For most of their history, Ghanaian beaches were reserved solely for working men due to a prevailing fear of drowning in the village. This restriction barred women from enjoying the ocean, confining them to household chores.
In 2017, a man named Justice Kwofie spearheaded a transformative movement along with his six brothers with the establishment of the Obibini Surf Club. This initiative not only challenged this gender-based inequality but also the cultural fear around drowning. The surf club empowered women, granting them rights and inspiring young girls to embrace surfing as a new passion.
Justice's visionary stance ushered in a wave of change along Ghanaian beaches, liberating women from historical limitations and sparking enthusiasm for the sport. This shift toward inclusivity has enabled Ghanaian society to evolve, providing women with the same recreational prospects as men and allowing them to pursue their interests freely. With a membership of over ten active female participants, the surf club stands as a testament to the brothers' impactful mission.

Obibini

The Obibini Surf Club, founded in 2017, empowered Ghanaian women to surf, breaking gender barriers and cultural fears of drowning.

In ‘Survival on the Edge’, we embark on a captivating journey through the enormous savannahs around Pune city in India. Fueled by a mission to find the endangered Indian Grey Wolves, wildlife filmmaker Kunal Shah’s quest unveils a profound tale of coexistence.
As he delves deeper into the savannahs, he encounters the Dhangars, a nomadic tribe of shepherds whose centuries-old culture thrives amidst the savannah’s wild beauty. Through their eyes, we witness a complex dance of survival alongside the apex predator. 
The film also paints a poignant picture of change as the savannahs face urbanization and fragmentation. It becomes apparent that the fate of both the Dhangar culture and the unique savannah wildlife hangs in the balance.
While the film's core mission is to find the elusive wolves, it evolves into a mesmerizing exploration of nature, culture, and survival in a rapidly evolving world, shedding light on the urgent need to protect the savannahs and its inhabitants.

Survival on the Edge

A wildlife filmmaker explores the fragile coexistence between endangered Indian Grey Wolves and the nomadic Dhangar shepherds in India's savannahs.

In the northern reaches of Manitoba, resting on the edge of Canada’s Hudson Bay, sits the small town of Churchill. Home to fewer than 1000 year-round residents, Churchill is a remarkable place: it plays host to an annual beluga whale migration, is visited by the Northern Lights over 300 times per year, and sits in a pristine tundra that truly embodies the term “wilderness”.
Churchill’s most famous visitor, however, is the mighty Polar Bear. Every year, hundreds of bears gather on the shoreline surrounding Churchill, awaiting the sea ice that forms on Hudson Bay during winter. Once it forms, they’ll use it as a platform from which to hunt seals, but until then, they wait on the coast, creating a fascinating, and potentially dangerous, interaction between the residents of Churchill and the world’s largest land carnivore.
“Polar Bear Country” explores this interaction, learning how Churchillians have learned to co-exist with, protect, and share their love of these apex predators. Through extensive on-location interviews and rarely-witnessed encounters, the film guides its audience through a town that is exploring the bleeding edge of human/wildlife coexistence.

Polar Bear Country

A small town in Canada shows us the benefits and consequences of living with Polar Bears as neighbors.

In the Congo Basin, a team of former poachers turned conservationists embarks on a mission to recover and replace camera traps. These vital tools track endangered species like bonobos, pangolins, and forest elephants, providing crucial data to monitor poaching and safeguard the region's biodiversity in its wildlife-rich yet threatened ecosystems.

Eyes on the Forest

Former poachers turned conservationists use camera traps to track endangered species and protect biodiversity in the Congo Basin.

As a Mexican American, Natalie Connell spent her life balancing two cultural identities, with neither fitting quite right on its own, but through art and climbing, she’s found her rightful place as a bridge between the two.

Both & Neither | Ambos y Ninguno

Through art and climbing, Natalie Connell finds her rightful place as a bridge between two cultural identities.

Unseen Peaks follows Addie, a blind athlete who seeks freedom and belonging in the outdoor community through skiing, ice climbing, and rock climbing. Amidst breathtaking landscapes and personal challenges, Addie redefines perceptions of disability and resilience. Directed, produced, filmed, and edited by filmmaker Roo Smith, the film highlights the transformative power of adventure and advocates for inclusivity in the outdoors.

Unseen Peaks

Unseen Peaks is a short documentary about a blind female athlete overcoming barriers through skiing, climbing, and redefining resilience outdoors.

WSFF 2025 - 9-12 School Program (virtual access)

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School Program Access

SYRCL’s Wild & Scenic Film Festival education team curates age-appropriate, engaging and inspiring content for TK-2, 3rd-5th, 6th-8th and 9th-12th grade film screenings. Essentially, each student audience gets their very own film festival! An important part of our school programs, the Wild & Scenic education team creates film-specific, standards-based curriculum for participating educators from local elementary, middle, and high schools for further classroom enrichment. Need more info? Contact our Education Director, Monique Streit, at Monique@YubaRiver.org.org

SYRCL's Wild & Scenic Film Festival, where activism gets inspired

Here's what's coming up soon. Can't make it? No sweat. Many live streams will be available for on-demand viewing as well. Live Filmmaker Q&As and panels occur within ticketed film sessions. Once you’ve unlocked the program, be sure to click “Watch Now" within the 24-hour window in which the live stream occurs in order to watch and participate live in Filmmaker Q&As and panels. 