we gain insight into his creative process, his inspirations and his legacy. The film takes us on a journey through some of his most iconic pieces, from his towering outdoor sculptures to his delicate mobiles, revealing the beauty and complexity of his art. Ultimately, the film celebrates the life of a true visionary whose work continues to inspire and captivate audiences today.

Directed by Josh Aronson

15 minutes

“Artemis - In Celebration of Seasoned Women” is a documentary film celebrating women who defy the notion that “women of a certain age” become invisible in society. “Artemis” challenges that mindset by showcasing and showing off a wealth of seasoned female artists, activists, wise owls, biz wiz’s, makers, movers and shakers. “Invisible Woman Syndrome”, (much-hyped by the media) begs the question “Invisible to whom?”

Directed by Kristine Hipps

30 minutes

Visit: http://www.facebook.com/papercatfilms

Beat delves into the world of Saul Eisenberg, a London based musician, artist and performer who transforms the discarded junk of our city into extraordinary instruments that make unique and beautiful sounds.

Directed by Christopher Karallis

23 minutes

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Throughout history, Black communities have had a treacherous relationship with water, depicted as a powerful yet destructive entity by African folklore. This is a story never told before, but necessary now more than ever: a modern day tale of the Black Mermaid, Zandile Ndhlovu, who is changing the perception of the ocean in her community since 2016, when she overcame her fears and fell in love with freediving.

Following Zandile’s expedition to see the Sardine Run, this intimate story shows us the danger of incomplete narratives, particularly around Black people and water; unpacking the challenges faced by minorities, who are living one step away from the ocean but often excluded from enjoying its natural wonders. Meanwhile Zandile’s grandmother and a skipper named Rob who has traversed the ocean for the past 20 years, offer their view on who the ocean is for and what happens when one person decides to take racial justice into their own hands.

Directed by Zandile Ndhlovu

9 minutes

Visit: waterbear.com

The Butterfly Effect is a documentary film about hope, beauty, transformation and resilience. This wild romp through the prairie landscape is about bringing wildness back into our gardens and restoring the balance of ecological diversity for butterflies and scores of beneficial insects like bees, beetles, and dragonflies. The film interweaves a personal narrative, experimental film, and animation with the inspiring stories of those determined to change the world one milkweed at a time.

Directed by Deb Wallwork and Janet Bayliss

51 minutes

Visit: Website

A mini-doc about a crèche in Paparoa, New Zealand, focused on saving an iconic species of kiwi, and how that relates to protecting the entire ecosystem.

Directed by Tim Guthrie

11 minutes

When we are born, we are labeled and separated. But if we walk together, it will be easier to choose our own path.

Directed by students of 8 and 9 years old of the Public School "C.E.I.P. Serrería" of Valencia (Spain)

4 minutes

An old Kurdish man (Hussein Mahmood) is a carpenter tries to make artificial legs for people who have lost their legs.

Directed by Xelîl Sehragerd

Qualified for Oscars 2024

Winner of the best Mini Doc Awards of the 20th annual Big Sky Documentary Film Festival USA – 2023 ( Qualified for Oscar 2024)

Winner of the 37th Pärnu International Documentary and Anthropology Film Festival - 2023 Estonia

Winner of the best short Doc at the 27th Avanca Film festival – Portugal 2023

Winner of the best short doc international at the 18th INTERNATIONAL SHORTS MÉXICO Film Festival – Mexico 2023

Winner of the best cretic at the 14th The Chagrin Documentary Film Festival – USA 2023

Winner of the best short doc of the 24th Lucania Film Festival – 2023 Italy

Winner of the 9th Green Montenegro International Film Fest – Montenegro 2023

Winner of the 8th Casole Film Festival – Italy 2023

Winner of the 15th The Malta Short Film Festival – Malta 2023

14 minutes

You can count the number of female paddlers in Futaleufú, Chile on one hand... and they want to change that. After many riverside matés and floating conversations, the idea to create a kayak course for local teenage girls was hatched. Thanks to a committed group of women from around the globe, what started as a dream is now an inspirational contribution to the local community.

