Anchor Point is a documentary film about women changing the culture of firefighting on our nation’s public lands. It’s a story told through the eyes of wildland firefighters Kelly Martin and Lacey England, whose careers have been forged by grit and perseverance. They’re deeply connected to the lands they protect and determined to build an equitable workplace, free from discrimination and assault. (APRIL 19-20)

Director’s Statement: Holly Tuckett

Earning the trust of documentary film subjects can be tricky. Some people are open and ready to share. Others need more time to come around. It was clear from day one that the women of wildland firefighting would be the latter. Tough and skeptical—burned in the past in many forms of media—they were less than enthusiastic about another person with a camera asking them to share their story. As I made my pitch, their faces were expressionless; indifference hung in the air.

So, I did the only thing I could think of to show that my intentions were sincere: I dropped my pants. (In wildland fire, cotton or wool underwear is the rule; the fabrics hold up in the extreme temperatures of a fire.) It was a risky move, for sure. But it worked. The room erupted with laughter and applause. The wall between us crumbled, and their stories spilled out. Who knew that a simple pair of purple, cotton Hanes could have so much power?

Selected Filmography: Timi Earl Skeleton Girl (Short Doc), 2011, Church & State (Feature Doc co-director), 2018 

Food Pairing Suggestion:

Embrace the heat of film Anchor Point with Nashville Hot Chicken Wings from Bird & Rye – a hot tip from Programmer Amara Waterman.