We were so proud and excited to hear that “Mining Patagonia” by Michele Gisser made it into the 2013 Wild and Scenic Film Festival! Here was our opportunity to take our story to a wider audience. We knew other towns and cities across the West were being faced with the same challenges brought on by Canadian mining companies.
Gooch and I hit the road to Nevada City with plans to meet Michele and Patricia at the Festival. It was a long drive and if you do it, take scenic 395 up the eastern side of the Sierra Nevadas. Once we arrived, the Festival provided housing for us. We stayed with a couple who’ve lived in Nevada City for over 30 years. They were generous with their home and knowledge of the area.
Nevada City was a town born out of the California gold rush. There’s old mining equipment on display throughout the community. When mining went bust, the citizens re-invented their town. From the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce website: “The hippies and back-to-the landers who settled here brought new attention and commerce to a sagging downtown that was half full of empty stores. At the same time, city leaders were early in recognizing that historic preservation could be the foundation of a strong tourist trade.” The town of about 2800 residents now hosts 16 different annual events including a bicycle race, wine festival and 2 film festivals.
It didn’t take us long to find another community faced with renewed mining activity. At our first showing of “Mining Patagonia”, I was approached by the session host, Gary Parsons from the San Juan Ridge Taxpayers Association. There’s an old goldmine that wants to re-open outside of Nevada City. The last time the mine was in operation, eleven local wells went dry, including the well for the public school. The issues they face are very much the same: water, environment, economic future, land values.
The Festival also offered other opportunities for film-goers. There were workshops, art exhibits, live music and lectures happening all weekend. We attended the workshop “Measuring the Impact of Art That Acts” hosted by Orion magazine in the Activist Center. We also enjoyed live music in the street with the amplifiers being powered by petal power. There were 6 bicycles surrounding the musicians that audience members would hop on and petal to power the show. Our hostess took part in a public reading of “A Sand County Almanac” by Aldo Leopold on the steps of City Hall. We even met Flo, the salmon mascot for the South Yuba River Citizens League and hosts of the Festival.
It was a great weekend for us. We saw some amazing films. We were thrilled to get our story out to a wider audience. We received lots of great feedback and networked with other like-minded individuals and organizations. And we were extremely pleased to give audience members updates about the jaguar we have living nearby!
Click here to see photos from our trip.
