Wild Gift - Leaders United for a Better World

The first ever ‘Local Wild Film Festival’ was held Saturday, June 28th, 2008 at the NexStage theater in Ketchum, Idaho. Local Wild is a new twist on the mountain film festival scene. Popular festivals like Bnaff and Telluride feature outdoor adventure and its lifestyle world-wide, but Local Wild will celebrate the wildness of home, focusing on the spirit of the land, wildlife and people that endure in the hearts of Idaho's Wood River Valley residents.

Local Wild is a creation of Wild Gift, a Wood River Valley nonprofit leadership organization founded by Valley native Bob Jonas. “We’re blessed with some of the most striking country on earth, from the volcanic Snake Plain and its canyons to the mountain wildernesses of the Salmon, Lost, Payette and Boise River watersheds. I’ve explored it for over sixty years and still make discoveries. We’re so fortunate for this abundance. We play here, teach our children about its nature, and find refuge for our spirit. On top of this, our communities are home to a growing multicultural world-view that enriches the individual perspective,” said Jonas.

Local Wild is a call to showcase the wonder of our country and the creativity of our people. All local residents are invited to capture this wildness including youth and adults, amateur and professional filmmakers. “If the filmmakers represent the age spectrum, the collective expressions will tell the story of our country and people more fully.” according to Jonas. Filmmakers will submit their films based on age group: 1) K-8th grade; 2) 9-12th grade; 3) Elders ( 60 +) ; and 4) Open class. Films may focus upon landscape, wildlife, sport activity, or human interest. However, films MUST show and integrate our wild nature – “ within and out there”.

Local Wild will be held biannually. The June show will feature the country, wildlife, and people of the spring and summer season – April thru September. The November show will highlight the autumn and winter seasons– October thru March.

While the first ever Local Wild Film Festival celebrates the wild nature of the geography and people of the Wood River Valley of Idaho, Wild Gift encourages communities everywhere to organize their own film festival in celebration of the unique wildness of their home country and people. For more information, contact Jenna Ringelheim, Executive Director of Wild Gift at jenna@wildgift.org.