2023 Maine Outdoor Film Festival at The Gem

Every year, in the Fall, the Maine Outdoor Film Festival (MOFF) makes its way to Bethel to bring outdoor films to the Maine people, where they are. We feel super privileged to be one of the stops on The 2023 MOFF Tour of Maine. Please join us for this special event on Saturday, October 7th!

Show Time: 7:00PM
Doors: 6:00PM
Admission: $15
Location: The Gem Theater- 48 Cross St, Bethel, Maine 04217
Program Notes: The film program will last about two hours, including a 10-minute intermission.

Scheduled Program:
BORN CURIOUS – 18.45 minutes – by Julia de Guzman – from Maine – Short synopsis: ‘BORN CURIOUS’ explores the life of J.R. Harris, an explorer, psychologist, and self proclaimed “curious dude.” He unwinds by getting WAY out there. Northern Alaska, Northern Sweden, Greenland, Lapland, the Alps, the Pyrenees, Tasmania, Patagonia, the Andes Mountains? Not only has J.R. been, but he’s probably made friends with the locals and sipped cognac on top of the tallest mountain – which is a little unusual for a Queens kid from the projects.
ONE MILLION FISH: REVIVING CHINA LAKE OUTLET STREAM – 12.5 minutes – by Jerry Monkman – from Maine/New Hampshire – Short synopsis: A rewilding success story, One Million Fish chronicles the 8-year effort of a Maine community to restore a run of fish that had been blocked by dams since 1783.
THE RHYTHM OF ONE – 17.8 minutes – by Laurel Myers – from Colorado – Short synopsis: The world of mountain unicycling is not so different from those of skiing, climbing, or other adventure sports, yet you’ve probably never heard of it. ‘The Rhythm of One’ is a portrait of Canadian rider Ryan Kremsater and the evolution of his riding as he strives to push the envelope of this niche sport.
THE UNDERSTORY – 15.5 minutes – by Hannah Irvine (Salt) – from Maine – Short synopsis: The Understory refers to the younger generation of trees that live below the forest canopy, growing in the bursts of light. Set on an off-grid homestead in Temple, Maine, this film follows an ecological immersion program for young adults. With guidance from Director Chris Knapp, participants learn homesteading and hand crafting skills, and reflect on their motivations to live in a conscious and connected way with the living world around them.
RENAISSANCE – 5 minutes – by Mike McKay – from Canada – Short synopsis: A ballet dancer finds her true expression through rediscovering her passion for movement in the mountains.
SEEDS OF CHANGE – 26.77 minutes – by Maximilian Armstrong – from Maine – Short synopsis: An organic Farmer in Maine sets out to transform the prison food system. Seeds of Change captures the intersecting stories of life-long farmer, Mark McBrine, and several incarcerated men as they harvest their own meals from a five-acre prison garden unlike any other.
THE RED CREEK SESSIONS – 30.34 minutes – by Justin Phillip Harris – from West Virginia – Short synopsis: Red Creek is the elusive Class V+ whitewater gem flowing from the Dolly Sods Wilderness in the West Virginia highlands. Join Dr. Philip Prince Ph.D. as he takes an in depth look at the geology of this region through the descent of Red Creek by a group of local whitewater kayakers on Cheatfest Weekend 2022.