THE ORIGINAL MOTHER

Celebrate Earth Day – and kick off Maine Seaweed Week – with a program of conservation, outdoor adventure and aquaculture films! Join MOFF, Atlantic Sea Farms, and the Maine Aquaculture Association for an early evening of cinema and ideas at Maine Studio Works in East Bayside. Including the world premiere of A SEA CHANGE, to be followed by a panel discussion with members of the seaweed aquaculture community! A Portion of the proceeds will benefit The Island Institute’s Women on the Water Program.

Date: Saturday, April 22, 2023
Location: Maine Studio Works, 170 Anderson St, Portland, ME 04101
Time: Doors open at 4 pm, films start at 5 pm, panel discussion will begin around 7:15pm
Tickets: $15 in advance on Eventbrite / $20 at the door
Notes: The film program will begin at 5pm and last just over two hours, including a 10-minute intermission. This event is part of the fifth annual Seaweed Week! Come early and enjoy seaweed food and beverage, plus oysters from Lady Shuckers. Immediately after the screening (at about 7:30), Afton Vigue of the Maine Aquaculture Association will moderate a panel discussion on issues concerning the Maine seaweed industry: farming, uses, economy, best practices, obstacles and more.

Seaweed Week is a food and drink festival celebrating Maine’s kelp harvest with partnering restaurants, bars, breweries, and seaweed farms. Beginning Friday, April 21st, and running through Sunday, April 30th, you can enjoy kelp food, drinks, crafts and events at businesses across the state.

Event Sponsored By: Atlantic Sea Farms and the Maine Aquaculture Association
A Portion of the proceeds: will benefit The Island Institute’s Women on the Water Program

Watch Video Trailer:

Film program:

MEET THE KELP FARMERS – 3 minutes – by GoodFight Media – A short film introducing three of the fisher farmers pathbreaking the future of seaweed aquaculture in the US. Produced by GoodFight Media in partnership with Atlantic Sea Farms and their community of partner farmers. MAINE PREMIERE

MORNING ZOOM – 5.2 minutes – by Jesse LaFountaine, Mercedes Mehling – from Maine – Short synopsis: It’s Monday morning. Tom is getting ready for his Zoom meeting at 8am. A text from a coworker buzzes on his phone – “Boss just called. The meeting got pushed back until 9.” Tom has an extra hour. And he knows exactly what to do with it.

THE STORY OF A TROUT – 12 minutes – by Gareth Leah – from Alaska – Short synopsis: How do you measure the success of one’s life? Though often hard to swallow, the reality for most people is that material wealth is the yardstick to which they justify their existence. A belief that excess equals success. But to the lucky ones, they understand that a life well lived is measured by the positivity of your impact on those around you. A proverbial life after death and the birth of a legacy. Curt Trout was one of those lucky few. In this film, we take a look into the life of a fishing legend and explore how one person’s passion can have a profound effect on a community, a sport, and a river. This is the story of a Trout.

RIDING THE RAILS – 10.1 minutes – by Evan Kay – from Vermont – Short synopsis: Using a bicycle modified to ride on abandoned train tracks, pro mountain bike rider Alex McAndrew and his wife Ella head out into the unknown in search of remote fishing, camping, biking, and adventure.

FIRE IN THE WILDERNESS – 11.6 minutes – by Mark Kreider – from Montana – Short synopsis: This film shows leading fire ecologists working to better understand wildfire in Western U.S. wilderness areas and highlights the importance of allowing fire to express itself as a fundamental natural process.

NORTH HAVEN OYSTER CO – 9.5 minutes – GoodFight Media – Adam’s oyster farm has helped support his fishing and his family for the past two decades. Now he’s passing his knowledge on to his son and other young Mainers looking for new ways to be part of the working waterfront.

A PAINTING FROM THE EARTH – 15.8 minutes – by Jeshua Soucy – from Maine – Short synopsis: The story of a young artist who transforms natural material from the earth into a painting of an old log cabin.

INTERMISSION

NORTHERN COMFORT – 5 minutes – by Will Ballou Caswell, Sam Ballou Caswell – from Maine – Short synopsis: Northern Comfort is the syrup – but more importantly, it is a slice of beautiful simplicity and connection to the Earth. It reminds us of the sweet gift of presence; of being in the moment; of slowing down and tending to a process of transformation and reciprocity that in our current world requires the utmost intention.

PHOENIX – 10 minutes – by Eric Braker, Andrew Braker – from Colorado – Short synopsis: Katie Fiedler Anderson has been a fly fishing guide in Vail, Colorado for over a decade, but things started to change when she became pregnant with her daughter. The short film, “Phoenix”, tells a story of passion, as Katie and her husband take a leap of faith in order to inspire their 4-year-old daughter to chase her dreams no matter what the obstacle.

YO GLEANS – 10.5 minutes – by Blake Horn – from Maine – Short synopsis: We follow a day in the life of Yosarian Bisbee, aka Yo, as he gathers “junk” from the local dump and unwanted food from the grocery store, all in an effort to minimize waste.

THE SEA FARMERS – 9 minutes – Nathan Golon & Emilie Silvestri  – All Amanda did was give Emily one floating line of rope in the ocean, but that action sparked a livelihood. Amanda’s small gesture of kindness allowed Emily to imagine a life on the water she hadn’t considered before: as an oyster farmer.

A SEA CHANGE – 22 minutes – GoodFight Media – Maine leads the nation in farmed seaweed production, but getting here was no easy task. Three women leading Maine’s farmed seaweed sector have a candid and honest conversation about their motivations, challenges, and hopes for the future of the Maine coast. Produced by GoodFight Media with support from the World Wildlife Fund and the Maine Aquaculture Association. WORLD PREMIERE

Immediately after A SEA CHANGE, Afton Vigue of the Maine Aquaculture Association will moderate a panel discussion on issues concerning the Maine seaweed industry: farming, uses, economy, best practices, obstacles and more.