Directed by Liz McGregor

18 minutes

Follow on social media: @futariverkeeper

From the Cerro de Pasco lead mine in Peru, Martin Boudot and his team trace the lead that still pollutes France, particularly in the Nord region.

Directed by Martin Boudot

53 minutes

Visit: pltv.fr

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There are a thousand ways to tell a story. This one follows a different way of experiencing time, one that guides our protagonists all throughout the twenty-two day expedition in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Following in the footsteps of the country’s nomadic people and the ancient Silk Road, Thomas Delfino, Léa Klaue, and Aurélien Lardy embark on an adventure to one of the most remote and still unexplored places in Asia: the Kokshaal-Too Mountains.

This dream team, with support from legendary high-mountain guides Hélias Millerioux and Jean-Yves Fredriksen, find themselves thrown into a world where Time and Space appear to stand still.

Directed by Guillaume Broust

53 minutes

Visit: https://www.picture-organic-clothing.com/en/Chronoception.html

At the Arizona-Mexico border, the Sonoran Desert has been weaponized as part of the "Prevention Through Deterrence" policy, which has cost the lives of thousands of migrants since its inception in the mid-1990s. CROSSES IN THE DUST follows a law professor and her students as they assist organizations fighting the ongoing immigration crisis along the border while honoring those who have perished on their journey into America.

Directed by Christine Kane

51 minutes

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The Mother of the Forest ~ Curupira ~ is the story of a powerful Amazonian goddess told through the voices of the Borarí people from the heart of the forest in Pará, Brazil. She is the all powerful guardian of all living beings in the forest. And while she is generous and benevolent in her gift… Beware! If you disrespect her home, her punishments are merciless.

Her warnings are more relevant than ever in a contemporary reality where the forces of agri-business, logging and mining are decimating the forest faster than we can protect it. Her story reminds us that it is time to listen, respect and rekindle a more balanced relation to nature if we wish to protect our common home.

Directed by Lea Hejn

12 minutes

Visit: waterbear.com

A relentlessly upbeat father of four revisits the traumatic event from his childhood that forever changed him. A short documentary about exercise, mental health, and second chances. [Trigger warning //self-harm]

Directed by Daniel Flahiff

6 minutes

Visit: dadbodfilm.com

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Imagine putting on a blindfold on a busy street corner and inviting strangers to dance with you. That's what Gabriel Diamond did in Berkeley in 2018. Two years later he finally got the courage to revisit the footage and create this touching short documentary about the potential of strangers to meet in unique ways using the power of dance and trust.

Directed by Gabriel Diamond

5 minutes

Visit: blindfoldedcontact.com and outsidefilms.com

An intimate look into the lives of James Dean fans who have moved to the hometown of James Dean. They have found a place where they belong within this family of common fandom. Fairmount a character in the film that joins them all together.

Directed by Steve Bailey

35 minutes

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.

Directed by Palmer Morse

15 minutes

Visit: sprucetone.com

The Exchange Girl is a short documentary about women working in dangerous conditions in silent film post-production. Those positions did provide women with an entry point to film work, but those jobs suddenly disappeared with the coming of sound.

Directed by George Larkin

9 minutes

Visit: http://georgelarkin.com/teg/

The Shipibo people of the Peruvian Amazon have lived in relationship with the rainforest for millennia. In recent years, loggers, colonizing settlers, and palm plantations have increasingly devoured these Indigenous lands, pushing the forest farther from villages and homes. In this film, Senen Kaisi, a young Shipibo woman from Santa Isabel de Bahuanisho, makes her first journey to the retreating edge of this ancestral forest, which once stretched all the way to her village.

Directed by Jeremy Seifert and Fred Bahnson

15 minutes

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@newunionfilms

In the winter of early 1943, 12 Norwegian resistance members crossed the Hardangervidda to put a stop to the creation of an atomic bomb, in what has

become one of history’s most astounding and beloved adventure tales.

Now, exactly 80 years after the event, an international expeditionary team retrace their footsteps, from the assault on the Rjukan valley, across Europe’s highest and wildest plateau, and over the Swedish border hundreds of kilometres away.

