Experiencing Interruptions?

Garden Story

Life, death, and rebirth—in the span of a single day. Both a meditation and a subtle epic, GARDEN STORY gives voice to the flora and fauna of an ordinary Colorado yard. Brazen bucks, cunning spiders, an industrious squadron of bees: just a few of the myriad creatures staking their claim to the space beyond our thresholds. The filmmakers, in adopting a pure vérité approach, have reduced the human element to a minimum. What remains is a self-writing poem of eternal return, of sunrise and nightfall, of wind and water, of the earth and its denizens. Gracefully shot and minimally scored, GARDEN STORY is a delight to the senses and an earnest ode to the natural world.

  • Eric Risher
    Director
  • Eric Risher
    Producer
  • Eric Risher
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    17 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    May 24, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    1 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Colorado Short Circuit Film Festival
    Colorado Springs
    United States
    September 6, 2024
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Eric Risher

Born in Ohio, Eric is a freelance documentary editor now residing in the San Francisco Bay Area. His early career afforded him valuable experience working with talented filmmakers on projects such as AMERICAN FACTORY, and an episode of AMERICAN MASTERS. When creating his own films, Eric favors verité shooting and stories that explore identity and civil rights. His work has appeared on the radio, on TV, and in numerous film festivals. In 2017 he was awarded a regional Emmy for his editing work.

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Director Statement

GARDEN STORY was never meant to be a film, but rather a relief from anxiety. After traditional meditation proved ineffective in reducing my depression and intrusive thoughts, I was surprised to discover that documenting nature was a valuable substitute. It began when I traveled from my home in Oakland to the suburbs of Colorado. I was in town for a summer job, but it was the landscape and wildlife that captured my heart. It was only too easy to turn a camera onto the biodiversity of the area, much of which spilled over into my own backyard. Capturing the many adventures and dramas taking part in this one location was a healing experience, and I hope that watching this film can offer others some respite as well.