Stories about connecting with and being in nature as a matter of survival and vital artistic expression. One with Nature - Shorts are sponsored by Neil Kelly.

The last two generations have been striving to build bigger, better, stronger, faster but at a dangerous cost to the environment and society. But the dream is not always the cookie cutter house, the nine to five workday, the fancy car, and the repetition of the daily routine. From Garth, a desert dweller who lives in a cement tipi to Stan, a tree-sitter fighting to save the Redwood forest, and to a family of four who live on a boat moored out on the water in preparation to sail around the world, a hidden number of people have decided to take a step back and reside alternatively, giving up the ideal of having the typical “American Dream” lifestyle. ​Three distinct individuals have found the perfect balance between staying connected and disconnected at the right times in our world today. About the Director:<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/5256e930e548900e410688ca19d7eb5f.jpg" width="148" style="display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 1em 1em; float: right;">Rachel Bujalski is a documentary photographer and filmmaker specializing in long-form storytelling with a focus in highlighting the commonalities of humanity across age, gender, race, nationality, and socio-economic status. When Rachel discovered she could live on a sailboat in Marina Del Rey in 2014, she jumped at the opportunity. What had started as a temporary home quickly turned into a three-year lifestyle and ignited her exploration of other alternative housing in California with photography and film. Her work has been published in The New York Times, National Geographic, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, ESPN, WIRED, and CNN among others. Her 2019 documentary work for ESPN's "The Squad: E:60" and article, "44 Years, 41 Allegations", won an Emmy for Best in Sports Journalism 2020. And in 2020, she was named one of The 30: New and Emerging Photographers to Watch and selected as one of Critical Mass's Top 50 artists.

Connected Off The Grid

A unique look at three different off-grid lifestyles: in the desert, forest and ocean—inspiring us to stay connected to the earth and our communities.

Imagine you are alone, on North America's Highest Peak (Denali), trying to break The Female Fastest Known Time (FKT). You must travel 38 miles on a glacier to 20,310 feet- in less than 21 hours. How would you fare in this frigid, lifeless landscape? Where would your mind go? In her pursuit for this record near the top of the world, Patricia Franco finds herself at a cross-roads: to continue in her race for greatness, or to confront the race she didn't know she was running: the race to outrun her past. In this film, Patricia ventures deep into the unknown, physically and emotionally, to better understand her own story. About the Director:<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/4ddc85748e1624e9fea0ca16e6769883.jpg" width="133" style="display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 1em 1em; float: right;">I make films about people, places and things. Sometimes all three at the same time. This film represents three years of passion. I have put every ounce of my being into this project, just as the protagonist put every ounce of hers into the attempt. I tore my ACL during production, produced the entire film out of pocket and have pushed this through the finish line with sheer will. I am so excited to share this passion and hope the audience will feel it from every frame. Film Contact: hello@michaelcbstevens.com@michaelcbstevens (IG)

The Stories We Tell Ourselves

The pursuit of the fastest known time on America's highest peak is only half the story.

Renowned chef and environmentalist Bun Lai decides to close his acclaimed restaurant in order to pursue a new recipe for life. Shot on 16mm with unique access to a pioneer of sustainable cooking, this is a visually arresting culinary journey that is not just about food. Little Fish is about questioning our well-worn patterns of behavior and trying to better practice what we preach. It is about our connections to nature and our ability to change for the better at any age and at any stage of life. Ultimately, the film explores how we can nourish both ourselves and others in today's world. About the Director:<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/a90c82517a580c2d7258d643c57bdb3f.jpg" width="152" style="display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 1em 1em; float: right;">Edward Columbia is a filmmaker, writer, and cook working in the United States and China. With his producing partner Cyrus Duff he runs Sulde Productions in Brooklyn, NY. Film Contact: ecolumbia@gmail.com edwardcolumbia.com suldeproductions.com

Little Fish

Chef and environmentalist Bun Lai decides to close his successful restaurant to pursue a new recipe for life.

James Sampsel, a plein air painter and fly-fishing guide, comes to terms with his past and a bi-polar diagnosis that hangs over his future. About the Director:<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/de34984ffb352428b8cd9c5ff2e4238d.jpg" width="199" style="display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 1em 1em; float: right;">Oliver Sutro is a Director, Cinematographer and Photographer based in Carbondale, Colorado. He works outside in natural light crafting short stories and shooting commercial photography for outdoor brands such as Orvis, Columbia and Yeti. In his spare time, he makes comedic films about nothing of much importance and writes his own biography sections, desperately hoping he doesn’t sound too vain, but also hoping he doesn’t sound unimportant. He’s important, very important.

If I Tell Them

James Sampsel, a plein air painter and fly-fishing guide, comes to terms with his past and a bi-polar diagnosis that hangs over his future.

Artist Mariola Wawrzusiak-Borcz roams post-industrial areas in search of scrap metal. During the welding process she creates the sculptures of endangered animals and children affected by war. Her critique of the ravages of civilization drives her obsessive need to create in spite of her painful hand condition. Mariola Wawrzusiak-Borcz is the professor of the Acadamy of Fine Arts and a renowned Polish sculptress. About the Director:<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/335eb33905dbe60371cda0579475a843.jpg" width="116" style="display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 1em 1em; float: right;">Rafał Małecki is a graduate of the AMA Film Academy and the Wajda School. Screenwriter, director and editor of feature films and documentaries. He is interested in politically and socially engaging cinema and arthouse films. Co-founder of the Moviematic postproduction studio, Rust is his documentary debut. The film received a few awards: Best Short Award of FilmArte Festival, Spain, Best Cinematography Award of Fine Arts Film Festival, USA and Special Mention of the River Film Festival, Italy.

Rust

An intimate portrayal of Mariola Wawrzusiak-Borcz, an artist who creates catastrophic sculptures from scrap metal which are a critique of human behavior.

Rafał Małecki (Director, Rust), Rachel Bujalski (Director, Connected off the Grid), Oliver Sutro (Director, If I Tell Them), and Edward Columbia (Director, Little Fish) discuss their short films with Bradley Parks.

One With Nature - Shorts Q&A

One with Nature - Shorts 

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