Directed by Gregor D Sinclair

20 minutes

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A group of local citizens formed the Healthy Lake Winona group with the goal to improve the water quality of Lake Winona after it was designated as an impaired body of water by the MN Pollution control Agency. "Healthy Lake Winona" follows the efforts of local organizers dedicated to cleaning up Lake Winona and includes the group's efforts to address stormwater runoff, invasive species, shoreline erosion and an excessive goose population.

Directed by Mary Farrell

34 minutes

Starting a new creative endeavor is often an exciting, frightening, and doubt-riddled process (much like parenting). There can be a lot of pressure to "get it right" without knowing what getting it right actually means. This film is a letter to all who are bringing something into the world that didn't exist before.

Directed by Brynn Artley

8 minutes

Visit: candlefrost.com

The story of a man largely unknown in the west, but who is a household name and hero to Nigerians. Ken Saro Wiwa was a prolific writer and activist who led the ethnic minority of the Ogoni to protest the devastating effects of oil exploitation on their land.

Directed by Majiye Uchibeke

24 minutes

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Ibach follows the escape of a Jewish family and their piano from Nazi Germany in the 1930’s to the piano’s restoration in Philadelphia four generations later. Weaving an in-depth look at the restoration process alongside perspectives from the surviving family members, Ibach is a heart-rending story of generational trauma and reconciliation.

Directed by Rachel Weinberg

15 minutes

Visit: sprucetone.com

The ocean has been a source of spiritual connection, traditional knowledge and cultural practices for the Makah people for generations. After learning to surf through a local non-profit nearly half a decade ago, 13-year-old Ava now uses her sport as a way to connect with the land, ocean, and her elders. Alongside her five siblings and her mother, Ava surfs the well known swell of Neah Bay on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, one of the most ecologically diverse areas of the United States. Ava’s story highlights the critical role Indigenous youth play in the preservation of language, culture, and knowledge.

Directed by Andrew Harrison-Brown

10 minutes

Visit: sprucetone.com

As one of only 30 fluent Squamish language speakers left in Squamish Nation, Myia Antone teaches as a way to preserve her language for generations to come. Seeking to learn more about her culture and language, Myia uses her mountain bike as a needle weaving through her ancestral lands and language. While biking with other Indigenous women, Myia utilizes the Squamish language to point out geographical features and native plants on rides. Weaving complex conversations through nuanced layers of generational trauma, Inseparable ultimately paints Indigenous joy and community as vital elements for a path forward.

Directed by Andrew Harrison=Brown

12 minutes

Visit: sprucetone.com

For time immemorial, climbing has been a traditional activity for Kanaka Maoli. While history shows Native Hawaiians climbed over mountains and scrambled rocks to trade goods and information with their neighbors, today few Indigenous members of the tropical islands practice climbing actively. For Skye Kolealani Razon-Olds, climbing is a way to connect with her ancestors. With few “official” outdoor climbing spaces on the island of Hawaii, Skye and her friends make due by visiting local State and National Parks to climb. It is here that the discovery of various petroglyphs left by her ancestors ignited her to protect and advocate for these sacred lands for her own sons and generations to come.

Directed by Andrew Harrison-Brown

15 minutes

Visit: sprucetone.com

Wisconsin filmmaker Andy Heck turns the camera on his father Mike Heck after a lifelong battle with alcoholism, depression, and hoarding disorder. On a new path, Mike seeks redemption through art.

Directed by Andy Heck

17 minutes

Visit: andyheckfilms.com

Follow on social media @andyheckfilms

The Kelly Street Garden film explores the core mission of the garden to provide healthy food and community programming to our local South Bronx residents free of charge. The community's effort not only feeds people physically, but mentally and spiritually as well. Through Art workshops, Qi Gong, Yoga, cooking demos and herbal medicine they have created a space where the stressors of the community and daily life can be left at the door. Through a robust and free market, the garden's stewards directly provide a path to better nutrition. This film casts a light on the healing components of food, justice, equality, culture, coupled with the opportunity to improve mind and body in an oasis of healing in a community that has faced many challenges over the past several decades.

