Summer Screening Series
2025
Summer Screening Series 2025
Refugio State Beach
June - September
- Refugio State Beach Park 10 Refugio Beach Rd, Goleta, CA 93117
- Education Center opens at 7PM; Film starts approximately 8PM
The 7th Annual festival journey begins this summer in partnership with California State Parks, bringing free outdoor film screenings to Refugio State Beach. This free, family-friendly program showcases select environmental films that inspire wonder and promote conservation awareness.
Saturday, June 28th
- Refugio State Beach Park 10 Refugio Beach Rd, Goleta, CA 93117
Fish People
DIRECTED BY: Keith Mallo
COUTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
2018
The story of a unique cast of characters who have dedicated their lives to the sea. From surfers and spear fishers to a former coal miner and a group of at-risk kids in San Francisco, this is a film about the transformative effects of time spent in the ocean, and how we can leave our limitations behind to find deeper meaning in the saltwater wilderness that lies just beyond the shore.
The Long Kiss
DIRECTED BY: Ivan Khanzhin
COUTRY OF ORIGIN: Russia
NTFF 2021 Alumni
It’s hard to love from a distance. Especially if you and your partner are river snails, and the only obstacle to your meeting is your innate insurmountable sluggishness.
Saturday, July 19th
- Refugio State Beach Park 10 Refugio Beach Rd, Goleta, CA 93117
8,000 +
DIRECTED BY: Girard Antoine
COUTRY OF ORIGIN: France
NTFF 2020 Alumni
More than just a filmmaker, Antoine Girard is a paraglider, rock climber, and high-altitude mountaineer. In 2016, he spent a month in Pakistan, flying a remote, challenging, and ground-breaking 1,250-kilometer solo route through the Karakoram with his gear. Flying solo, he soared through this stunning mountain range and reached an altitude of 8,157 meters to view 8,051-meter Broad Peak from above, proving that flying in extremely thin air is indeed possible. In the process, he set a world record.
Stumped
DIRECTED BY: Taylor Keating
COUTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
NTFF 2019 Alumni
Maureen Beck says: ‘I don’t want to be known as just a one-armed climber, I just want to be a good climber. Maureen Beck may have been born missing her lower left arm, but that hasn’t stopped her from going hard. She takes whippers on 5.12 and crushes overhanging boulders, while shot-gunning beers. But she is not here to be your inspiration. ‘People say… ‘Look, a one-armed climber, now I have no excuses. I’m like, dude, you never had any excuses in the first place.’ Maureen is here to crush the gnar — with one bloody stump helping her get to the top. A film by climber and filmmaker Cedar Wright and Taylor Keating, screened and distributed as part of the Reel Rock 12 series.
Saturday, July 26th
- Refugio State Beach Park 10 Refugio Beach Rd, Goleta, CA 93117
Wild As A Raspberry
DIRECTED BY: Debora Mendes
COUTRY OF ORIGIN: Portugal
NTFF 2020 Alumni
Info coming soon…
Two Point Four
DIRECTED BY: Natasha Brooks
COUTRY OF ORIGIN: United Kingdom
NTFF 2024 Alumni
Not your typical family holiday, but this is not your typical family. Leo Houlding, his wife Jess, and their two children, Freya (9 years) and Jackson (5 years), climb Norway’s national mountain via a 2,000 ft big wall.
Otter Space
DIRECTED BY: Michael Love
COUTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
NTFF 2024 Alumni
Southern Sea Otters were down to about 40 animals, but after a hunting ban, they have rebounded. Now they just need otter space to live their busy lives.
Saturday, August 16th
- Refugio State Beach Park 10 Refugio Beach Rd, Goleta, CA 93117
By Hand
DIRECTED BY: Kellen Keene
COUTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
NTFF 2020 Alumni
Pismo Beach twins Casey and Ryan Higginbotham travel 2,200 miles from Alaska to Mexico on custom-built, 18-foot paddle boards. Determined to escape comfort and reconnect to nature, the brothers power their journey “by hand” — and set a new standard in ocean adventure. On March 18, 2016, the brothers embarked on their epic Pacific quest, each carrying nothing more than two bags of gear and a camera. No support boats. No paddles. Nothing like this had been done before.
Saturday, August 30th
- Refugio State Beach Park 10 Refugio Beach Rd, Goleta, CA 93117
Under the Arctic Sky
DIRECTED BY: Chris Burkard
COUTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
NTFF 2018 Alumni
Six fearless surfers take a journey to the most remote corner of Iceland in the middle of winter in search of perfect surf. A few days in, the worst storm in 25 years blows through and shuts down the country, turning the search for waves into a life-threatening prospect. Enduring constant darkness and stormy seas, they discover perfect waves and make history by surfing under the dazzling northern lights
Ursa Major
DIRECTED BY: Kerrin Keiser
COUTRY OF ORIGIN: Russia
NTFF 2018 Alumni
A young nomadic hunter is trying to prove himself. To do so, he shoots down the North Star from the constellation Ursa Major in the sky. This enrages the bear, who freezes the environment. Terrified of the consequences his actions have had on the environment, the boy shoots the star back to the sky. Grateful for having his brightest star back, the bear roars, and northern lights guide the boy home.
Saturday, September 13th
- Refugio State Beach Park 10 Refugio Beach Rd, Goleta, CA 93117
Looking For The Wild
DIRECTED BY: Andoni Canela
COUTRY OF ORIGIN: Spain
NTFF 2020 Alumni
Unai is 9 years old, and he travels with his family on an extraordinary journey around the world. His father, a nature photographer, has the mission to search for seven emblematic animals to photograph and communicate the delicate situation in which they find themselves. For over a year, following in his footsteps, Unai shares with his sister and his mother experiences that convey an unconditional love for nature. Wolves, elephants, lions, bison, penguins, hornbills, and crocodiles are the protagonists of this exciting journey across all continents.
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NatureTrack Foundation
NatureTrack Foundation, founded by Sue Eisaguirre in 2011, is dedicated to inspiring a lifelong fascination with nature. The foundation provides cost-free outdoor field trips for K-12 students in Santa Barbara County, enabling them to explore and learn amidst the stunning natural settings of local beaches and trails.
In 2021, NatureTrack expanded its mission to be more inclusive by introducing the Freedom Trax program, which empowers wheelchair users of all ages to explore nature without barriers. Each year, NatureTrack proudly provides over 5,000 students and wheelchair users with unforgettable outdoor experiences through more than 100 field trips and events.
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