The 2020 Nature Track Film Festival has Been Postponed.
New Dates are October 9-11, 2020. Read More
The third annual NatureTrack Film Festival is almost here. Special events will be intertwined with the documentary films screenings. The only nature film festival between San Francisco and Los Angeles takes place Friday through Sunday, October 9 through 11, at various festival venues throughout Los Olivos. If you love nature, this is the place you’ll want to be, so make plans now for an awesome weekend in the heart of Santa Barbara County’s beautiful horse and wine country.
Friday, October 9
Opening Reception/Introduction to Filmmakers
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Artisan Garden, 2432 Alamo Pintado Ave, Los Olivos
Meet many of the festival filmmakers in a casual setting. Appetizers from First & Oak, with wine from Coquelicot Estate Wines and beer from M. Special Brewing Company
$25/adult, $15/child (12 and under), free for All-Access Pass holders
Meet the Makers
A Director’s Eye on Local Environmental Concerns – Panel Discussion
5:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Epiphany Cellars, 2974 Grand Ave, Los Olivos
Epiphany is pleased to welcome NatureTrack Film Festival directors, pass holders, and guests to its tasting room and garden for a panel discussion on why and how directors choose local environmental concerns to focus on. The panel will include director Isaac Hernández Better Together, director Jeff McLoughlin Carrizo Plain – A Sense of Place, and director Kristin Tieche Literacy for Environmental Justice: Cultivating Youth Leaders in Southeast San Francisco. Moderated by director Michael Love, From Golf Course to Wetland (NTFF 2019 winner: Conservation – Short).
Complimentary pours of Epiphany’s Grenache Blanc and Syrah will be provided to all NatureTrack pass holders. Located in the heart of Los Olivos, Epiphany, is a Rhône focused winemaking label from the Fess Parker Family. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2020, Epiphany is dedicated to the thrill of discovery, working with the many Rhône varietals Santa Barbara grows so well and some of the finest vineyard sources in the country.
Free
Rios Patagonicos in the Park!
8:00 – 10:00 pm
NTFF Base Camp – Headquarters Tent in Lavinia Campbell Park2398 Alamo Pintado Ave, Los Olivos
Enjoy Argentinean food, wine, and music compliments of Pumacasu
Carlos and Christine Cerecedo, owners of local business Pumacasu that showcases Custom Artisan Jewelry and Wine Antiques, love Patagonia and they are honored to share the tastes and sounds of Argentina and Chile with NatureTrack Film Festival guests! Carlos grew up in Patagonia and Christine was inspired by Mapuche Indians in Chile to make her jewelry. Come enjoy firsthand stories of fishing the streams and hiking the mountains where Rios Patagonicos was filmed! What a treat to experience the joy of someone sharing their memories of such a special place. Empanadas by Taste of Argentina and Malbec from Mendoza will be served. Live music by Guarani Harpist Ignacio. This is a wonderful way to wrap up our first night.
Free for NTFF attendees
Saturday, October 10
Spotlight Event – Carbon Cowboys Panel Discussion
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
St. Mark’s In-the-Valley, Stacy Hall, 2901 Nojoqui Ave, Los Olivos
Guest speakers: Steve Apfelbaum, Founder & Chairman of AES; Larry Kopald, The Carbon Underground Organization, and FaceTime/Skype with Peter Byck, Carbon Cowboys.
Screenings: Peter Byck’s Carbon Cowboys, Herd Impact and Chris Malloy’s Unbroken Ground.
Light lunch will be served with beer and wine.
$20/adult, $15/child (12 and under), free for All-Access Pass holders
Original Music in Nature Filmmaking – Panel Discussion
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Base Camp in the center of town at Grand & Alamo Pintado Aves., Los Olivos
Music sets the mood and nowhere is that more obvious than when it accompanies a moving image on film. On this panel we will discuss the indispensable role that original music plays in filmmaking; in particular how it enhances nature documentaries and outdoor “adrenaline” films.
Guest panelists: Julian Cisneros, Queen Without Land; Todd Hannigan, By Hand; Chris Smead; Highline. Moderator: KC Murphy Thompson, NTFF co-director. Free
Spotlight Event – Meet the Director, Composer and Cast of By Hand
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
St. Mark’s In-the-Valley, Stacy Hall, 2901 Nojoqui Ave, Los Olivos
Guest speakers: By Hand co-director Kellen Keene, the documentary’s subjects twin brothers Casey and Ryan Higginbotham and the film’s composer, Todd Hannigan.
