Into the Canyon 2018
Distributed by Bullfrog Films, PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547; 800-543-FROG (3764)
Produced by Amanda Pollack, Stephen Ives, and Peter McBride
Directed by Peter McBride
Streaming, 85 mins
College - General Adult
Environmentalism; Hiking; Land rights
Date Entered: 02/03/2021
Reviewed by Innocent A. Awasom, Associate Librarian (STEM), Texas Tech University Libraries, Lubbock, TXThe “conservation President” Teddy Roosevelt has as one of his legacies the National Park system of which the Grand Canyon is part of. It is not only a geo-ecological marvel but a place of history, culture and nature at its best. Two friends and photojournalists, after crisscrossing the world documenting events and nature, decided to look within and take a leap of faith hiking the length of the Grand Canyon in all its majesty hoping to live to tell the story in words and pictures. It sounded like a crazy idea, but the love of adventure lured them into the trip that they decided to embark upon without much professional advice nor being psychologically, emotionally and physically prepared.
Into the Canyon, tells the story of two friends who embark on an adventure into nature but also a discovery of the power of endurance, camaraderie and networking that blends with their love of photojournalism, while documenting the devastating environmental impact of corporate developers on the pristine lands of the Canyon in total disregard of the wishes of the poor indigenous tribes and Nations, who have been living in the area for centuries and how they are continuously organizing, protesting and advocating for themselves.
Corporate encroachment by miners, developers and related industries are threatening land and water rights while not significantly improving the socio-economic wellbeing of the indigenous people but also affecting their quality of life - health, drinking water, culture and sacred spaces.
Into the Canyon, is a beautiful story of friendship, heartbreak and the endurance of the human spirit. It also captures the beautiful geo-ecological landscape of the Grand Canyon and challenges hikers would face, as well as the constant land rights fight between indigenous landowners and economic developers.
In this era of increased consciousness about environmental impact assessments, this film is highly recommended for environmental science education students and lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, sports clubs, cultural and environmental groups. It would also be useful in academic and public library collections.
Awards:
2020: Grand Prize, Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival; 2019: Best Feature, Banff Mountain Film Festival; Best Documentary, Lookout Film Festival; Audience Favorite, Lookout Film Festival; Director's Award, Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival; Audience Favorite & Adventure Feature Film Awards, Nature Track Film Festival; Honorable Mention, 5Point Film Festival
Published and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Anyone can use these reviews, so long as they comply with the terms of the license.