Staff Report

“The Accessible Outdoors,” the new short live-action documentary presented by Golden Cage Films and NatureTrack Foundation garnered its first award at the Hollywood Independent Filmmaker Awards and Festival, winning the Silver for Best Short Documentary.

This empowering documentary about making nature accessible to everyone is gaining momentum as more film festivals are accepting it into their selections. So far, the Oregon Documentary Film Festival, Colorado Environmental Film Festival, Flathead Lake International Cinemafest and British Colombia Environmental Film Festival will be screening the doc in their upcoming festivals.

“The Accessible Outdoors” made its world premiere at the NatureTrack Film Festival in Los Olivos in October. The film shows how a manual wheelchair user can transform their chair into an all-terrain vehicle using Freedom Trax, while investigating the importance of connection and access to nature for all people.

“As we were shooting the film about incorporating these devices into NatureTrack’s outdoor field trips, I realized there was more to tell about the lack of access to nature and the outdoors for disabled people,” said Sue Eisaguirre, founder of NatureTrack. “I wanted the film to convey the importance of connection and access to nature for all people. Mitchka and Francisco did just that. I enjoyed working with them.” 

Mitchka Saberi and Francisco Lopez of Golden Cage Films noted, “Before making ‘The Accessible Outdoors,’ we hadn’t considered how extensive the topic of disability access is. As two able-bodied people, it wasn’t until talking to people with a variety of disabilities we came to realize access to nature isn’t an issue to be ignored until it impacts you or someone close to you. 

“We all deserve the ability to experience nature and connect with it, and that ability could easily be taken away from us at any moment. We shouldn’t wait until that moment comes to advocate for change in this sector.”

The filmmakers noted how the disabled audience members at the initial film festival screening who were present saw a problem they’ve surely experienced firsthand reflected on screen and were excited by one possible solution in the Freedom Trax devices.

“We’re thrilled to continue sharing the film with audience members of all abilities, hoping everyone can take something away from the topics we address in the film,” Saberi and Lopez said.

Eisaguirre explained why she was looking for something like the Freedom Trax apparatus.

“This removes barriers to accessing beaches and trails,” she said. “We are using the piece of equipment for our docents, as well as teachers, and students with physical disabilities so they can participate in the outdoor field trip program.” 

With these devices NatureTrack is expanding its program beyond school trips. Wheelchair users and others with physical disabilities can take the opportunity to get out on the beaches and trails throughout the county, under their own power, all at no charge courtesy of NatureTrack. Those interested can find out more by calling 805-886-2047 or email Sue@NatureTrack.org.

NatureTrack is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides outdoor field trips during the traditional school day for Santa Barbara County school-aged children at no cost to the schools or students, utilizing local trails and beaches throughout North and South County. NatureTrack’s mission is two-fold:  to encourage students to embrace our natural world with respect and wonder, inspiring them to be stewards of our natural resources, and prepare school-aged students with the attitudes, leadership skills and habits for lifelong learning. Founded in 2011, the organization has given more than 25,000 students a chance to experience a NatureTrack docent-led outdoor field trip.

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Staff Report

Combining the fourth annual NatureTrack Film Festival with the Los Olivos celebration of small-town life “Day in the Country” brought out record numbers of people, especially after the long lockdown. This was the first time the NTFF was live and in-person for one day since its abrupt halt in the face of COVID-19 in March 2020.

Festival organizers followed the pop-up live with a two-week virtual run of the nature-related films, allowing the audience to be worldwide, not just local.

Stats for this year’s virtual event, which ran Oct. 17-31: 2,775 streams, and 407 passes. Audiences ranging from India, Spain and Germany to strong showings in U.S. on the east and west coasts especially, with Colorado making the charts.

“It’s very exciting when the films we’ve chosen get such wide exposure,” said founder Sue Eisaguirre. “Many of our filmmakers have had films in each year and they make our film festival stand out in the crowd.” 

“[NatureTrack] is one of my favorite film festivals on the nature circuit … extremely well-organized with a great selection of films. They host many educational activities promoting the appreciation of nature,” said filmmaker John Dutton, whose award-winning “Discover Wonder: The Octopus Garden” was included in the event.

Luis Palomino Benítez of “Flying with Spider Monkeys” lauded the “fantastic staff, helpful and friendly,” with a nod to the selection and talent his film was among, adding “I wish I could have attended.”

Next year is a milestone for festival — the fifth annual celebration of connecting people to nature — and the organizers have plans to get back to an in-person festival for three days, and possibly expand it further. The virtual part will remain in place for all future festivals.

