The inaugural Skyfire Environmental Film Festival will feature documentaries “Kuleana,” narrated by Woody Harrelson, and “Fork in the Road,” backed by Nick Offerman, as the opening and closing night films, respectively.
Skyfire aims to be more than a traditional film festival. Instead, the three-day environmental film and sustainability activation — set to take place March 27-29 across Phoenix, Mesa and Tempe, AZ — is designed to transform climate awareness into measurable action by bringing together filmmakers, educators, students, scientists and community leaders.
“Skyfire was created to move beyond conversation and into coordinated action,” said festival co-founder Mike McMahon, announcing the lineup. “Film has the power to shift culture — but culture shift only matters if it changes behavior. We designed this festival as a living model of what climate leadership looks like when education, infrastructure, business, and community align.”
“Kuleana” will premiere in the opening night slot on Friday, March 27. Directed and produced by Georgia Scott and with narration by Harrelson, the documentary explores Hawaii’s fragile ecosystems as the film’s synopsis explains, “athletes and scientists reveal the shocking reach of plastic pollution — and the growing movement determined to save our oceans before it’s too late.”
“Fork in the Road” will close out the festival on Sunday, March 29. The documentary, directed by Vivian Sorenson and Jonathan Nastasi and executive produced by Offerman, “takes audiences inside the growing movement to rethink our food system, spotlighting the farmers, chefs, and advocates working to rebuild a healthier relationship between the land, the table, and the communities they feed.”
A wide range of films, including student and youth productions, covering themes such as climate change, drought, wildlife conservation, agriculture, food systems, environmental justice, urban sustainability and Indigenous stewardship of land will screen throughout the weekend. Those titles also include “To Use a Mountain,” “Emergent City,” “Fatal Watch,” “Singing Back the Buffalo,” “Farming While Black,” “How We Survive Diomede,” “Raising Aniya,” “Giants Rising” and “Beer Saves the World!”
“Storytelling is one of the most powerful climate solutions we have. When people see themselves in a story, they begin to see themselves in the solution. That’s why this festival is about more than screenings — it’s about activating a city, ” added festival co-founder Dr. Joe Rosalle. “Through curated film screenings, zero-waste operations, public transportation integration, and hands-on service projects, the festival is aiming to create an immersive experience that demonstrates how sustainability can function at scale.
The full lineup of films, more information about seminars, panels and workshops, as well as details about the festival’s zero-waste sustainability practices, can be found on the organization’s website. Awards for the best and most impactful features, short films and documentaries, animated films and more will be presented during the festival.
[Pictured above: a scene from “Kuleana” and Offerman in “Fork in the Road”]