“Living River”

The McKenzie River Trust will host the Living River Film Festival this month. It will fill three days, three venues, 11 films, speakers, local brew, tree climbing and more - all in celebration of Oregon landscapes and a benefit for the nonprofit.

Brandi Ferguson, Development Manager for the Trust says, “As a nonprofit regional land conservation group, our mission is to help preserve the unique landscapes that surround us and so for our annual event this year we are offering a film festival that will connect the audience to our stunning Oregon landscapes through film.”

Opening Night will be Friday, October 12th, at the Wildish Theater in Springfield. It is a catered event including speakers and features a generous sneak peek at Willamette Futures, a documentary currently in production. Tickets are $45, with purchase by Friday, October 5th.

On Saturday, the festival will move to the Bijou Art Cinemas in Eugene with a full day of films, speakers and the festival hub.

What was it like to live along the McKenzie River in the early to mid 1900s? In partnership with the UO Environmental Leadership Program, the Trust will present McKenzie Memories - short films and rare images of early settlers, river log drives, the iconic McKenzie White Water Boat Parade and more with special guest speakers Roy Pruitt, Dave Helfrich and Ken Engelman. “The McKenzie River, it’s people, boats, timber and communities, has had a profound historical influence on Oregon and the rest of the United States ; the Living River Film Festival hosted by our local land conservation group, is a great way to learn about and celebrate the rich heritage of our community,” says Randy Dersham, co-owner of Eagle Rock Lodge.

The festival will continue on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., with a free Family Film and Activity Day at EWEB’s River Edge Plaza in Eugene.

“Since 2009, the McKenzie River Trust has offered an event each year under the ‘Living River’ name, exploring the relationship between people, rivers, and the land,” says Joe Moll, Executive Director for the Trust. “We hope these films and the conversations around them encourage support for the responsible stewardship of Oregon’s wealth of land and water.”

Tickets are available online at mckenzieriver.org.