Making its world premiere at the NTFF was a documentary co-produced by NatureTrack with Golden Cage Films — Mitchka Saberi and Francisco Lopez. “The Accessible Outdoors” shows how a manual wheelchair user can transform their chair into an all-terrain vehicle using Freedom Trax, while investigating the importance of connection and access to nature for all people.

The filmmakers noted how the disabled audience members in attendance were able to see a problem they’ve surely experienced firsthand reflected on screen, and were excited by one possible solution in the Freedom Trax devices.

Using the Freedom Trax removes barriers to accessing beaches and trails for wheelchair users and others with physical disabilities. NatureTrack uses the Freedom Trax so docents, teachers and students can participate in the outdoor field trip program.

NatureTrack has also expanded its program beyond just school trips to include trips for wheelchair users and others with physical disabilities, offering trips to beaches and trails throughout the county.

“As we were shooting the film about incorporating Freedom Trax into NatureTrack’s outdoor field trips for our website, I realized there was more to tell about the lack of access to nature and the outdoors for disabled people,” Eisaguirre said. “I wanted the film to convey the importance of connection and access to nature for all people. Mitchka and Francisco did just that. I enjoyed working with them.”

In their director’s statement the pair noted, “Before making this film, we hadn’t considered how extensive the topic of disability access is. As two able-bodied people, it wasn’t until talking to people with a variety of disabilities we came to realize access to nature isn’t an issue to be ignored until it impacts you or someone close to you.

“We all deserve the ability to experience nature and connect with it, and that ability could easily be taken away from us at any moment. We shouldn’t wait until that moment comes to advocate for change in this sector.”

The film will be submitted to more film festivals nationally and internationally.

“We’re thrilled to continue sharing the film with audience members of all abilities, hoping everyone can take something away from the topics we address in the film,” Saberi said.

The film festival organizers thanked its 70-plus volunteers who helped on the event, as well as staffing the Day in the Country booth, 5K and Fun Run.

Thanks were also given to sponsors for their support: The Land Trust of Santa Barbara, Dunn School, We Watch, Solminer Wine Co., Bell Street Restaurant, Global Gardens, Mechanics Bank, FLIR/Teledyne, J. Woeste, Montecito Bank and Trust, First Street Leather, McFadden & McFadden PR, Pacific HR, Visit SYV, El Rancho Market, and St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley for use of its facilities.

NatureTrack is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides cost-free outdoor field trips for Santa Barbara County schoolchildren, utilizing local trails and beaches throughout the county, and provides field trips for wheelchair users of all ages. Funds raised in the film festival support the year-round expenses for NatureTrack.

For more, visit https://NatureTrackFilmFestival.org.

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Imagine yourself off the coast of Africa with hippos, in the swamps of Florida, discovering hidden parts of Rio de Janeiro, or in an Octopus Garden in the Monterey Bay, or seeing the pristine waters of Bristol Bay in Alaska. These are just some of the locations featured in the fourth annual NatureTrack Film Festival (NTFF).

NTFF aims to ignite a passion for nature through film. Filmmakers who care deeply about the earth have created cinema connecting people to places worldwide, inspiring viewers to care about the natural world, and to get outdoors. The film line-up for the one-day, in-person portion of the 2021 NTFF is now on the website.

This year NTFF will run concurrently with Los Olivos’ annual Day in the Country Festival on Oct. 16. The in-person screenings that day will be 9 a.m.-11 p.m. in Stacy Hall at St. Marks in the Valley in Los Olivos. In addition there will be a virtual festival that runs Oct. 17-31. Tickets at $10 per program block and passes at $100 and $75 go on sale Sept. 1.

“We’ve committed to having the film festival in October to coincide with Day in the Country for future years,” said Sue Eisaguirre, founder of NatureTrack and NTFF.  “It’s a perfect way to partner with the idyllic rural location and gives film festival enthusiasts a chance to experience more than just film. They’ll enjoy the best that small towns can offer, and then some, like world-class wines.

“While the 2021 NatureTrack pop up Film Festival will be one day only this year, we are already planning the expanded 2022 NatureTrack Film Festival to celebrate our 5th season of presenting international nature cinema,” she said. “Still, we also decided future festival will always be a hybrid festival, so those who cannot travel to Los Olivos can enjoy the incredible nature cinema we offer.”

