2023 In-Theatre Festival Films
Friday Harbor Film Festival once again welcomes you to a celebration of documentary filmmaking. This year, immerse yourself in twenty-five in-theatre feature documentaries that brilliantly encapsulate the power of real-life narratives.
Navigate below to preview trailers, explore screening venues and times, delve into director biographies, view credits, and dive deep into the world of impactful documentaries.
In-Theatre Feature Documentaries
Unable to join us in Friday Harbor from October 26-29 for the in-theatre festival? No worries! Delve into 15 of our featured films available on-demand from October 30 - November 30 on FHFF.org. Browse individual listings for more details and enjoy the cinematic journey from wherever you are! 🎥✨
20 Days in Mariupol
Chernov reports on Mariupol's siege, refuting Russian misinformation amid chaos.
Aitamaako tamisskapi Natosi - Before the Sun
Logan Red Crow challenges norms in Indian Relay, guided by family and legacy.
Big Wave Guardians
Hawaiian lifeguards tackle rising surf dangers, evolving from Duke Kahanamoku to today.
Common Ground
Regenerative agriculture, inspired by indigenous knowledge, mends our food system.
Deep Rising
Deep Rising: A startup's quest to mine oceans for energy, risking Earth's last untouched frontier.
Melges - The Wizard of Zenda
Dive into Buddy Melges' sailing legacy, from America's Cup to sailor wisdom.
Patrol
Uniting against Central America's illegal ranchers, revealing conflict beef's perils.
The Space Race
Untold tales of Black astronauts confronting NASA's racial barriers, redefining 'the right stuff'.
Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West
Ashley Avis exposes the peril wild horses face from greed and obsolete policies.
A Cedar Is Life
Harold C. Joe explores cedar's deep ties to Indigenous culture, stressing its preservation.
All That Breathes
Brothers save black kites in smoggy New Delhi, highlighting ecological and social rifts.
Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On
Buffy Sainte-Marie: From folk sensation to tireless Indigenous rights advocate over six decades.
Covenant of the Salmon People
Nez Perce Tribe fights to save Chinook salmon, confronting dam threats to their ancient pact.
Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire
Elemental: Reimagining coexistence with wildfires, using history, survivor tales, and expert views.
Nuclear Now
Oliver Stone reveals nuclear energy's role against climate change, exposing fossil fuel deceit.
Right Over the Edge: The Search for the North Pacific Right Whale
Sailors journey to spotlight the endangered North Pacific right whale.
Tzouhalem
From deformed boy to legendary leader, delve into Chief Tzouhalem's myths and truths.
Abled: The Blake Leeper Story
Blade sprinter Blake Leeper confronts Olympic bias against disabled athletes.
Bad Press
Journalist Angel Ellis confronts Muscogee Nation's censorship in a media freedom clash.
Carlos
From street musician to global icon, delve into Carlos Santana's transformative journey.
Cowboy Poets
Nevada's cowboys counter myths with poetry to conserve their vanishing world.
Mama Bears
Conservative mothers champion LGBTQ+ rights, spotlighting three pivotal tales.
Patrick and the Whale
Patrick Dykstra's bond with a sperm whale showcases marine intelligence and devotion.
The Grab
Covert efforts reshape global power by controlling food and water resources.
We Are Tenacious
Queer ranchers in Rockies combat nature, finance, and militias seeking freedom
In-Theatre Short Films
Discover the captivating world of short films both in-theatre and from the coziness of your home! While we showcase these films in Friday Harbor from October 26-29, they'll also be available for on-demand streaming from October 30 to November 5 on FHFF.org. Don't miss out – dive into these cinematic treasures wherever you are!
A Fiber Story
From shearing to crafting, dive into a year with Whidbey Island's guanacos and their prized fiber.
Call of the Orcas
Chronicling Ken Balcomb's dedication to saving Pacific Northwest orcas, the film questions human-orca coexistence.
From Sweden, With Love
Swedish Hanna's tent school in Lahore transforms lives of marginalized Pakhiwas.
Island Marble Butterfly Conservation
A deep dive into San Juan Island's unique butterfly conservation for the endangered island marble.
One River, Ethics Matter
Addressing dam injustices, the film urges a revamped Columbia River Treaty for sustainability.
Paddle Home: Maui's Paddle Out Ceremony
Post-wildfire in Maui, a paddle ceremony honors the lost, with dolphins symbolizing hope.
She Marches in Chinatown
Since 1952, Seattle's unique drill team symbolizes Asian American pride amidst change.
The Last Act: A Short Documentary about Life and Death
An actress in her 90s rethinks life, seeks retirement home after facing personal limits.
“reverence”
A contemplative dive into existence, 'Reverence' melds genre-fluid poetry and meditation.
Any Fool Knows
Ron Gregg's gear mishap sparks Outdoor Research. His legacy thrives despite tragic end.
EVER GREEN
Island community unites to protect nature and preserve rural life.
Healy
HEALY's crew investigates the Arctic's fast-melting ice and its global impacts.
Kabwe Ka Mukuba
In Zambia's toxic town, Caleb fights against lead pollution affecting 100,000, while reconciling his home's future.
Our Sacred Obligation
Yurok Tribe fights colonization, restoring Klamath River and its sacred salmon.
Quahoggers: Rhode Island’s Iconic Shell-fishermen
Rhode Island’s Quahoggers face a fading craft in Narragansett Bay amid modern challenges and a waning youth interest.
Song of the Hermit
Post-fire, the fate of Big Basin's hermit thrush is studied to gauge its coastal distribution.
Wild Territory
Etienne photographs Australia's hidden wildlife, diving deep to advocate for nature's treasures.
Ashley Martin: Mysterious Origin
Ashley Martin crafts mystical sculptures, embodying nature's essence through his woodworking artistry.
Farming Our Future
Eastie Farms builds an innovative geothermal greenhouse in East Boston's urban setting.
Into the Stillaguamish
Exploring how Washington's Stillaguamish River unites communities in their quest for a healthier waterway.
Manta Watch: Discovering Aotearoa's Gentle Giants
Manta Watch New Zealand and enthusiasts seek the elusive, endangered Oceanic Manta Ray.
PUPS
Island center saves baby seals amid a government proposal for culling considerations.
Salted Earth
Mid-Atlantic faces sea rise and salt threats. Scientists and locals explore survival methods.
The Bench
Driftwood's voyage to a bench mirrors our life's unforeseen paths and transformations.
Your Water Can Be Safe
Film crew builds efficient water system for Ugandan orphanage in a day.