Missoula Valley, MT July 2023

The Song of Summer

Michael Tucker

A Single Moment In Time, are large canvas photos of local landscapes, and views from the summits of Mountains in Montana and surrounding states through the eyes of Michael Tucker. These photos have been taken with an inspirational view in time, looking down from the summits, or taken at just a moment in time that will never be duplicated.

Find these beautiful large canvas photos that will add inspiration to any wall in your home or office.

Go to www.asinglemomentintime.net 406.544.8333

Summer fun.

The phrase "summer fun" is a loaded one for Missoulians. The list of adventures one can go on is endless. Hiking, biking, reading, camping, fishing, soaking up some rays of sun. Our legs, arms, and toes are bare and happy.

July is probably the most demanding month for me. There are plants to be watered, weeds to be picked, animals to be grazed, and then there are the more indulgent opportunities for adventure: biking with my family and listening to the cheerful chirping of birds, riding my horses through running water and blooming wildflowers, retail therapy at the many shops on Higgins, and unfolding the wagon for farmers market items, followed, of course, by a playground date. This month is buzzing with activity and it's arguably the month we wait for all year long. Our riverside city abounds with options for summer fun.

One of my favorite things, though, is the sweet overlap moments that can be found when work and pleasure meet, which is so easily displayed in all of these stories we present to you this month. Brittany Hallahan plays her harp in her father's memory, Fact & Fiction embraces and nurtures readers' and writers' community, Camilla Petersen lands in Missoula after a globe-trotting start to her medical career, our resident Big Sky Documentary Film Festival celebrates 20 years, and Luke Robinson of Montana Fruit Tree Company practices regenerative agriculture systems. All of these stories portray projects, organizations, and companies that began with unbridled passion and quickly turned into meaningful work. And that's something I get really excited about.

So while you're out there this summer biking or gardening or walking dogs—whatever the case may be—consider the widescale of things that bring you pleasure. Perhaps there is an opportunity waiting for you to make a difference.

July 2023

PUBLISHER

Mike Tucker | MTucker@CityLifestyle.com

EDITOR

Chelsea Lyn Agro | Chelsea.Agro@CityLifestyle.com

COPY EDITOR

Erika Fredrickson

Erika.Fredrickson@citylifestyle.com

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Marla Huggins | Marla.Huggins@CityLifestyle.com

MARKET SUPPORT ASSISTANT Jace DeWalt | Jace.Dewalt@CityLifestyle.com

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Erika Spaulding | InspiredByMontana@Gmail.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Chelsea Lyn Agro, Shelby Humphreys, Amanda Krieg, Jill MH Taber, Susie Wall

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Courtney Blazon, Bonfire Branding & Communications, Adrienne Langer, Max Mahn, Brian Musik

Corporate Team

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt

CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore

DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA Mindy Hargesheimer

ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson

WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

AD DESIGNER Whitney Lockhart

LAYOUT DESIGNER Kelsey Ragain

Rhino Roofing Supports the Goals of Local Graduates

Congratulations to the 2023 Rhino Roofing $1,000 scholarship recipients!

• Patrick Duchien, Florence-Carlton High School, attending Montana State University

• Finneas Colescott, Hellgate High School, attending Columbia University

• Chase Klemundt, Big Sky High School, attending Montana State University

• Dimitri Govertson-Donaldson, Hellgate High School, Chapman University

• Noel Migliaccio, Big Sky High School, United States Air Force Academy

HEART ON HER HARP

Big Sky Harpist Brittany Hallahan shares her inspiration behind the harp

The last photo Brittany Hallahan has of her dad is a picture of pure joy—a day that dawned not only tragedy, but later, hope.

After years of piano lessons and her first year of harp lessons on a rented harp, Brittany’s dad bought her a harp of her own.

“He was so happy opening that harp crate,” Brittany said. Later that day, her father died in a plane crash.

“My legacy for him was to continue to play,” she explained.

Brittany grew up in a musical family. Around the age of 5, Brittany’s dad took her to a concert. She was mesmerized by the orchestra’s harpist.

“I told my dad, ‘That was the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard,’” she said.

That concert jump-started her lifelong path as a harpist, beginning first by learning to read music while taking piano

lessons, leading to that first harp delivered on their south Florida front lawn, and driving her west to the dude ranches and mountains of Colorado and, eventually, Montana.

How a girl from Boca Raton, Florida, ends up in Montana is a tale somewhat commonly told: girl visits the West, falls in love with mountains, clear air, and big skies, and commences to finding a way to make a living here so that Montana is no longer a place to visit, but a new home.

For Brittany, it was a family trip to a dude ranch in Colorado the year she turned 13.

“The whole experience blew my mind,” she explained. “Here were people living in the West. That Wild West culture was fascinating. It stuck with me.”

Later, she found a way back, working a summer at The Ranch at Rock Creek near Philipsburg.

“That was the best summer of my life. I decided to make a life permanently in Montana,” Brittany said. In 2015, she moved to Missoula.

“I loved the idea of moving to a new place, being independent,” she explained. “I was really into the idea of self-sufficiency. Montanans are tough and resilient. They are full of state pride.”

A lifetime of traveling opened her eyes to the perspective of the West, its culture, and its people. It also gave her an idea for a business: playing her harp for hire. There aren’t many harpists in Montana and of those, fewer who provide music for events such as parties and weddings.

Over the years, Brittany graduated from her first harp to a concert-style pedal harp—a harp wellsuited for orchestra halls that required a dolly and two people to transport—not the most convenient for a harpist playing weddings in the mountains of Montana. Brittany now plays a folk harp made by Dusty Strings Company in Seattle. It’s a smaller harp, easier to carry (about 30 pounds once in its case).

It’s got a unique sound, too.

“It’s a crisper, lighter sound, almost punchy,” Brittany said. “It’s easier to tune. The nylon strings are more durable.”

A portable harp is helpful when you’re playing at Blodgett Overlook in Glacier National Park or along a river’s snowy banks in winter.

“It’s nice to combine work and play,” Brittany said. Because harps are not often played at events in Montana, Brittany lives for the chance to go above and beyond with her music. And because there’s a bit of a stigma attached to harp music— old-school sound, more traditional—Brittany is able to astound listeners with something they’ve never heard.

“I really enjoy the element of surprise,” she explained. “I love to play pieces people don’t expect. They find themselves humming along. There’s a connection between the audience and my music that makes for a really unique experience.”

“I love to play pieces people don’t expect. They find themselves humming along. There’s a connection between the audience and my music that makes for a really unique experience.”

Brittany’s played the theme song from The Lord of the Rings as a bride walked down the aisle and has seen children’s faces light up when she plays “Let It Go” from Frozen. Her repertoire includes music by Ed Sheeran, Elvis Presley, Elton John, and songs from The Greatest Showman and The Phantom of the Opera. She loves to take requests, anything to make someone’s event out of the ordinary.

While playing “Canon in D” at an event, a couple thanked her for sparking a memory from their wedding years prior—they’d never heard the popular wedding song on the harp.

“People just don’t see the harp. I want to give them a special experience,” she said. “There’s not just Bach or Beethoven for the harp.”

Brittany serves on the board of the Big Sky Harp Society, a group of harpists who aim to spread

awareness and appreciation for the harp throughout Montana. It’s through these connections that Brittany has volunteered to play for events at hospitals and hospice centers in addition to her weddings and events business.

“My ultimate hope is that more people can have an opportunity to hear harp music more often,” she said.

As her business grows, she hopes to expand her volunteer reach as well, serving retirement homes, hospitals, and churches.

“There’s a little bit in harp culture for everyone,” Brittany said. “There’s something special in adding that to the community, just how it impacted me when I was younger.”

Brittany can be found on Instagram @bigskyharpist or online at www.bigskyharpist.com

Burning

Feet? Electric Shocks?

A Different Kind of

Serving Missoula and surrounding Areas Dr. Gregory Chapman, D.C. (406) 721-5780 ChapmanProAdjuster.com 1526 South Reserve St. Missoula, MT 59801 24

A Storied State

Fact & Fiction supports Montana authors and provides thoughtful ways to engage with readers

BY AMANDA

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIKA

The difference between fact and fiction is the space between what is and what could be. It’s the chasm that connects what is already known to what might be possible. Mara Panich lives in this magical realm. It’s a quaint, long, rectangular bookstore on Higgins, that was once a portion of our town’s silent movie theater.

Mara bought Fact & Fiction from her previous employer (bookstore founder Barbara Theroux) on April 1, 2020, after working in and managing the store off and on since 2007. Signing the paperwork on April Fool’s Day of the first month of the Covid lockdown was more like the opening lines of a satire than reality. Sometimes the space is blurred. However, she never wavered. Mara says, “I love books, love bookselling. I can’t imagine not being a bookseller and living in Missoula.”