Festival directors did not decide to do the in-person festival until late June once COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. With such a late decision, they were concerned they may not get enough films submitted, but with only a two-week window open for submissions, they received more than 800 films.

More than 70 films from 14 countries were chosen for this year’s event, with 30 of those being shown in-person on Oct. 16 at Stacy Hall, and the rest presented virtually. Most of the in-person films will also be available virtually.

As a bonus, the virtual festival will feature a number of the past three years of NTFF award-winning films. The festival showcases long and short film submissions in live and animated form in Adventure, Animation, Biography, Conservation, Kids Connecting with Nature, Scenic, Student, and a special category called Outdoors & Out of Bounds.

The NatureTrack Film Festival welcomes sponsor inquiries and individuals who wish to support the NTFF. Contact Sue Eisaguirre sue@naturetrack.org for information on sponsor or donor opportunities.

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By Serena Guentz

Contributing Writer

NatureTrack celebrated its 10th anniversary with a dinner and docent appreciation event at the Zaca Creek Ranch on Thursday, May 27.

Since Sue Eisaguirre started NatureTrack on Nov. 2, 2011, the foundation has been providing outdoor field trips for students in Santa Barbara County, giving them an opportunity to spend time in nature and learn outdoors.

In that first year, 600 students went on outdoor field trips with NatureTrack. Now the organization serves nearly 5,000 students each year, Eisaguirre said.

“The students get to connect with nature in a way books can’t do,” said Linda Corley, a retired teacher who is one of NatureTrack’s newest docents. “[NatureTrack’s volunteers are] a lot of good people doing a lot of good things for kids.”

Corley taught fifth grade and second grade for about 32 years before she recently retired. She would bring her students on fields trips with NatureTrack since the organization began and continued to return each year.

“I feel lucky that I get to do it,” Corley said.

In 2017, Eisaguirre launched the NatureTrack Film Festival to present nature films from around the world.

Because of COVID-19, the 2020 film festival was completely virtual, and this year’s festival will consist of a one-day “boutique” event in Los Olivos on Oct. 16, showing a selection of films from the last three festivals.

The normal three-day format is set to return in 2022, with both in-person and virtual components.

For 10 years, NatureTrack has been taking students on hikes and field trips to a variety of places around the county, such as the Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden, Midland School Trails, Sedgewick Reserve and much more.

“We like to say we have as much fun as the kids,” Eisaguirre said.

During the event, Eisaguirre announced NatureTrack’s “NewTracks” program, which will allow people in wheelchairs to independently participate in the field trips and hikes. She said this will be achieved with the use of Freedom Trax units, in which manual wheelchairs are locked into and turned into “battery-powered off-road vehicles.”

“This device will open up a whole new perspective,” Eisaguirre said.

NatureTrack currently has six Freedom Trax units and Eisaguirre said that they hope to obtain at least 10 units.

The celebration included music, wine and appetizers as volunteers and donors socialized, followed by a tri-tip and chicken dinner. A Gratitude Table was also set up with thank you letters from schoolchildren and teachers who had previously gone on field trips with NatureTrack.

Mary Jane West-Delgado, a docent who has been with NatureTrack since the beginning, said she frequently hears from children that the field trips were “the most fun they’ve ever had.”

Many of the volunteers also expressed how much they’ve enjoyed working with NatureTrack and leading field trips with students.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” said Mike Patarak, who has been a NatureTrack docent for four years. “Every hike is different; every kid is different.”

Patarak also said that, for many children, the field trips are the first time they have been on a hike.

Hayley Firestone, who owns the Zaca Creek Ranch with her husband, said she was happy to host this event at the ranch.

“We really like to support Santa Ynez Valley nonprofits,” Firestone said. “NatureTrack is really close to our hearts.”

During Thursday’s event, Eisaguirre thanked volunteers and donors as she presented five-year and 10-year pins to volunteers.

Eisaguirre also presented Sam Babcock as this year’s recipient of the Dan Conaway Docent of the Year Award. The award, named in honor of the late docent, is given to one docent each year for outstanding service.

Additionally, Eisaguirre announced Santa Ynez Valley High School senior Catalina Kett as the first recipient of the $5,000 NatureTrack Nancy Stearns Scholarship. 

The scholarship was started this year by Brett Stearns in honor of his late wife, Nancy, and will continue to be awarded each year.

Since launching, NatureTrack has served over 25,000 students and that number will only continue to grow.

After having to make adjustments to the programs due to COVID-19, Eisaguirre said that they are now back on the trails and offering outdoor field trips to students of all ages from kindergarten through 12^th grade.

