Hacker’s Hill Preserve

Date: Friday, August 14, 2026
Rain date: 
Films begin at: 7:45pm
Suggested Donation: $10
Pre-registration Link: Tickets will be available at the door, but pre-registration is welcome.
Location: Hacker’s Hill Preserve –174-238 Quaker Ridge Rd, Casco, ME 04015
Presented in partnership with: Loon Echo Land Trust
Program Notes: The film program will last about an hour and forty minutes.
Please bring your own camp chair and/or blanket. 

Screening Program*:
A LIFE ALOFT | 12.8 minutes | by Clayton Simoncic | from: Maine | New England Premiere | Short synopsis: A portrait of Paul Stumpf, hot air balloon pilot and New England’s last balloon repairman, reflecting on a life lived aloft within a close-knit community of balloon builders and pilots.
GUARDIANS OF THE EARTH | 10.37 minutes | by Cyril Guyot, Sylvie Chantecaille | from: France | New England Premiere | Short synopsis: In the wild heart of Kenya, ancient wisdom meets modern conservation in this powerful short documentary about indigenous protectors committed to saving Africa’s remaining wildlife and wilderness. We meet the men who have dedicated themselves as rangers, risking everything to defend wildlife from poaching. We listen to Maasai lion guardians, once lion hunters, now protectors who honor their ancestral bond to the land by safeguarding both people and predators. And we are given a glimpse into the lives of Samburu women, whose ancestral beadwork carries the stories of their identity, faith, and deep connection to nature. Together, their testimonies become a call to protect the earth—a reminder that conservation is, at its root, not only about saving animals, but about honoring the sacred connection between people, land, and all living beings.
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS: THE CROOKED RIVER SALMON STRONGHOLD | 17.05 minutes | by Erik Heumiller | from: Maine | Short synopsis: This is the story of the Edes Falls Dam removal on the Crooked River — and the plans, hopes, challenges, and partners that helped ensure miles of river remained accessible for wild landlocked salmon in Maine. The film explores the dam removal from multiple perspectives along the river, to foster a better understanding of these restoration efforts, as conservationists look upstream to what’s next.
HOUSE OF LIGHT | 13.75 minutes | by A.B. Zax | from: Massachusetts | Short synopsis: As the last lighthouse keeper in America approaches retirement, Dr. Sally Snowman reflects on how to say goodbye to her spiritual and emotional connection to Boston Light, the oldest light station in the country. Sally’s deep bond with her tiny island crosses time and space. This immersive portrait of Sally’s last days at Boston Light may be the last document of the art of light keeping.
OLD LADIES AGAINST UNDERWATER GARBAGE | 15 minutes | by Liz McGregor | from: Maine | Short synopsis: Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage follows Susan Baur, the 85-year-old leader, and her crew of fearless women as they defy limits, protect the environment, and rediscover wonder and joy through water and community. A reminder that adventure and activism know no age.
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.
IT TAKES TWO TO TANDEM | 6.6 minutes | by Cat Aeppel, Anna Wilder Burns | from: United States/Canada | New England PremiereShort synopsis: It Takes Two to Tandem is a feel-good short following longtime riding partners Sam and Jazz as they take a tandem bike across some of their favorite trails, marking ten years since their first tandem adventure together. Part celebration, part reflection, the film explores friendship, trust, and the rare joy of moving through the world in sync.