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. 
I first heard about Nate after his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. I reached out to him, and before long, he was at my place. We ended up chatting on camera about everything he'd been going through recently. We posted a short clip together on Instagram and to our surprise, it had a huge impact. At the very least, it gave us the motivation to tell the full story.
So I headed to Yosemite to spend three days with Nate. We climbed, talked with friends, met new people, and simply enjoyed our time in the Valley. It gave me a glimpse into the beautiful lives of climbers and park staffers who spend seasons—or even years—living there.
This documentary is our attempt to capture that world. It's a story we hope will inspire others to care a little more deeply about our national parks and recognize how fragile they really are. It takes a village to keep these places running. The pay isn't great, and the work is hard. But the passion for the land keeps these folks going and that's something worth having compassion for.

Valley Under Fire

After a ranger’s bold El Cap protest, we explore his story, Yosemite’s tight-knit community, and the fragile parks they fight to protect.

A portrait of Oakland’s fight for clean air, told through the voices of residents, doctors, truck drivers, and children living with asthma. Led by activist Margaret Gordon, this documentary traces a community’s battle against diesel pollution, examines recent progress under local clean-air initiatives, and highlights West Oakland’s ongoing vision for a healthier, more equitable future.

The Fight To Breathe

A community activist's fight for clean air rights in an industrial city.

Indonesian activist, Rukka Sombolinggi believes the key to confronting the climate crisis is to unite and mobilize the Indigenous communities who are often impacted the most. Now, as the first female general secretary of the world’s largest Indigenous Peoples organization, she has the power to do just that. But the challenge is monumental.
One October thousands traveled from across the island nation of Indonesia to attend one of the largest gatherings of Indigenous Peoples in the world. Whether arriving by open-air trucks, boat or even by foot the AMAN congress, led by Rukka, drew thousands of people across the Indonesian archipelago and its 17,000 islands.
Using a process of “deliberative democracy” the Congress prioritizes finding solutions through consensus so that no groups are left out. This unique process resulted in 32 resolutions, uniting the voices of over 20,000 indigenous communities to address land rights, economic dealings, environmental issues, and the criminalization of Indigenous Peoples across the archipelago.
This is a story about the democratic process, defiance and dignity in the face of climate catastrophe.

The Congress

Indonesian activist, Rukka Sombolinggi believes the key to confronting the climate crisis is to unite and mobilize the Indigenous communities who are often impacted the most. Now, as the first female general secretary of the world’s largest Indigenous Peoples organization, she has the power to do just that. But the challenge is monumental.

In New York’s Adirondack Mountains, a small group of Mohawks occupied a defunct girls camp in 1974 and asserted aboriginal title to the land. The eventual deal they reached with the State of New York represents one of the earliest examples of an indigenous people successfully reclaiming land in the United States.

This Land

The untold story of Ganienkeh, a Mohawk community fighting to regain its traditional culture.

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