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Sue Eisaguirre remembers going for a hike with a group of students in the early days of NatureTrack, and telling the docent in front of her to take the fork to the left when the trail split off. 

“The little boy next to me looked up and said ‘I don’t see a fork,’ and I laughed out loud because he was very concerned that seeing a fork was very important,” Eisaguirre laughed. 

Eisaguirre said there have been too many amazing experiences through the 10 years but she is so happy to be celebrating this milestone with her volunteers and hopeful the next 10 will be just as memorable. 

Her goal is still the same as it was 10 years ago, and that is to foster a lifelong fascination with nature through outdoor experiences. Eisaguirre’s dream began while working at UCSB’s Sedgwick Reserve and she wanted to reach kids of all backgrounds to get them outside and exploring the natural world. 

“I don’t have a natural history background, but I absolutely believe that kids need to be outdoors exploring and learning about the world around them,” she said. “Not stuck to a television screen, and especially now during the pandemic when they are online a lot for distance learning.” 

Eisaguirre’s little nonprofit started in February of 2011, getting volunteers and programs put together, and officially began Nov. 2 that year with a fundraising dinner. The very next day she had kids in groups and started taking them on adventures. 

“I wanted this program to be an addition to the classroom, where teachers could incorporate the activities and experiences into their lesson plans. That’s exactly what we did,” Eisaguirre said. 

That year, she said, they provided 600 students with a NatureTrack outdoor field trip. The next year the number of students grew to 1,600, then 2,000 and in 2019 they provided field trips for 4,000 students in Santa Barbara County. 

“We accomplished this only because of our incredible volunteers and donors and all the great places who have let us host a field trip,” Eisaguirre said. “Midland School in particular has been amazing for letting us use their trails and property for the trips.” 

NatureTrack is now offering a $5,000 scholarship in memory of the group’s longtime volunteer Nancy Stearns, who passed away last year. 

“Nancy was the master gardener and always brought this vibrancy to NatureTrack that the kids just loved,” Eisaguirre said. “She will be dearly missed and her husband Brett kindly offered this scholarship in her name.” 

Applications will be available in February to high school seniors in the Santa Ynez Valley. Visit naturetrack.org for details. 

How COVID has affected NatureTrack

The start of 2020 looked very promising to Eisaguirre as the program already had trips planned for 5,000 students and was planning its largest film festival to date. 

“When March hit, it was a scramble because it was literally the week before the film festival was supposed to start,” she said. “We had to quickly restructure to a virtual festival which actually worked out very well.” 

The hikes were immediately put on pause, and Eisaguirre’s employee Jenny Morrell sprang into action and grabbed her GoPro camera and started taping the hikes so students would still be able to see outdoors even while being stuck at home. 

“Our docents started putting packets together we started distributing to the classrooms so kids could explore their own yards and neighborhoods on their own and do fun activities that kept social distancing guidelines,” Eisaguirre said. 

NatureTrack has virtual field trips and online resources to supplement students’ studies, encouraging them to get outdoors in their backyards or other safe locations. These videos have been screened more than 1,000 times, Eisaguirre noted. 

The public can now access four virtual hikes on the NatureTrack website: Arroyo Burro Beach, Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden, Midland Trails and Nojoqui Falls. People can find 17 different videos at the various locations, with nearly 50 activities related to the virtual tour keeping students, families, and individuals busy for a while. 

Eisaguirre added that she teamed up with the YMCA in Lompoc and the Lompoc school districts as they learned that some of the kids weren’t getting meals and Eisaguirre thought it would be a great supplement to also include their nature cards to get kids outside. 

This amount of “screen time” and sedentary activity especially during the pandemic has led to increases in child obesity, inadequate physical activity, stress, sleep deprivation, and poor diet quality; in contrast, being outdoors in nature has proven to combat many of those ills, Eisaguirre said. 

NatureTrack gave each of the kids in the families who were getting the meals a journal, and a new card every week with an activity to introduce them to nature. 

“We call it Nutrition with a Side of Nature,” Eisaguirre said. “It was the Friday before the holidays, and we delivered 60 pints of milk to one family with six children to get them through the holiday vacation. At another home one little girl was so elated about our Nature Notes, she was jumping up and down with excitement.”

She explained their volunteers now deliver food Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 

The film festival was also huge deal to not only cancel at the last minute, but restructure for virtual in just a few months time, Eisaguirre said. It was a critical success with more than 4,500 showings of 78 films with local and global audiences. Financially, the festival income was hard hit but other ways to raise funds were sought. The Oak Group’s exhibition, “The Link Between Man and Nature,” identified NatureTrack as the beneficiary to receive a sizeable portion of the sale price. 

