Private Project

The Palms of Modoc

In the picturesque streets of Santa Barbara, a ragtag group of neighbors find themselves entangled in a battle over a beloved green space. An ambitious plan to bridge a 3/4-mile gap in a scenic California coastal bike highway threatens to disrupt the Modoc Preserve and its treasured palms, sparking an unexpected clash between nature protection and green urban development. While some fight to preserve the trees, others push for the bike path’s completion, exposing the dilemmas of modern environmentalism. Through intimate interviews and sweeping visuals, this story prompts us to ask: In the race to build greener cities, which voices are being left behind?

  • Summer Gray
    Director
  • Summer Gray
    Producer
  • Taylor McEvilly
    Producer
  • Nick Thomas
    Director of Photography
  • Summer Gray
    Editor
  • Flavio Florez
    Editor
  • Gabriel Frausto
    Key Cast
    Cultural Resources Chair, Coastal Band of Chumash
  • Meredith Hendricks
    Key Cast
    Executive Director, Santa Barbara Land Trust
  • Heather Deutch
    Key Cast
    Director, MOVE Santa Barbara
  • Warren Thomas
    Key Cast
    Modoc Resident
  • Eva Inbar
    Key Cast
    Modoc Resident
  • Jim Kemp
    Key Cast
    Santa Barbara County Association of Governments
  • Autumn Brook
    Key Cast
    Modoc Resident
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Environment
  • Runtime:
    16 minutes 48 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 30, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    6,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital 4K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Summer Gray

Summer Gray is a cinematic sociologist and Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research focuses on questions of uneven development and infrastructural inequality, attending to the social and historical factors that have shaped vulnerability and have contributed to disparities in efforts to adapt to climate change.

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Director Statement

In a moment when news coverage often simplifies or sensationalizes conflicts, it's important to dive deeper and embrace the messiness of social life. My approach blends research and storytelling into cinematic sociology, a method that integrates in-depth interviews with a critical examination of environmental values and systemic injustices. The controversy surrounding the Modoc Preserve provides a crucial opportunity to explore the nuanced tensions between urban development and environmental preservation. By documenting the Modoc Preserve controversy, my goal is to not only highlight the immediate conflict but also engage with broader questions about negotiating conflicting values and finding ways to listen and understand each other.