Ecological Awareness Through Film

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival (WSFF) was presented to audiences by the Redlands Forum in the ESRI auditorium, on Friday April 11th, with more than 350 people in attendance. The Redlands Forum, sponsored by ESRI, an international supplier of Geographic Information System software, and the University of Redlands (UR) Town & Gown, offers educational and cultural programs on a variety of topics for free or at nominal cost. Presenters include government and business leaders, environmentalists, filmmakers, and performers. WSFF has been entertaining Redlands residents and surrounding community members since 2009. The festival screened award-winning and thought-provoking short films about conservation, wildlife and the effects of climate change. Some of the topics of the films, among others, were plastic bags, Yosemite National Park, a woman on a quest to save the sloths and two men who fly to Uganda to climb a mountain. Shelli Stockton is the Director of Alumni and Community Relations at the UR and was employed at ESRI for 15 years. She spoke to the audience before the films began and said, “The films have a message that will help us realize our role as stewards for the planet and inspire us to think about what actions we can take to maintain the intimate balance we share with our wild places.” One film, entitled “One Day in Yosemite,” took the audience through the park in one day with over 30 filmmakers spread out across the park. It highlighted the nature found at Yosemite and the people who come from all over the world to see the park. Another film screened, called "Slomo," was about Dr. Kitchin, who comes to the realization that less is more in life after whittling down his belongings to live a simpler life of roller-blading every day. Stockton said, “One of our goals is to get the community of Redlands together and to get people to know each other and say hello to your neighbor.” Community members say they enjoy the festival and return year after year with their families. Festival attendee and resident of Redlands, John Shannon, shared, “They were wonderful, I related to 'Slomo' because I went through a similar change in my life. I think they really showed his natural spirituality and thankfulness and that’s so valuable. I think more people should get to a place of spiritual satisfaction.”