Nature Works Film Screening and Youth Presentation
I still remember the first time I heard the thundering bass of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour’s opening reel. I could feel it as much as I could hear it. A montage of incredible feats of skiing, rock climbing, whitewater kayaking, and natural landscapes beyond my wildest dreams flashed before me. I was inspired and empowered by the characters, their experiences, and the places they were exploring. The cavern within me that echoed the soundtrack left a void that could only be fulfilled in pursuit of those adventures, and possibly even making a film like the ones being screened at Banff. The experience led to more than a decade committed to outdoor education and adventure, and was largely the inspiration for the founding of First Waves, a program that harnesses the power of river surfing and the art of filmmaking as a catalyst for watershed conservation and youth mentorship.
Venture Outdoors has continued to bring the Banff Film Festival to Pittsburgh every year since, and I haven’t missed a single one – until now. The pandemic has closed all large events and most aspects of social life including Banff. While plenty of films and content are available online, the atmosphere and communal experience of film festivals takes on a life of its own. Film festivals and local screenings have been an integral aspect of First Waves since inception and will continue to be. While the rest of 2020’s scheduled screenings and events remains uncertain, we will stay focused on achieving our goals and continuing to inspire positive change for youth and watersheds everywhere.
First Wave’s students are tasked with everything from audio, video, editing, and even presenting their films throughout the program. Photo: Rene Rosensteel
Despite the delay on future films, First Waves was able to have the first community screening of 2020 at the Nature Works event at Bottleworks Ethnic Arts Center shortly before the pandemic arrived. The event attracted a standing-room only crowd at the Black Box Theater – the same venue where First Waves Johnstown youth have learned to compile the films since 2015. This year, we even had one student present his film and share his story with the crowd. Public speaking is one of the most feared actions in the world, but his willingness and excitement to share his film, “Above the River,” was truly inspirational.
The student’s speech was also a testament to the interviewing and presentation skills that First Waves’ students are introduced to when shooting their films. In every program, each student is tasked with performing at least one interview and being the subject in one interview. Based on the reactions, it’s a toss up as to what is scarier – being interviewed on camera, or paddling into a standing river wave for the very first time. The results, however, are the same. The youth embrace a challenge outside of their comfort zones and carry those skills, self-esteem, and confidence into their lives.
This event was made possible by:
