Film festival by activists for activists

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival will return for its 24th year Feb. 19-23, bringing environmental activism and nature documentaries to California's Gold Country while raising funds for watershed protection. The five-day festival in Nevada City and Grass Valley will feature more than 100 films, workshops, filmmaker talks and family programs, organizers announced. The event serves as the largest annual fundraiser for the South Yuba River Citizens League, a grassroots environmental organization founded in 1983. "Wild & Scenic shares an urgent call to action, encouraging festival-goers to learn more about what they can do to save our threatened planet," festival organizers said in a statement. The festival reaches beyond its flagship event through an "On Tour" program that partners with 125 events annually, supporting local environmental causes worldwide. The touring program generates funds and awareness for grassroots organizations working to protect natural areas in their communities. SYRCL, pronounced "circle," successfully campaigned for permanent protections for 39 miles of the South Yuba River under California's Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The organization now focuses on protecting, restoring and celebrating the Yuba River watershed while working to recover California's wild salmon populations. The festival's education program presents film screenings for more than 4,000 students from kindergarten through 12th grade, with age-appropriate content curated for different grade levels. Students from local schools and neighboring counties attend screenings at the Del Oro Theatre and high school sites, accompanied by standards-based curriculum developed for classroom enrichment. Festival programming includes art exhibitions and social events alongside film screenings and activist presentations. More information is available at the festival's website. wildandscenicfilmfestival.org