Experiencing Interruptions?

Keeper of the Creek

For 8 years, Joel Goldes has taken responsibility for cleaning the creek near his home in Oak Park, CA. He's removed hundreds of pounds of garbage and trapped thousands of invasive crawdads, proving that one person really can make a difference.

  • Dan Goldes
    Director
    Arrested (Again) (2017); Equal Justice Under Law (2015); ub2 (2011); 5 Blocks (post-production)
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 50 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 16, 2018
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • EkoFilm Poland
    Nowogard
    Poland
    May 15, 2018
    World premiere
  • Golden State Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    August 10, 2018
    North American premiere
  • Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festival
    Kuala Lumpur
    Malaysia
    October 17, 2018
    Asian
Director Biography - Dan Goldes

Dan Goldes is a filmmaker based in San Francisco. His last short film, "Arrested (Again)", about a San Francisco activist arrested dozens of times for nonviolent civil disobedience, has screened at 55 film festivals worldwide to date. His previous film, "Equal Justice Under Law", about the U.S. Supreme Court's historic marriage equality decision, was an official selection of 20 festivals. Dan's first film, "ub2", about pejorative language related to HIV, was an official selection of 40 festivals. Dan is currently in post-production on "5 Blocks", a long-form documentary about changes to San Francisco's Central Market Street, a neighborhood undergoing its most dramatic change in 50 years.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

"Keeper of the Creek" is a film about my brother, Joel, who has adopted a forgotten creek and watershed near his home. Without fanfare, he diligently works on cleaning the creek, understanding that "we all live downstream" and that the health of the waterway impacts the health of the surrounding neighborhood. In an era of cynicism and divisiveness, Joel quietly shows that one person can make a difference.