Wild & Scenic Film Festival Releases Limited Number of Early Bird Passes and Preview of 2024 Film Selections 

 The South Yuba River Citizens League’s Wild & Scenic Film Festival has announced a preview of its 2024 lineup of environmental and adventure films to be shown at its 22nd annual event happening February 15-19, 2024.

The film lineup preview – listed below and online – includes films such as Deep Rising, JoJo – A Toad Musical, and Algorithms of Beauty. Festival passes with special early bird pricing are now on sale. A limited number of these specially priced passes are available through December 14th or as quantities allow. The full lineup of films will be released in mid-December along with additional regularly priced passes and tickets.

For over two decades, the Wild & Scenic Film Festival (WSFF) has welcomed audiences to the towns of Grass Valley and Nevada City in the beautiful foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains for its flagship event. During Presidents Day weekend, February 15-19, the festival takes over the towns.
The festival is not only about first-class films, it also features a variety of events, such as activist workshops, an art exhibition, youth programs, the EnviroFair, filmmaker Q&A sessions, as well as opportunities to interact with filmmakers and special guests. In its 22nd year, the Wild & Scenic Film Festival continues to bring together top filmmakers, activists, and social innovators to inspire environmental awareness and action.

This year’s festival theme, “Reel Action,” is meant to draw attention to the intersection between film and activism. It also reminds festival attendees that their participation in change and their engagement in solutions is the best path to creating a sustainable and thriving future. The official 2024 artwork – created by Nevada County artist Brianna French – is meant to celebrate this idea, and audiences can expect to see it reflected throughout this year’s programming.

To learn more and purchase passes or tickets, visit WSFF.eventive.org.

Stay tuned for the full lineup of films to be announced in December.

Some of the marquee films presented at the 22nd Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival include:

Algorithms of Beauty – Belgium, 2022, directed by Miléna Trivier: Can a picture contain all the beauty of a flower? Between technology and emotions, Algorithms of Beauty questions the limits of our gaze when faced with AI images.

Deep Rising – US, 2023, directed by Matthieu Rytz: Narrated by Jason Momoa, Deep Rising illuminates the vital relationship between the deep ocean and sustaining life on Earth. The documentary also follows mining startup The Metals Company, as it pursues funding, public favor, and permission from the International Seabed Authority to mine wide swaths of the Pacific Ocean floor.

JoJo – A Toad Musical – US, 2022, directed by Chelsea J Jolly: “JOJO” celebrates a creative and musical portrait of JoJo Nyaribo, a young nature lover and wildlife advocate as he explores the meaning of biodiversity and stewardship in his own backyard. This story weaves together Jojo’s love for the natural world with his journey in learning about and fighting against a specific fungus that has been wiping out a staggering number of amphibians around the globe. The themes of this film also explore the bridge between urban environments and surrounding natural spaces- showing how access and observation can be a catalyst for building intrinsic value and stewardship for outdoor environments and their inhabitants.

Soundscape – US, 2023, directed by Timmy ONeill: A sightless experience of climbing a mountain via echolocation, touch, and imagination. The film 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 O’Neill, the film is a surprising and soulful adventure.

The Future of Healthcare is Farm Fresh! — US, 2023, directed by Kit Kohler and Val Camp: See what happens when a primary care physician suggests Food Love Farm summer camp to young patients and walk in the steps of youth learning what good food is and where it comes from. The future of healthcare looks promising when Chapa-De Indian Health and Sierra Harvest, an educational food and farming nonprofit, partner to teach kids just how fun farm fresh meals can be when the campers are in charge

Usugilix Awakun – US, 2023, directed by Matt Mikkelsen and Palmer Morse: Unangax̂ scientist Shayla embarks on a poignant quest to understand the impact of toxic shellfish on her Indigenous community’s heritage, weaving a narrative of scientific exploration and cultural preservation against the backdrop of the Aleutian Islands. Through her research, Shayla uncovers the profound resilience of her people as they adapt to changing environments, revealing the delicate balance between tradition and modernity in the face of environmental challenges.