Directed by Matthew Kohn

14 minutes

Visit: mattkohn.net and kellystreetgarden.org

The Last Damn explores the origin and sociocultural impact of The DAMn, a 240 mile, 24 hour, point-to-point gravel bicycle race also known as the Day Across Minnesota, set against the backdrop of its find rendition in 2021.

As a meteor shower streaks overhead, Nick Grabis explains his “Meteor Theory” for cycle racing, while poet Ben Weaver shares his philosophy of using a bicycle as a time machine. Beth and Cory Rood attempt to finish the DAMn on a tandem…and you know what they say, "Wherever your marriage is heading, it’ll get there faster on a tandem." And the “Brooklyn Three” escape the city to ride under endless sky and alongside the miles of cornfields of southern Minnesota, a landscape that is completely foreign to them.

While hundreds have attempted the DAMn over the years, the final running stays true to its name and raises the stakes to test riders in a way they’ve never experience before on Minnesota gravel.

Directed by Nicholas Kapanke

38 minutes

Visit: checkpointzerofilms.com

Alienated from his rock and roll lifestyle, Leo Downey sought connection in the Sierra Madre Mountains. A supernatural experience there prompted him to leave California for the Canadian Rockies, where he is learning to become a buffalo rancher and redefining himself through his relationship with the herd.

Directed by Andrea Wing

8 minutes

Follow on social media @andrea_wing @originoutside

When Keenan Jones became an elementary school teacher in Minnesota he joined a cohort of roughly 200 out of over 63,000 teachers in the state: Black men. As a teacher, Keenan saw first hand how our education system was uniquely failing Black boys. He founded Literacy for Freedom to do something about it.

Directed by Deacon Warner

16 minutes

Visit: literacyforfreedom.org

Every year, Loggerhead sea turtles come to nest on a small island of the Atlantic Ocean under the eye of scientists and local NGOs. Engaged in a race against time to protect this endangered species, their original collaboration reveals a unique combination of high-level research, field work and creativity. Using innovative tools of their own design, they demonstrate how gaining a better understanding of the turtles’ behaviour facilitates research and engagement with the younger generation of islanders.

Directed by Guillaume Couche

17 minutes

In 2022 alone there have been over 300 anti LGBTQ+ bills proposed in various states across the country. Refusing to sit idly by, trans trail runner Perry Cohen formed a team of fellow runners, who identify as trans men, with an aim to compete in trail races in states proposing and passing hateful legislation. Miles to Go follows their journey into the world of trail running and the freedom to be themselves on the trail.

Directed by James Saunders

8 minutes

Follow: @sprucetonefilms @theventureoutproject @perrylcohen

Following a citizen scientist's journey of discovery, the film explores the treasure hunt for finding freshwater mussels in the upper Sangamon River. Everyday people in Illinois are supporting science in ways that are important to the well-being of their local environment. Finding a diverse collection of healthy mussels means a healthy river, which in turn means healthy people in the community. The film also shows how people come together around these experiences to ensure a healthy community. "The goal of this film will be to demystify the overall process of scientific research,” said RiverWatch Director and Stream Ecologist Danelle Haake. “We also want to show that community science projects are for everyone and no experience in science is required to participate.”

Directed by Jason Lindsey

7 minutes

This film is about the citizen activists who spent 6+ years fighting the 600-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline from destroying ecosystems and harming Black and Indigenous communities across West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. The pipeline, which would have carried frack gas, was seen as a done deal until communities came together across the region to fight it and, against all odds, won the fight. It’s a David & Goliath story that can inspire and inform others who are engaged in protecting their land and water from toxic infrastructure projects.

Directed by Christopher Landry

42 minutes

The bicycle connected Asurina and Angela with their father. When Covid swept through their village in Colombia, that bond was forever changed. Now two wheels help the sisters fulfill their promise—to their father and themselves.

