On June 28, 2024, Outdoor Auntie and Utah Film Center’s Black, Bold & Brilliant program are partnering with Tracy Aviary to present the Wild & Scenic Film Festival. Together, they are hosting a night of adventure and exploration under the stars unlike any other programming currently offered in Utah. Join them on Friday, June 28th, to support Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Disabled, and LGBTQ+ communities engaging with outdoor sports, public lands, and environmental activism with outdoor films and local vendors.
This year’s short collection features the film, Apayauq, by local filmmaker Zeppelin Zeerip.
They’ll have food and refreshments for purchase at The Bird Feeder Cafe, so bring your blanket and chairs. Arrive early for the birds and stay for the movies!
Ashley Cleveland has a deep love for the environment and for sharing the outdoors with others. She is an ecologist turned city planner and civic engagement consultant. As a first-generation STEM graduate, she is passionate about fun community outreach that makes environmental conservation, science, and policy approachable. “Outdoor Auntie” is her nature persona. Ashley has served as board leadership for Curly Me!, The Tracy Aviary, and the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation. When she’s not working or adventuring, you can find her lecturing at the University of Utah or playing on Instagram @outdoorauntie!
The Black, Bold & Brilliant (BBB) series, presented through the Utah Film Center, focuses on authentic and nuanced representation through film critique and discussions led by Black Utahns. BBB events are programmed for the benefit of Black, Afro-Latino, Latino, Indigenous, LGBTQ, and allied communities in Utah; however, all are welcome to thoughtfully participate.
As the largest and oldest of only two free-standing aviaries in the nation, Tracy Aviary has grown and evolved over our more than 80-year history to become a cultural landmark, public garden, and leader in environmental education and conservation. Tracy Aviary provides three unique opportunities to support their mission of inspiring curiosity and caring for birds and nature through education and conservation. Their Liberty Park campus showcases birds from around the world in curated botanical gardens. Their Nature Center is a natural local wildlife oasis along Pia Okwai (Jordan River) in Salt Lake City. And Tracy Aviary Conservation invites folks to protect birds and their habitats through community science.
Russell Roots, Director of Film Exhibition at the Utah Film Center and Black, Bold & Brilliant Program Manager, says that, “Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour helps Black, Bold & Brilliant and Outdoor Auntie diversify its programming by providing curated exhibition opportunities like Inspiring Journeys. Their simple process of choosing quality pre-packaged short film titles allows our team to easily present a collection of short films highlighting BIPOC, disabled, and queer voices thriving in the outdoors without the hassle of film selection and licensing fee negotiation.”
“Our favorite aspect of putting on this event is gathering our community together to honor and celebrate diverse experiences in the outdoor space. Utah is a state that is internationally known for its access to world class outdoor attractions, and we are proud to offer a gathering place where frequently marginalized voices can take center stage. It also excites Black, Bold & Brilliant and Outdoor Auntie to be the only BIPOC led organizations hosting these events for community in the WSFF network; however, we’re looking forward to sharing that distinction with others as well.”
