More Film Highlights from SYRCL’s 2025 Wild & Scenic Film Festival

Note: Reviews written by film critic Jason Sacks

In this article I wrap up my preview of SYRCL’s Wild & Scenic Film Festival with recommendations of a few documentaries focused on conservation and global climate change. It’s definitely worth talking time out of your schedule to catch some of these amazing films. And note there are dozens more films I haven’t mentioned in these articles, many of which are well worth seeing.

Mollie’s Pack is the perfect attitude for anyone feeling despair about environmental devastation.

This film tells two narratives. One is the amazing, unexpected story about what happened when wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone Park in the 1990s. And what a great story it is, full of twists and turns: excitement and a sense of redemption, setbacks, lawsuits, unpredictable animals, the heights and the depths; like all excellent documentaries, this story is as unpredictable as real life.

The other is the tale of Mollie Beattle, the amazing conservationist from rural Vermont who was tabbed by Bill Clinton to be the head of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and whose deep love for the glories of nature led her to propose reintroducing the wolves. Mollie’s story, too, is full of twists and turns and unexpected directions. She truly was an American hero and so worth celebrating.

The Last Observers is a short film which bowled me over with its sweetness and generosity. Lennart and Karin Mikkelsen are an old married couple who have been working at a remote weather station for most of their lives, raising kids there and enjoying a perfect life for them. When the weather station was slated to be automated, the Mikkelsens are set to retire – but not before their family creates this charming piece of work to celebrate Lennart and Karin’s career.

It’s wonderful to be reminded how much nature can deepen our appreciation of ourselves and the world we live in. The Mikkelsens truly loved their job. It was pure joy to them to provide measurements of weather phenomena day and night, every day of the year. I found real joy myself in seeing this couple’s devotion to each other and to their work.

Canyon Chorus shares some of the wisdom of The Last Observers, though in a very different way. This insightful short is the story of a raft trip through Desolation Canyon, Utah, which allows LGBTQ advocate Mikah Meyer to raft with his mentor Larry Edwards and several friends and to tell their stories of coming out and their deeper happiness.

I was deeply moved by the story of these mens’ coming out stories, especially the older Edwards who really risked his career in order to be true to himself. I also loved seeing the wild river and canyon where these men wandered. And I especially enjoyed the freedom they shared felt to sing songs, act goofy and have a fantastic time. More than anything, their generosity as people shined through. Canyon Chorus made me want to get on a raft with my friends and family!

So far today I’ve highlighted films which are emotionally powerful, but some of the films are intellectually fascinating. Flora, Fauna, Funga is a movie I’m going to think about every time I walk through a forest. The film makes the case for Funga, or mushrooms and their related items, to be treated as another essential element of nature, on the level with flora and fauna.

This fascinating short follows mycologists Giuliana Furci, Merlin Sheldrake and Toby Kiers as they explore a forest in southern Chile and draw connections between fungi and every thriving ecosystem on Earth. I frankly seldom pay attention to fungi during my travels, but now I will. This film even closes with a call to action which I’m embracing: include fungi in worldwide conservation policy.

There’s a wonderful few movies at the Fest which explore sports in unexpected places by unexpected people. Above Sinai tell the story of kite surfers in Egypt, especially girls who get involved in that sport in that male-dominated land. I was fascinated by all the mechanics of the kite surfing events, by the majesty of the moves the girls made on their boards, and by a hope that their society will find a place for the girls.

Champions of the Golden Valley is about a similar topic, but the viewer is sadder at the end. Golden Valley is the story of the return of skiing to the Golden Valley in Afghanistan while the Taliban were out of power. This doc does an excellent job of touching on politics but staying apolitical, focusing on the tightknit community which came together every year to pout on its own skiing championship. That championship included both genders.

When the Taliban returned to power, skiing was made illegal again, and girls forbidden to get on a board. There are some powerful scenes in this doc: I’m not sure if I was more heartbroken by the Taliban destroying an enormous piece of art, or by the exile from Afghanistan of many of the people we meet in this doc. I was completely invested in the story of ski coach Alishah Farhang and I think you will be too.

So make sure to get out and hit this year’s Wild and Scenic Fest. I’ve shared a few films I enjoyed; I’d love to hear what prompted you to lace up your hiking shoes.

Jason Sacks is a film and pop culture critic of many years standing, as well as an inveterate hiker, biker, runner and traveler. Jason has written for numerous publications including Amazing Heroes, Comics Bulletin and SOLRAD. Jason has also published several books on the history of American comic books. If he’s not on the hiking trail, you can find Jason at a local film festival or movie theatre.