Gorton Center and Lake Forest Open Lands present… All Ages Shorts Program!

A curated look at some of the very best Mountainfilm on Tour has to offer. The program offers an eclectic mix of films about extreme sports, nature, and animals. Bring the whole family along for a memorable experience in our John and Nancy Hughes Theater! We carefully selected films for this program that we feel will be a big hit with our community. Suitable for all ages.

All Ages Shorts Films:

The Rock Pool Waltz

Directed and created by 14 year-old Marlon Denning, The Rock Pool Waltz is the story of the unlikely friendship Marlon discovers while looking to nature for connection during the solitude of COVID.

Australia/ Duration: 8 min
Directed by: Marlon Denning

Frosty Formulations

Frosty Formulations is a zesty seven-minute film that uncovers the cool chemistry behind ice cream. Join the spirited Dr. Maya Warren as she dives into the microscopic magic that makes ice cream simultaneously solid, liquid, and gas.

USA/ Duration: 8 min
Directed by: Page Buono

Freya

Leo Houlding’s daughter, Freya, uses climbing as a practice to lean into discomfort and fear to help navigate her neurodiversity and harness its strengths.

USA/ Duration: 4 min
Directed by: Natasha Brooks

The Ugandan Quidditch Movement

In Uganda, a sport is driving social change. That sport is quidditch. After a chance encounter with a Harry Potter novel, a dedicated teacher brings the magic world of chasers, beaters, seekers, quaffles, bludgers and the golden snitch to the students at Good Shepherd Primary School in Katwadde Village. As they train for an upcoming tournament, the quidditch community they create helps the kids smash taboos about gender, learn teamwork and overcome poverty.

USA/ Duration: 15 min
Directed by: Ben Garfield

Concrete Dreams: The Skate Awakening of Laos

Concrete Dreams: The Skate Awakening of Laos chronicles the evolution of a grassroots skateboard movement in Laos. Local skaters, fueled by passion and vision, create DIY skate spots, reshaping their urban landscape.

USA, Belgium, Laos, Australia/ Duration: 8 min
Directed by: Seilina Miles

The Wintering Grounds

For most of the year, bands of world-class freestyle kayakers roam the land in search of waves. But when the rivers freeze, everyone finds their way to a special spot on the Chattahoochee River on the Alabama-Georgia border. Squatting in an abandoned parking lot, they spend the winter training for the next world championships on North America’s best winter whitewater. Although called “certifiable lunatics” by the locals, this tight-knit group is proof of the power of family and that indeed, everything is more fun with friends.

USA/ Duration: 21 min
Directed by: Jeff Springer

Desert Wings

Desert Wings brings the unique sport of paramotoring to light showcasing talented pilots exploring the dramatic landscapes of the American Southwest.

USA/ Duration: 4 min
Directed By: Nathan McBride