Wild & Scenic Film Festival
March 27, 2026 | 6:00 – 9:00 PM
Join us for our 6th annual evening of awe-inspiring, adventure-filled short environmental films, as part of the national Wild and Scenic Film Festival at North High !
There will be local outdoors organizations to visit ahead of the films and a raffle with many great prizes! All proceeds go towards funding our protection, stewardship, and monitoring of wild spaces in Greater Worcester (or the Greater Worcester area).
Doors open: 6:00 PM
Films begin: 7:00 PM
Raffle Announced: 8:30 PM
North High Auditorium – 140 Harrington Way, Worcester, MA
To learn more about the festival, visit www.wildandscenicfilmfestival.org.
Proceeds from the event fund our work stewarding and monitoring Worcester’s wild places.
Tabling Organizations:
- AMC – Worcester
- Blackstone Heritage Corridor
- Blackstone Watershed Collaborative
- Common Ground Land Trust
- Friends of Dodge Park
- GMC – Worcester
- Massachusetts Butterfly Society
- Midstate Trail
- North County Land Trust
- Park Spirit
- Worcester Native Plant Initiative
- WSU DEEP
Film Program
The Detectorists (6 minutes)
Set against the serene backdrop of rural Wales, this short documentary follows wildlife ecologist Lee Jenkins and his two German Pointers—Neo and pup-in-training Cariad—as they search for elusive otters. Using scent detection to guide camera trap placement, the team gathers crucial evidence to protect these endangered animals. Shot from a dog’s-eye view with immersive cinematography, the film offers a poetic glimpse into conservation through the nose and eyes of a canine detective.
Mountain Roots (19 minutes)
Bennett, an adventurous young climber, embarks on a life-changing journey to her ancestral homeland in the Italian Dolomites. Joined by her climbing partner, Grandpa Gary, she reconnects with her heritage in a village rooted in generations before her. As she takes on some of the world’s most striking mountains, we witness her growth as a climber and a person.
Thank You, Bees (13 minutes)
Asante Nyuki (Thank You, Bees) is a short documentary that follows Jason, a dedicated Kenyan beekeeper, as he travels to Nepal to meet the Gurung honey hunters and witness their ancient tradition of harvesting wild honey from 300-foot cliffs using hanging bamboo ladders. Experiencing this unique cultural practice, he reflects on the vital connection that must exist between bees and humans, whether it be in his apiary in Kenya or in Nepal. Set against the stunning Kenyan and Nepalese landscapes, Asante Nyuki urges viewers to respect and celebrate the essential role bees play in sustaining life across diverse communities and ecosystems.
Forgotten Flavors (13 minutes)
Our ancestors knew every edible plant, every healing herb—knowledge we’ve almost entirely lost. Forager Pascal Baudar moves through Southern California’s woodlands and desert with ancestral eyes, gathering what most would overlook. He teaches others to awaken senses dulled by modern life—to taste, smell, and touch their way back to an ancient knowing. He forages wild plants for food and fermentation, hand-harvests clay to craft vessels, creating an extraordinary feast that exists nowhere else. This intimate portrait reveals what we gain when we slow down enough to remember who we once were.
SLIDING (4 minutes)
On a beautiful, blue-bird day in the Swiss Alps, a female athlete listens to the weather report over her morning coffee. After contemplating hitting the ski slopes with the other outdoor enthusiasts, she has an idea… she will go sledding instead. She digs her sled out from the back of the gear room and heads to the top of the mountain, where she is alone on top of the world. She drops in on her sled, headfirst.
Assynt (17 minutes)
In the remote Scottish Highlands, the community of Assynt lives in harmony with the rugged landscapes that surround them. This short documentary offers an intimate portrait of a place where human life and nature are deeply intertwined. Through evocative imagery and personal narratives, Assynt captures the resilience of a community shaped by its environment, reflecting on themes of identity, tradition, and the enduring bond between people and the land.
GUARDIANS OF THE EARTH (10 minutes)
In Kenya’s wild heart, rangers, Maasai lion guardians, and Samburu women reveal how ancient wisdom and modern conservation unite. Through their courage and traditions, the film shows that protecting wildlife is also protecting culture, land, and the sacred bond between people and the living world.
Valley Under Fire (10 minutes)
When climber and National Park Service employee Nate Vince was fired under controversial circumstances, he staged a protest by hanging an upside-down American flag off Yosemite’s iconic El Capitan, an act that captured national attention. This short documentary tells the story behind that moment and explores Nate’s deep connection to the park, his passion for climbing, and his commitment to protecting public lands and the communities built around them.