The evening begins at 5:00 pm with hors d’oeuvres including Full of Life flatbread, wine from Grimms Bluff Winery and beer from M. Special Brewing Company. A screening of By Hand is at 5:45 pm followed by a Q&A with the film’s creators.
$30/adult, $20/child (12 and under), free to All-Access Pass holders
Free Screening – Volkswagen Presents Warren Miller’s Timeless
8:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Carhartt Tasting Room, 2939 Grand Ave, Los Olivos
Retro Ski Wear Contest/Judging – Grand prize provided by Mountain Air Sports
This film celebrates 70 years of ski cinematography and travel with top athletes across the globe at renowned mountain locations. All attendees are encouraged to wear vintage ski outfits, togs, sweaters, or ski lodge classics that reflect the style on the slopes through the years. Grand prize for best vintage ski outfit from Mountain Air Sports. Free
Sunday, October 11
Meet the Makers
Using Animation & Music to Convey Your Story
10:15 am -10:45 am
Wildflower Women Boutique, 2920 Grand Ave, Los Olivos
Wildflower Women Boutique is pleased to invite NatureTrack Film Festival directors, pass holders, and guests to enjoy a special visit with filmmaker/animators to discuss how they combine their illustrative skills with music to create powerful animated stories that convey so much meaning. Join owner Amber Lease, as she hosts director Yeliz Motro along with producer Catherine Nelson of Escape, and Elizabeth Lewis of Waters of March, for an interesting chat over mimosas and muffins. More information on each director, their films, and when films are scheduled can be found at www.NatureTrackFilmFestival.org
Located in the heart of Los Olivos, Wildflower Women Boutique is where everyone can expect quality merchandise, the highest level of service, and most importantly, kindness while shopping. Says owner Amber, “Try it on, be playful, take a risk, you might just surprise yourself!” A special discount on merchandise will be available to all NatureTrack pass holders.
Free
Awards Ceremony
4:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Los Olivos Community Organization Hall (The Grange), 2374 Alamo Pintado Ave, Los Olivos
Free
Closing Reception
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
The Garden at Global Eye Art Collective, 2935 Grand Ave., Los Olivos
Appetizers, wines from Hitching Post Wines and beer from M. Special Brewing Company
$25/adult, $15/child, free to All Access Pass holders.
SPECIAL WAY TO START THE DAY
8:30 am – 10:30 am Saturday & Sunday
NATURETRACK DOCENT-LED HIKES. Limited to 15 participants each.
Location: Midland Trails (Approximately 10 miles north of Los Olivos; Cross 154, Figueroa Mt. Road, past Midland School, first cattle crossing, parking on right).
Get a feel for the beautiful back country of the Santa Ynez Valley as you traverse Midland School’s private lands. NatureTrack docents will guide you through oak woodlands laden with lichen, along creek courses scoured by winter rains, and introduce you to the first wildflowers of spring while leading you to incredible vistas, all the while touching on the natural and cultural history of the area. Get a glimpse into the hikes NatureTrack underwrites through the school year for schoolchildren to get out and experience nature firsthand.
Free (Please note: Passholders have priority. Must show NTFF pass or ticket stub. Reservations required www.naturetrackfilmfestival.org)
For the entire film, special events and hike schedule, go to www.naturetrackfilmfestival.org. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. We recommend the All-Access Pass for $200 to get the big picture.
About the NatureTrack Film Festival
NatureTrack Film Festival was founded by Sue Eisaguirre, who conceived the idea for a local nature film festival as an extension of, and fundraiser for, the non-profit NatureTrack Foundation that she started in 2011. NatureTrack introduces schoolchildren to outdoor spaces from the seashore to the inland oak woodlands of Santa Barbara County by providing cost-free outdoor field trips. Utilizing local trails and beaches throughout the county, NatureTrack provides experiences that encourage students to embrace the natural world with respect and wonder, inspiring them to be stewards of our natural resources; and prepares them with leadership skills and habits for lifelong learning. Since 2011, NatureTrack has provided more than 22,000 outdoor experiences for school-aged students. Demand for the curriculum-coordinated program has increased every year with teachers praising the docent-led excursions that align with classroom curriculum. More information about NatureTrack Foundation can be found at www.naturetrack.org.
Visit the NatureTrack Film Festival at:
Website www.naturetrackfilmfestival.orgFacebook https://www.facebook.com/naturetrackfilm/
Twitter https://twitter.com/naturetrackfilm
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/naturetrackfilm/
Festival Video: https://vimeo.com/389787683