“To get the Oak Group’s recognition was a validation of the work we do with K through 12 students,” said Eisaguirre. “By introducing them to nature now, we’re creating future stewards to preserve landscapes and special wildlife for the generations who follow us.” 

The festival for 2021 will also be different, Eisaguirre explained. 

“A selection of the awarded and best films from the past three years with some new films to keep the material fresh and relevant will become ‘NatureTrack Film Festival on Tour,’” Eisaguirre said. 

The event is planned to go back to the three-day weekend format in 2022, but keep the virtual aspect to become an integral part of the festival from this point on, using the best of both worlds to create a new domain for NatureTrack. 

If your school, group or organization would like to find out how to get the NTFF On Tour, please call (805) 886-2047 or e-mail: sue@naturetrack.org.  

Looking to the future

As NatureTrack figures out navigating COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions, Eisaguirre said it has made the program’s organizers open their eyes to many new possibilities and ways of reaching more people. This year has also been spent creating “NewTracks,” a way for wheelchair-bound people to explore nature by attaching special tracks to become off-road capable. 

“Our volunteer Steve Schultz has spearheaded this project to open the natural world more to wheelchair bound people and help them enjoy being outside even more,” Eisaguirre said. “I am so thrilled we have three units and have a grant in to buy three more.” 

Eisaguirre also said she would love to see NatureTrack expand into more areas as two of the program’s college age volunteers recently went into the Peace Corps and took NatureTrack materials with them, introducing kids to journaling and making art from nature. 

“One of our volunteers is in Malawi currently and took NatureTrack sticker books and the other took journals to Nicaragua,” Eisaguirre said. “I hope someday I see it in more international places.” 

For more information on NatureTrack and to stay updated on their upcoming virtual events or in-person when allowed visit www.naturetrack.org. 

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Dozens of documentaries and short films from 21 countries, in both live and animated form, will be screened virtually at the third annual NatureTrack Film Festival (NTFF), Oct. 9-18.

From adrenaline-inducing to spectacular, heart-breaking to hope-filled, the festival features inspiring stories from passionate filmmakers about the world we live in and share with the other animals on earth.

The film festival will be delivered straight to patrons’ homes, offering the safest viewing environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. All tickets previously purchased for the festival in March will be honored.

“In 2021, look for NatureTrack Film Festival on Tour, and in 2022 we will be back in person,” said NTFF founder Sue Eisaguirre. “We look forward to making our beloved town of Los Olivos pop in a most festive way and to celebrating the filmmakers whose passion leads the way.”

Highlighted films include:

‘Birth of a Pride’

Goleta-based FLIR, a returning NTFF sponsor, has provided a two-minute short as a companion piece to the feature film “Birth of a Pride.” FLIR has been working with the World Wildlife Fund’s Wildlife Crime Technology Project to put an end to illegal poaching in Africa.

FLIR’s infrared camera technology, paired with cutting-edge software, has become the newest tool to tamp down this rampant problem for the majestic wildlife found on the African continent. NTFF’s producers wanted to give patrons a look at how thermal imaging is used in the wild.

Making the presentation even timelier, these thermal imaging solutions from FLIR are in use now at businesses, airports, and other places that can help screen for elevated body/skin temperature, a possible sign of COVID-19 infection.

From public spaces such as airports and train terminals to federal buildings, private offices, and factories, deploying thermal imaging cameras for screening provides more safe and secure environments.

‘By Hand’

In the extreme adventure film “By Hand,” two Pismo Beach brothers paddle by hand from Alaska to Baja, unaided by anyone else, just the Higginbotham twins in a coming-of-age story with nature as their mentor.

No motors to propel them, no support boats, their custom-made boards carried everything, and they paddled more than 2,000 miles with only director Kellen Keene’s camera keeping them company. “By Hand” has been scooping up awards at film festivals this year.

‘The Lost Kings of Bioko’

Oliver Goetzel, whose films have taken awards at the first two NTFF events, returns in “The Lost Kings of Bioko,” with another endangered species in his lens: one of the world’s least-known primate species, the drill monkey.

Off the coast of central Africa lies Bioko, an isolated island covered by ancient rainforests and surrounded by dark ocean waters. Island folklore tells of a drill king who ruled the island’s forests, a place where drills still play a critical role in the health of an ecosystem known to scientists as a biodiversity hotspot.

