ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
In February 2023, SYRCL's (South Yuba River Citizens League) 21st Annual Wild & Scenic® Film Festival returns with an incredible selection of films to change your world. Each year, the Wild & Scenic Film Festival draws top filmmakers, celebrities, leading activists, social innovators, and well-known world adventurers to the historic towns of Nevada City and Grass Valley in California.
ABOUT THE FILMS
Wild & Scenic features environmental and adventure films from around the world that illustrate the earth's beauty, the challenges facing our planet, and the work communities are doing to protect the environment. We welcome documentary and narrative shorts and features about nature, community activism, intentional adventure, conservation, health, water, energy, climate change, wildlife, environmental justice, food, and farming. Our objective is to inform, inspire, and ignite solutions and possibilities to restore the earth and human communities while creating a positive future for the next generation through stellar filmmaking, beautiful cinematography, and first-rate storytelling. Films are curated into themed tracks, which pair projects with complimentary subject matter or ideas to create a cinematic journey for audiences.
Each year, filmmakers and activists travel from around the globe to speak to festival-goers following their respective films for Q&A, in workshops held in the festival's activist center, and in talks and chats throughout the weekend. There are many opportunities for filmmakers to connect with peers, audiences, and the press.
While all artwork will be considered, we are especially interested in pieces that interpret our theme this year, CommUNITY.
2023 marks the 40th anniversary of the South Yuba River Citizens League. Founded on the premise that “people can save a river,” SYRCL has been uplifting the community by uniting and engaging with local citizens to protect and restore the Yuba River Watershed for decades. With this in mind, Wild & Scenic’s theme focuses on the importance of approaching challenges as a unified community, and reflects the significance of grassroots movements in protecting nature for future generations.
***Information Regarding COVID-19***
Wild & Scenic Film Festival staff are in the early planning stages of our 2023 event. We are hopeful that an in-person or hybrid (virtual + in-person) event will be possible. If an in-person event cannot be held, we will pivot to a virtual festival. Updates will be posted here as more information becomes available and further decisions are made.
(Updated May 2, 2022)
Ten "Yubie" awards are given each year:
Best of Festival
People's Choice
Spirit of Activism
Most Inspiring Adventure Film
Best in Theme
Best Short Short
Jury Award (x2)
Student Filmmaker
John de Graaf Environmental Filmmaking Award
Three Honorable Mention certificates are awarded by our Jury, in addition to a Best Kids Film and Honorable Mention, awarded by our Kids Jury.