An annual rendezvous with breathtaking stories and awe-inspiring documentaries is just around the corner as The Environmental Center brings Mountainfilm on Tour back to Central Oregon on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 23-24. This film event promises an evening of adventure, climate change revelations, cultural exploration and resilient tales from every corner of the globe.
Mountainfilm on Tour is a film festival centered on documentary short films covering activism, social justice and showcasing the environment, underlining the spiritual connection between humans and nature. "It's our only fundraiser of the year," Events and Outreach Manager for the Environmental Center, Priscilla Calleros explained. "We are a host, the original one comes from Telluride, Colorado, and we team with them to bring it to Bend every year around this time and we showcase documentary films."
From frozen landscapes to coastal mountain ranges, breathtaking nature serves as the backdrop for stories that touch on the human condition. Films like "Waiting, Hoping" take the audience to the U.S.-Mexico border, offering a deeply personal story echoing the struggles and hopes of migrant families. It's a window into lives affected by hope and a poignant reminder of shared humanity. Shorts such as "Reclaim Your Water: Natasha Smith" and "The Ghost Rainforest" highlight the importance of local ecosystems and inclusive spaces in the natural world through emotionally charged first-hand experiences.
"These films are thoughtfully curated for a Central Oregon audience," explained Calleros. "This is a two-night event, and it sells out almost every year and the films come from around the world and deal with topics like climate change, culture and inclusion in the outdoors. Also, new this year, both nights every film will have English captions and an American Sign Language interpreter. Films have come with subtitles in the past, but Mountainfilm took our feedback and will provide captions for both nights and that is so exciting," Calleros added proudly. "There will also be a raffle component for both nights!"
