Z-Arts: Wild & Scenic Film Festival “Wild Empowerment”

Features selections specially curated by Z-Arts.

A Little Story About Forever
This short film about forever unfolds from the POVs of father (max) and son (kip) as they attempt to write a book about what forever means. The father feels overwhelmed by all of the threats to forever, like forever chemicals, and calls an unlikely hero – Mark Ruffalo – to ask for help seeing the big picture. Runtime: 10 min

Beyond Beliefs
A young woman from Cleveland, Ohio earns a scholarship to attend a 4-day river trip through the wild Green River’s Gates of Lodore Canyon. The only catch … she doesn’t know how to swim and is terrified of water. Join Danielle and her peers on this wonderful journey, and bear witness to her inspiring first-hand account of what it took to go beyond her beliefs about water, and how that expanded the vision for her future. Runtime: 5 min

The Marks We Leave
Artist Hailey Hosken explores the intersection of climbing and creativity as she paints the canyon walls she climbs in Montana’s Gallatin Canyon. This six-minute film captures her reflections on the artistic legacy left in nature and the emotional imprint of her experiences, prompting a deeper understanding of the connections between art, environment, and personal expression. Runtime: 6 min

Hello, Beautiful
While training for the Paris Olympics, professional climber Alannah Yip’s hair suddenly starts to fall out. Within weeks, she’s diagnosed with alopecia universalis, an autoimmune condition that causes complete hair loss. As Alannah grapples with the sudden change to her physical appearance and the fact that she might not qualify for Paris, she confronts deeply held assumptions about beauty, identity, and self-worth. Untangling herself from the constructs that have dominated her life, Alannah departs from the competitive climbing world she’s known since childhood, looks to nature to guide her toward a place of healing, and embarks on a journey to redefine her perceptions—of sport and of self. Runtime: 13 min

OUTLIER: COMMON
OUTLIER: Common follows three women chasing summit perfection. On an emotional journey through North American mountain ranges, a scientist, a filmmaker, and a disruptor share the deeply personal, turbulent stories of their lives—while pushing toward the summits that define them. At personal crossroads, these women seek new horizons in both the mountains and their lives, their sisterhood guiding an exploration of mind, heart, body, and soul. From British Columbia’s deep backcountry to the Tetons’ towering peaks, their journey reveals hard-won lessons on tenacity, joy, and solidarity—even when the world feels like it’s crumbling. Runtime: 26 min

INTERMISSION: 10 min

The Moon Had a Shadow
Stunning, evocative and world-class footage of solar eclipses in Idaho/Wyoming and the Tetons, and Exmouth, Western Australia. With a soundtrack ‘Shine’ by Jason Mraz that was made for this. Runtime: 6 min

Valley Under Fire
When climber and National Park Service employee Nate Vince was fired under controversial circumstances, he staged a protest by hanging an upside-down American flag off Yosemite’s iconic El Capitan, an act that captured national attention. This short documentary tells the story behind that moment and explores Nate’s deep connection to the park, his passion for climbing, and his commitment to protecting public lands and the communities built around them. Runtime: 10 min

What The River Knows
For years, a lost Eden beneath Lake Powell has been re-emerging, revealing past follies and a new way forward for the Colorado River. What The River Knows explores this unique inflection in a centuries-long history. As the West faces the urgent need to redesign water management, we are offered the chance to restore one of the planet’s most stunning landscapes. Runtime: 34 min