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Neah Bay: Restoring Ancestral Waters

For thousands of years Makah Tribal fishermen like Robert Moss hunted for traditional foods in the waters of Washington's Neah Bay. But today thousands of tons of marine debris literally loom over the Makah Tribe's ancestral waters, threatening to choke the waters that sustained these self-described ocean hunters' families for generations - including a dystopian 3,000-ton piece of concrete-and-steel highway bridge abandoned decades ago. It's a daily reminder of the potentially toxic waters plaguing this small fishing community. In this story of environmental and social justice, a coalition of motivated Tribal leaders and organizations works together in a spectacle of mechanical and human determination to demolish, remove, and recycle the massive decaying highway fragment and abandoned vessels of Neah Bay, to restore healthy waters and traditional foods to the Makah community.

  • Nancy Donnelly
    Director
    LSD & the Psychedelic Revolution, America's National Parks, Egypt Underworld, Inside the American Mob, Powering the Future, Hogzilla, Is It Real, Six Degrees
  • Nancy Donnelly
    Writer
    LSD & the Psychedelic Revolution, America's National Parks, Inside the American Mob, Egypt Underworld, Powering the Future, Hogzilla, Is It Real, Six Degrees
  • Nancy Donnelly
    Producer
    LSD & the Psychedelic Revolution, America's National Parks, Inside the American Mob, Egypt Underworld, Powering the Future, Hogzilla, Is It Real, Six Degrees
  • Howard Shack
    Editor
  • Howard Shack
    Director of Photography
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short, Web / New Media
  • Genres:
    Environmental, Indigenous, Food, Nature, Climate, Fisheries
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 26 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 14, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    30,000 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
  • Catalina Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    September 25, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Gig Harbor Film Festival
    Gig Harbor
    United States
    September 26, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Marina Del Rey International Film Festival
    Culver City
    United States
    June 20, 2025
    Best Cinematography in a Short Documentary
  • San Antonio Film Festival 2025
    San Antonio
    United States
    July 27, 2025
    Nominee, Best Short Film
  • East Village New York Film Festival
    New York
    United States
    July 27, 2025
    Honorable Mention
  • Grand Rapids Film Festival
    Grand Rapids
    United States
    September 19, 2025
    Official Selection
  • One Ocean Film Tour

    United States
    Official Selection
  • Mesa International Film Festival
    Mesa, AZ
    United States
    August 20, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Eugene Environmental Film Festival
    Eugene
    United States
    October 13, 2025
    Official Selection
  • UrbanFest 360 Orlando 2025
    Orlando
    United States
    September 20, 2025
    Official Selection
  • South Film and Arts Academy Festival 2025
    Rancagua
    Chile
    June 17, 2025
    Winner - Best Director, Best Short Documentary, Best Cinematography
  • Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival
    Athens
    Greece
    May 31, 2025
    Honorable Mention
Director Biography - Nancy Donnelly

Nancy Donnelly is an Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker with deep experience in visual storytelling and mission-driven engagement. In a career that's taken her to the far corners of the earth for National Geographic and other clients, Donnelly leads every step of production - from story development, budgeting, pre-production planning, field production, editing, writing, and post, with a unique knack for breaking down complex ideas and information into compelling visual content that wins awards, drives engagement, and sometimes goes viral. Conversely, she is a storyteller who can tease out the larger meaning and relevance of simple stories, to create inspirational content.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I was so inspired by the story of the Makah Tribe of Neah Bay, and their determination to thrive amid social and environmental threats to their traditional practices and their spiritual connection to the ocean. I'm honored to have received the access I needed to tell their story, and the story of the partners who helped them achieve their goal of a clean Neah Bay.