Directed by Isaac and Jacob Seigel Brielle

4 minutes

Visit: www.pedalbornpictures.com and www.worldbicyclerelief.org

Follow on Instagram: @pedalborn @worldbicyclerelief

In 2016, the League of American Orchestras conducted a study that revealed a shocking statistic: only 1.8% of the professional orchestra workforce in the US is Black. From an old church rec room in the inner city of Los Angeles, former lawyer-turned-conductor Chuck Dickerson is on a mission to change that.

Through ICYOLA - The Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles — the largest majority Black orchestra in the country — Chuck is creating life-changing opportunities for his community that did not previously exist. The Orchestra Chuck Built is a loving portrait of a tireless mentor and a testament to the transformative power of music.

Directed by Christopher Stoudt

23 minutes

Visit: theorchestrachuckbuilt.com

When the largest dam removal project in history begins, a group of indigenous youth learn to whitewater kayak in hopes of becoming the first people to paddle the restored river from source to sea. With jaw-dropping aerial cinematography and moving storytelling, Paddle Tribal Waters is a fully immersive experience, showcasing the unbreakable bond between people and their ancestral lands. The film gives viewers a bird’s eye view as an unforgettable group of young people training for the adventure of a lifetime.

Directed by Rush Sturges and Paul Robert Wolf Wilson

9 minutes

Visit: riostorivers.org

Poet Paul Panish ruminates on the nature of creativity, on his life, and on the somewhat surprising act of turning 87, which he has, naturally, turned into a poem. Paul’s poetry has appeared in Smoky Blue Literary and Arts Magazine, Signal, Bluestone, The Formalist, War, Literature, the Arts Journal, and The Raven’s Perch. His translation of Euripides’ Medea was performed at Columbia University. His opera libretto “Marry Up, Marry Down” was performed by San Francisco’s Opera Theatre Unlimited. He is the author of the non-fiction book “Exit Visa: The Emigration of the Soviet Jews.”

Directed by Dan Goldes

8 minutes

Visit: 5blocksproject.com

Comedian-activists pose as a Indigenous energy company sharing plans to reroute Enbridge’s pipeline through the wealthy white suburbs of Duluth, MN, to more fairly share the risks oil pipelines bring—with shocking and hilarious results.

Directed by Gitz Crazyboy and Tito Ybarra

24 minutes

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You may have seen a "Save the Whales" t-shirt, but "Save the Parasites"? Most people are familiar with parasites as a scourge to humans and livestock, and rightly so. But there is a vast unseen world of parasites that have evolved along with wildlife -- the "dark matter" that “holds ecosystems together”. They need to be studied and treated as endangered species in some cases, according to researchers who are on a quest to save parasites.

Directed by Emily Driscoll

11 minutes

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Krista Wyatt has lived in Lebanon, Ohio for all her life, spending thirty years as a firefighter and EMT before winning a position on Lebanon’s city council. A few years after her election, her understanding of public service is upended by the council’s decision to pass an anti-abortion ordinance designating Lebanon as a Sanctuary City for the Unborn.

Directed by John Haley and Julia Szromba

16 minutes

Visit: johnhaleyfilms.com/sanctuary

Indigenous people and salmon have been intertwined for thousands of years in Bristol Bay, Alaska. Today, kids learn from elders to fish but must also learn to fight, as pollution from Pebble Mine threatens this pristine ecosystem. Can the next generation defend the most prolific salmon run left on earth?

Directed by Oliver Sutro and Colin Arisman

19 minutes

Visit: oliversutro.com

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This short documentary looks at the life of journalist Steven Sotloff, who was kidnapped and killed by ISIS in 2014. Through interviews with his parents, we delve into his backstory, while a former negotiator and terror expert explains how the US no negotiation policy came to be, and why the American and British hostages were killed while all the other Europeans were all released after their governments or families paid ransoms.

Directed by Sofian Khan

10 minutes

Visit: capitalkpictures.com

This documentary short film delves into the heart of No Name Bar in Winona, MN, not just as a venue for incredible live music but as a vital hub for community and artistic expression. Through dynamic footage of live performances and heartfelt interviews with the bar's owners and local musicians, the film unravels the symbiotic relationship between No Name Bar and the vibrant arts community in Winona. It showcases how this establishment has become more than just a venue; it's a nurturing space that fosters connections, amplifying the voices of local artists and musicians, making it an indispensable pillar in Winona's cultural landscape.

