Cinema for Nature’s Sake

Nature lovers will find much to like with the niche-oriented NatureTrack Film Festival, taking place October 11-13 in the ample spread of the Camino Real Cinemas in Goleta, and featuring a dense roster of documentaries concerning our planet. Opening night’s fare showcases the Central Coast premiere of Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope, along with the world premiere of the shorts Open Space and Otter Space. The remainder of the weekend plays host to more than 80 films, including such world premieres as a new PBS doc Animal Pride: This Is Nature’s Coming Out Story, R.E.S.C.U.E., and Tagliamento: The King of the Alpine Rivers.

As the title suggests, the NatureTrack Film Festival (NTFF) aims to connect with environmental and nature-themed subjects — a field of historic concern and advocacy in Santa Barbara — while also tending to cinematic interests. Sporting the mission statement “to ignite a passion for nature through film,” the event proposes a dualistic agenda, going back to the festival’s launching in 2018 in Los Olivos, founded by NatureTrack Foundation head Sue Eisaguirre.

The move to a more expansive space in Goleta marks an upward evolution, and the NTFF compound will also include the large former Pier One space nearby.

Gareth Kelly, now in his second year as director, circum-ambulated his way into the film world, working as assistant to famed director Andrew Davis (The Fugitive, Holes) and creating such SBIFF–featured short films as Locals Only: The Little Big Pub, a doc about The Press Room. 

“Being able to curate a festival of films with a mission of igniting a passion for nature just seems like a perfect fit for the area and in particular Goleta, a city that seems more conscious than most of its connection to and preservation of the outdoors and open space,” said Kelly.

Nearly 400 titles were considered by programming director Bryce Thompson. As Kelly points out, “There are so many film festivals out there these days — over 12,000 — it can be hard to stand out, but our hope is filmmakers are starting to seek us out as the festival they want to premiere their film at or to be a part of. There are a few nature-centric film festivals elsewhere in the country, but none quite like ours on the West Coast. We also have over 35 filmmakers attending this year from all around the world, another record for us, which again speaks to both the strength of the program and also the strength of this community and its ability to attract visitors.”

Looking into the future, Kelly says, “While we have no plans to compete with SBIFF [Santa Barbara International Film Festival] or that scale, we do appreciate many of the things they do. With year-round programming, a dedicated theater for screenings, and more community events we too have discussed how we can grow our festival.

“Since last year’s move to Goleta, we discussed broadening the definition of what people think a nature-centric film festival can be. Last year, we had a romantic comedy in the festival that was shot in a national park, and I always like to joke that Jaws would fit in our festival. I think about all the horror films that are often set in the woods and think how cool it would be to have a late-night ‘horror in the woods’ block in our program. We even have a film this year about gay penguins,” he laughs.

“There’s so much opportunity in this space, and I feel we’re just only starting to scratch the surface.” 

See naturetrackfilmfestival.org for more information. 

‘Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope’ and ‘Animal Pride’ will be be shown at this year’s festival | Credit: Courtesy