Portland, Maine 04101 United States
Rain Plan: If we are unable to host the screening outside then it will be moved inside to the South Portland High School Auditorium (Google Maps Link). We’ll attempt to make any decision before 4pm on the day of the screening and will announce the decision via email to ticket purchasers, Event page on website and Instagram.
More info: Bring your own blanket and/or camp chair. Outside water is allowed. The film program includes a 10-minute intermission. email moff@maineoutdoorfilmfestival.com with questions!
Films:
GAULEY GUIDE | 8.8 minutes | by Logan Bockrath | from: United States | New England Premiere | Short synopsis: The Upper Gauley River is legendary throughout the whitewater world and the words “I’m an Upper Gauley Guide” give you instant street cred.The path to becoming a Gauley Guide is not quick or easy. It takes years of flips, swims, early mornings, late nights, and guide ejections to get to where smooth lines through class V rapids is the norm.Gauley Guide follows Michael Anderson as he works to become an Upper Gauley Guide!
RESTORING THE HEADWATERS | 15.2 minutes | by Tom Attwater | from: New Hampshire | New England Premiere | Short synopsis: Restoring the Headwaters follows the story of wildlife biologists and stream ecologists as they take on the urgent challenge of repairing a stream headcut in the fragile sage-steppe ecosystem of the Big Hole Valley in Montana. What begins as an eroding scar in the landscape becomes a threat to drain wetlands, degrade critical sage-grouse habitat and disrupt water flowing downstream. Through collaboration, grit, and innovative restoration, this short documentary reveals how working lands and wildlife can thrive together and why protecting water at its source is essential for the resilience of rivers, communities, and all ecosystems downstream.
JAPAN TO JAMAICA | 12 minutes | by RC Cone | from: United States | Short synopsis: In his pursuit of unearthing little-heard Jamaican music, Naoki ventured far from his home in Tokyo. A one-of-a-kind reggae researcher, he took on a vital role of documenting rare music for the public. Naoki then discovered another icon of Jamaican culture: tarpon fishing. It uncovered a new connection with the island and transformed his experience of Jamaica.
THE CHASE | 18.75 minutes | by Joshua Bogardus | from: United States | Short synopsis: The Chase is an East Coast ski film that explores relationships with others, ourselves, and the ever-changing winters. The film follows Blake Keogh, a backcountry athlete living in South Portland, Maine, who chases snow and solitude for an entire year. It offers an intimate look at the intersection between skiing, mental health, and community. Blake’s 1971 Scotty camper serves as the winter base camp from which his search for connection, joy, and deep snow begins.
THE MARKS WE LEAVE | 6 minutes | by Mitchell Milbauer | from: United States | New England Premiere | Short synopsis: The Marks We Leave is a short six-minute documentary that follows Bozeman-based artist Hailey Hosken as she creates a painting inspired by her experience climbing in the Gallatin Canyon; specifically the most prominent feature, Spare Rib. The film explores the deep connection between Hailey’s art and the landscape around her, showing how her time outdoors shapes the way she approaches her paintings.
THE DESCENT INTO DISCOMFORT (VEGURINN TIL VANLÍÐUNNAR) | 14.8 minutes | by Sam Walker | from: United Kingdom | North American PremiereShort synopsis: A 10-day, 209-mile crossing of Iceland from north to south. A journey that has profound physical and emotional challenges as its participants ‘descend into discomfort’.Crossing landscapes that are as wild as they are beautiful – from the barren moonscape area known as “Exploding Sands” to intensely green volcanic valleys and lava fields. Escaping the pressures of work, social media, and home life to find freedom in the wide open silence of Iceland’s interior.
FISH FOR THE FUTURE | 5.03 minutes | by Matthew Benton | from: United States | Maine Premiere | Short synopsis: At the beginning of 2025 the Palisades fire ravaged the Santa Monica Mountains in Los Angeles. In the aftermath, conservation biologists and volunteers scramble to rescue one of the last endangered steelhead trout populations in the region before an upcoming rainstorm. The team has a short window to save as many fish as possible as mudslides threaten to wipe out their habitat.
MAN IN THE WAVE | 28.5 minutes | by Greg Shea | from: Massachusetts | World Premiere | Short synopsis: Man in the Wave is an intimate portrait of a New England engineer who unexpectedly finds purpose, connection, and healing through surf photography—after a life-altering diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. As he wades into the ocean with his camera, he captures the quiet rituals of a tight-knit surf community while navigating the slow progression of his illness. Told through stunning imagery and deeply personal interviews, the film explores resilience, identity, and the quiet power of showing up.