The film takes on subjects most of the world is unaware of in Goetzel’s quest to create a brighter future for the drills through science and, most importantly, species protection. Goetzel also created “Making of Lost Kings of Bioko,” a behind-the-scenes bonus short just for the NatureTrack Film Festival.

‘83° Ski the North’

Another past NTFF award-winner, Matthias Mayr, goes to the Arctic’s northernmost mountain range in the world for his “83° Ski the North.”

Joined by adventurer Hauni Haunholder, the two set off to ski the Arctic Cordillera and as the saying goes, “it’s the journey not the destination,” as the men encounter major athletic and filmmaking challenges.

The Ellesmere Island location is home to arctic wolves, polar bears and native Inuit people who actively support the intrepid mountaineers.

‘Kokoly’

Bringing the personal story of Madame Kokoly to the NTFF, UK filmmakers Garth Cripps and Paul Antion capture a wide-angle look at the world’s marine environment in “Kokoly,” the close-up story of a traditional Vezo fisherwoman in Madagascar.

Living in extreme poverty, Madame Kokoly reflects on her personal losses and life experiences, and the ocean she fishes which is changing beyond her control. Female-only voices are represented in this heartbreaking film.

“Kokoly” is a short documentary film, produced by Blue Ventures, and supported by Stories of Change, a project of the Sundance Institute, with support from the Skoll Foundation.

‘Threats in the Northern Seas’

Getting down and dirty, “Threats in the Northern Seas” director Jacques Loeuille from France brings light to silent and deadly underwater witnesses from World Wars I and II — 3 billion tons of chemical and conventional bombs that lie at the bottom of the North and Baltic seas.

Loeuille’s film examines the underwater stockpile of lethal munitions and takes on the cause of defending the survival of our vital oceans and seas. Why were these weapons dumped and are these massive watery caches of highly toxic ordnance an avoidable disaster?

Eisaguirre said she has found that NTFF patrons are “proactive people for our natural world, and this film will educate you about the dangers and natural disasters caused by climate change.”

NTFF film categories are: Adventure, Animation, Biography, Conservation, Kids Connecting with Nature, Scenic, Student, and a special category, Outdoors & Out of Bounds.

The full list of participating films is posted on the festival website www.naturetrackfilmfestival.org.

All-Access Passes, and single tickets are now available and may be purchased on the NTFF website, www.NatureTrackFilmFestival.org. All proceeds from the festival go to support the NatureTrack Foundation. All tickets from the March 2020 dates will be honored.

Cost for an All-Access Virtual Pass is $100. For those who earlier bought an in-person All-Access Pass, the festival suggests either sharing the pass with someone or donating the difference in cost to the NatureTrack Foundation as a much-needed gift.

Find more information about NatureTrack Foundation at www.naturetrack.org.

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The NatureTrack Film Festival, the only nature-focused film festival between San Francisco and Los Angeles, will return to Los Olivos on March 20-22, 2020.

Festival organizers plan to will build on two successful years, bringing an even more diverse and distinctive selection of outdoor film to the third NatureTrack Film Festival (NTFF). Entries are curated and selected to “ignite passion for nature through film.”

In just two years, the NatureTrack Film Festival has already attracted the attention of filmmakers around the world. The inaugural festival resulted in more than 1,500 film submissions and featured notable outdoor filmmakers such as Chris and Keith Malloy, Jeff Johnson, and Chris Burkard. Other artists traveled from as far away as Germany, England and Pakistan to showcase their films.

This year, Netflix premiered an episode of its hit documentary series “Our Planet” at the festival. Renowned filmmaker and National Geographic photographer James Balog, of “Chasing Ice,” brought his newest film “The Human Element” to the 2019 NTFF.

“With Santa Barbara County being the birthplace of Earth Day and the modern environmental movement, it’s an ideal location for a film festival that has been enthusiastically embraced by locals, filmmakers and visitors alike,” said Sue Eisaguirre, the festival’s founder and director. “In Los Olivos, visitors can enjoy a small-town vibe with world-renowned wineries and restaurants to make their film festival experience even more enjoyable.”

The 2020 NatureTrack Film Festival will showcase long and short film submissions in both live and animated form in the categories of Adventure, Animation, Biography, Conservation, Kids Connecting with Nature, Scenic, Student, and a special category called Outdoors & Out of Bounds.