Directed by Duncan Wellcome

25 minutes

Visit: DuncanWellcome

Starting with a confrontation with a caged bird, a man confides his impressions, reflections and memories about the place where he is, the temporal confluences that occur there and the fragility with which memory is sustained.

Little by little the man will build an imaginary that will allow him to shape a personal map in order to capture a humming that is lost in time.

Directed by Juan Ballesteros

14 minutes

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Soundscape features Erik Weihenmayer, a global adventure athlete and author who is fully blind, as he ascends a massive alpine rock face deep in the Sierra Nevada. Using expert camera work and emotive, novel animation to bring to life a concept by adaptive climbing pioneer Timmy ONeill, the film is a surprising and soulful adventure.

Directed by Timmy ONeill

15 minutes

Visit: https://wearewelltravelled.com/

Sarah Crowell and Keith Hennessey are both dancers, teachers, and activists in the Bay Area. They have known each other for nearly 30 years. But they’ve never collaborated or connected deeply, until now.

The Space Between Us is a radical experiment in the power of bearing witness, inviting vulnerability, and sharing movement, in a time of social distancing and racial reckoning.

Directed by Gabriel Diamond

6 minutes

Visit: outsidefilms.com

In the wake of divorce and alone in a new country, Treen matches with the “one.” Months later, in what seems to be a fairytale romance, she discovers a huge lie. Who really is the man she loves? Isolated from friends and family, in an exclusive relationship with a volatile stranger, she gets pulled deeper and deeper into a toxic cycle. Will she ever get out and how? Treen finally finds the courage to leave and with the support of other survivors of narcissistic abuse, she begins to heal.

Directed by Katrina Lillian Sorrentino

18 minutes

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"Twin Oaks" chronicles the Hoyt family's multi-generational trail building experiences in the Pacific Northwest. Through breathtaking visuals and intimate interviews, the film explores the profound connection between humans and nature. Avery, Daryl, and Krista Hoyt reflect on their personal journeys, revealing how trail building serves as a medium for finding solace and connecting with the natural world. The documentary delves into the challenges they've faced, including mental health struggles and addiction, while emphasizing the unwavering support within the family. "Twin Oaks" showcases the transformative power of nature, the spiritual aspect of trail building, and the enduring legacy it leaves behind.

Directed by Sean O’Connor

13 minutes

Visit: https://www.storygorge.com/

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Jamshid is an Iranian who came to study in 1970’s America, and due to the Revolution, never went “home.” As a guidance counselor in Seattle Public Schools, some of Jamshid’s best work takes place on a playing field with “his kids,” the children of refugees and immigrants. Their parents are in the grips of their own struggles to make a living and home in a strange land. Mr. Jamshid is the charismatic, fiery, funny human with a Frisbee in hand, who is the first to show that love wins on the field, in the classroom, at home with family, or boldly forging a new community, in a new country - one kid, chicken, extreme mile and friend at a time.

Directed by Francine Strickwerda

39 minutes

Visit: ultimatecitizens.com

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In war-torn Ukraine, two young soccer captains, Ivan and Andriy, pick through shrapnel and rubble to play the game they love. Amidst blaring sirens and imminent missile threats, these 12-year-old rivals gear up for an overdue match against each other.

Directed by Matt Danzico

39 minutes

Visit: danzico.co

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“Who She Is” tells the story of four individual women caught in the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) epidemic. By bringing these missing women to life on screen, through animation and first-person storytelling, the documentary aims to humanize the people behind the statistics.

Directed by Sophie Barksdale and Jordan Dresser

37 minutes

Visit calderaproductions.com

What started as one man's Quixotic dream has turned to reality. For the past three years the 65-foot"Schooner Apollonia" has been delivering goods up and down the Hudson River by sail -- sans fossil fuels -- a throwback to a day when there were 1,200 such boats on the river each day. It turns out buyers prefer the non-polluting, anti-Amazon way of making deliveries.

Directed by Jon Bowermaster

39 minutes

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