Photo Credit: Kamchatka
The Salmon Forest Project has been nominated for Best Short Documentary at the prestigious Hawaiian International Film Festival (HIFF44), marking its first international appearance. This British Columbian cinematic narrative made its official film festival summer debut at the 34th International First Peoples Festival (Présence Autochtone) and had a special unveiling at a Patagonia event in Vancouver this past spring.
Directed by acclaimed British Columbia filmmaker Bill Heath, the film delves into the intricate relationship between Pacific salmon, forests, and the Heiltsuk people in the coastal rainforests of British Columbia. It features insights from UBC Faculty of Forestry experts Dr. Teresa Ryan (Sm’hayetsk) and internationally celebrated author Dr. Suzanne Simard, alongside forestry consultant Dr. Allen Larocque.
“I’m deeply grateful that the film is being recognized by a renowned international platform like HIFF,” Heath says. “This kind of exposure can spark vital conversations and bring attention to issues that affect us all.”
Dr. Simard echoed this sentiment, adding, “Learning from the Heiltsuk people and my colleagues, including Dr. Teresa Ryan, whose salmon forest research and expertise helped guide the film’s direction, was an incredible opportunity. I hope this exposure ignites global interest in the importance of forests and Indigenous stewardship principles in tackling global change.”
Set in Heiltsuk territory – in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest – the film paints a powerful portrait of an ecosystem under stress due to global change, threatening the salmon—a keystone species—and the biodiversity it supports. Through Indigenous leaders, Elders, and university researchers’ eyes, the documentary explores the intersection of Indigenous knowledge systems and Western science, advocating for collaborative and co-productive solutions to protect and heal the land.
HIFF is considered one of the most influential film festivals in the Asia-Pacific, renowned for showcasing award-winning films that bridge cultural perspectives from around the world.
To learn more about the film, visit: https://vimeo.com/925951396/b1acc92efb?share=copy