Tickets went on sale November 1. A VIP All-Access Pass is $200. Individual tickets are $10; six- and 12-packs of tickets are available for $50 and $90, respectively. The festival offers discounted student tickets as well. Tickets can be at www.naturetrackfilmfestival.org.

The NatureTrack Film Festival welcomes sponsor and advertiser inquiries and offers numerous participation levels for businesses and individuals wishing to support the festival. Contact Eisaguirre at sue@naturetrack.org or 805-886-2047 for more information.

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Staff Report

This year’s Los Olivos Day in the Country on Oct. 19 will kick off with NatureTrack’s volunteer team overseeing the annual 5k Run and Kids’ Mile.

After 26 years of sponsoring and organizing the popular race, Platinum Performance is passing the baton to NatureTrack.

“We‘re proud and thrilled to be the new host sponsor of the (Almost) 5K Run and Kid’s Mile on Saturday, October 19th. The opportunity to host this great annual community event aligns perfectly with our overarching mission to get kids – and adults – outdoors to play, explore, learn and, in this case, run or walk!” said Sue Eisaguirre, NatureTrack’s founder and Executive Director.

All races will start at Lavinia Campbell Park in downtown Los Olivos. Participants may register at Active.com or in person on race day.

For more information, call or text Eisaguirre at 805-886-2047.

The winners in the women’s, men’s, youth, and dog categories will receive a gift bag filled with Platinum’s line of products. All 5K participants will receive a Nalgene water bottle, two tickets to the 2020 NatureTrack Film Festival and more. All kids running or walking the Kids Mile will receive a gift from NatureTrack. 

Founded in 2011, NatureTrack provides outdoor field trips for K-12 students and teachers in Santa Barbara County, all at no cost to schools, students, teachers or parents. All field trips are curriculum-aligned and take place during the traditional school day. The volunteer-to-student ratio on every field trip is 1 to 5.

For more information contact Eisaguirre at sue@naturetrack.org or 805-886-2047.

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Dozens of nature-themed films, including an Oscar-winner, will fill the weekend of March 22-24 during the second NatureTrack Film Festival in Los Olivos.

“We are really excited to bring some blockbuster films this year that people will enjoy. We are showing some entertaining films … ‘Free Solo,’ which just won an Academy Award, as well as ‘Human Element,’ a film about how people are the fifth element in nature,” said KC Thompson, an organizer of the second annual event. 

“This festival is about combining the cultural experiences we love in the valley … great food and wine, being outside — and film,” Thompson added.

The festival’s films share common themes, such as world exploration and humans’ responsibilities as stewards of the natural world.

“Boy Nomad” shows a year in the life of Janibek, a 9-year old Mongolian boy.

The weekend also includes speaker panels, technology demonstrations, and chances to meet the filmmakers.

Films will screened from Friday through Sunday at three venues: the Los Olivos Community Center (formerly the Grange Hall), the Gates Foss Community Center at Los Olivos School, and Stacy Hall at St. Mark’s In-The-Valley Episcopal Church.

The festival begins at 4 p.m. Friday with an opening reception at St. Mark’s. 

“Free Solo,” the Oscar winner for best documentary, will be shown the same night at 6:15 p.m. at the Gates Foss Center. It profiles rock climber Alex Honnold on his quest to perform a free solo climb of El Capitan in June 2017.

A full schedule of films will be shown from 9 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. Saturday and from 9:15 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Sunday. The festival will conclude at 4 p.m. Sunday with a closing reception at Sides, A Brothers Restaurant.

“We have a wide variety of films being shown, and there really is something for every age level,” Thompson said. 

One of the films is “Boy Nomad,” which follows a year in the life of 9-year old Janibek, who lives with his family in Mongolia’s Altai Mountains. His first love is racing horses, but this winter, his father will bring him on the toughest journey in a nomad’s life: the winter migration.

“The Amazing Coral Lifecycle – From Dusk till Spawn” looks at the way corals spawn and develop into new colonies.

“The Amazing Coral Lifecycle – From Dusk till Spawn” looks at the way corals spawn and develop into new colonies. 

“We have so many great volunteers coming back and helping out. We are thrilled to also bring in more speaking panels and opportunities to check out new technology in the film industry,” Thompson said. 

Filmmaker “meet and greets” are planned for local food and wine establishments, including the spotlight dinner at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at The Gathering Table at The Ballard Inn, with famed Canadian painter Cory Trépanier, who directed another film in the festival, “Into the Arctic: Awakening.”

 Trépanier will host a multimedia presentation about his numerous plein-air painting trips to capture the icy grandeur of some of the most wild and remote regions on the face of the planet.

The festival also includes a demonstration of infrared camera technology by representatives of FLIR, a company based in Santa Barbara, and a demonstration of falconry. 

“The infrared camera allows more ‘night vision’ capabilities, which enhance the filmmakers in films on catching poachers or capturing footage of rarely seen species,” Thompson said. 

In addition, NatureTrack will also offer docent-led hikes for those who want to take advantage of the valley’s abundant natural beauty. 

Juried awards will be given for audience favorite, best student film, best in category (feature or short), best depiction of children connecting with nature, and overall best in festival.

NatureTrack is a nonprofit organization that provides free, curriculum-coordinated field trips for Santa Barbara County school-age children, using trails and beaches throughout the county.

NatureTrack aspires to instill students with leadership skills, attitudes and habits for lifelong learning, inspiring them to be respectful stewards of the natural world.

Since its founding in 2011, more than 14,000 students have experienced a NatureTrack field trip. 

The NatureTrack Film Festival was honored with the “Best in Fest” award for Best Charitable Film Festival at the FestForums conference at the Hilton Santa Barbara Resort last fall.

Ticket options range from single events to whole-festival passes. To buy tickets or get more information on the festival, visit www.NatureTrackFilmFestival.org. 

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The NatureTrack Film Festival (NTFF) is proud to present a must-attend Spotlight Dinner event, March 23^rd, featuring famed Canadian painter Cory Trépanier, director of Into the Arctic: Awakening. Trépanier will host a multi-media presentation about his numerous plein-air painting trips to capture the icy grandeur of some of the most wild and remote regions on the face of our planet. Guests at this very special NTFF dinner event will get to experience Canada’s northernmost arctic reaches and hear Cory’s compelling stories about the places, people and processes that have inspired his canvases and films for over a decade.

The 2019 NTFF Spotlight Dinner will be held from 5:30 – 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, in downtown Santa Ynez, 3569 Sagunto Street, adjacent to Dennee’s courtyard. The Spotlight Dinner is included with the purchase of an NTFF Epic Pass. The dinner may also be purchased separately for $75 at www.naturetrackfilmfestival.org. All names will be held on a guest list at the door.

Making this evening even more memorable will be fine cuisine courtesy of award-winning chef Budi Kazali of The Gathering Table at The Ballard Inn. Kazali spent 10 years refining his renowned skills, working in restaurants in San Francisco and Boston, including the famous Campton Place and the award-winning Blue Ginger. Kazali, and his wife Chris, then purchased The Ballard Inn in 2004 where he has garnered many accolades, including a recent Four Diamond by Automobile Club of Southern California and winning Central Coast magazine’s Ultimate Chef competition in 2009. Rounding out this one-of-a-kind dinner will be fine wines donated by the Santa Ynez Valley’s famous Hitching Post Wines and outstanding beer courtesy of M. Special Brewing Company.

Cory Trépanier

In 2001 Trépanier began filming his artistic expeditions, leading to four televised documentaries: A Painter’s Odyssey, Into the Arctic: An Artist’s Journey to the North, Into the Arctic II (nominated for a Canadian Screen Award) and True Wild: Kluane. His fifth film, Into the Arctic: Awakening, had its first pre-release screening in Monaco before Prince Albert II. Cory’s films are broadcast in Canada and internationally.
 
In January of 2017, Trépanier’s INTO THE ARCTIC Exhibition — an unprecedented collection of 60 canvases and his Into the Arctic films — began touring for four years, with 11 museums on the itinerary to date. Created from over a decade of painting and exploring the Canadian North, it premiered at the Embassy of Canada in Washington D.C. Highlighting the collection is the 15-foot-wide Great Glacier, quite possibly the largest Arctic landscape painting in Canada’s history.

Trépanier has been featured in media around the globe, and his documentaries broadcast internationally, sharing his passion for the wild places that he explores and paints. Through his unique vision, expressed through art, films, public speaking and online media, Cory inspires others with our planet’s natural wonders.
 
Canadian Geographic named Trépanier one of Canada’s Top 100 Living Explorers. He is a fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and a member of The Explorers Club, receiving the Canadian Chapter’s highest award, the Stefansson Medal. He has also been honored as a National Champion of the Great Trans Canada Trail. The NatureTrack Film Festival is honored to present this adventurer, artist and filmmaker to share the amazing process he undertakes each time he alights for the northern lights with canvas and paintbrush in hand.

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