A recent renovation of the eclectic bookshop leveled out the sloped floor of

the old cinema while retaining the historical architecture of the original exposed brick wall. The newly brightened aesthetic encourages book buyers to explore deeper into the old space. In doing so, one is pleasantly surprised to find exciting new releases but is also overwhelmed and comforted by the feeling of home. Montana, specifically Missoula, is all around.

“Montana hiking guidebooks are our top sellers. They’re basically a Missoula starter kit,” Mara teases. “All you need now is a Subaru.” Books by local authors are prized first and foremost and given prime real estate on the shelves and in the windows.

What makes Fact & Fiction more than just a cute little bookstore, is how personal it is for Missoulians. A walk along the aisles is a walk among friends. Most of us could find the name of an author, professor, or photographer whom we know.

Mara herself is recognized as an elite 2021 Honor Book recipient of the Montana Book Award for her published collection of poetry, “Blood Is Not the Water.”

Mara knows that a good book tells a story but a great book tells our story. One way to accomplish this is by connecting the audience with the novelists. A quick look at their website calendar, and it’s clear that Fact & Fiction bridges the span between the two. Upcoming readings give book buyers access to talent. A rare not-tobe-missed appearance by James Lee Burke in July will certainly be standing room only. Saturday sidewalk book signings are a unique meet-and-greet opportunity to chat with local celebrities, score a signed copy, and support Montana writers.

Beyond the sidewalk, Mara weaves Fact & Fiction and Missoula into its own love story. A partnership with the Roxy has created a next-level book club that dives

“I LOVE BOOKS, LOVE BOOKSELLING. I CAN’T IMAGINE NOT BEING A BOOKSELLER AND LIVING IN MISSOULA.” - MARA PANICH

deeper than most by reading the best seller first, then watching the movie together at the theater, followed by conversation in the seats. Lake Missoula Tea Company also partners with Fact & Fiction in their Tea Explorer Book Club where samples of related teas are shared over a discussion of the book. And, of course, the bookstore has its own signature monthly book club that can be found on their website.

Sometimes, a great book can become personal, not just in the way that it is shared, but in the way that it is given. For the last few years, proceeds of signed copies of Stephanie Land’s “Maid” have been donated to Mountain Home Montana, which provides shelter and networking for young mothers here in Missoula. It’s a full-circle gift that Mara has created as the story follows a young woman who didn’t have support as she struggled on the Washington coast. Today, Land resides here in the Garden City.

Fact & Fiction also donates to our schools’ book fairs, Missoula Public Library, University events, and various community raffles.

The aforementioned Montana Book Award is more proof of how intimately connected Mara is with our Montana authors. The award was established in 2001 by the Friends of Missoula Public Library. According to the MBA website, the award “recognizes literary and/or artistic excellence in a book published during the award year. Eligible titles are either set in Montana, deal with Montana themes/

issues, or are written, edited, or illustrated by a Montana author or artist.” Anyone can nominate a book, which is then read by the voting committee of librarians. While Mara is not on the voting committee, Fact & Fiction is the official sponsor of the art piece that is awarded to the final winner. The art is chosen by Mara herself and is created by a Montana artist. She goes to great lengths to find something that will connect both the writer and the art maker. Last year, she presented Charles Finn and Barbara Michelman with two ceramic plates depicting a pair of geese flying through swirls of blue sky over darker water. The poet Finn and photographer Michelman’s 2022 award winning book, “On a Benediction of Wind” was a perfect marriage to Helenabased Betsey Hurd’s birds in flight which won the 2012 Treasured Montana Artist award.

Ultimately, selling books is personal to the Fact & Fiction owner. It’s why she chose to plant herself in a small shop on Higgins. According to her, “It’s important to support local businesses. When you spend your money there, it stays in Missoula longer.” That support is how she can funnel book lovers’ cash to young moms and students.

Being small and local is also how she connects readers with Montana’s words. And at the end of the day, it’s she, herself, and other friends on the shelves and the sidewalks. Those are the places where what is known and what might reside.

The Mountains Called and She Came

“It’s an act of God to take a dog to New Zealand,” said Camilla, telling me about her large-breed dogs making the trip from Alaska to New Zealand. The custom kennels, the quarantine, the comical-yet-realistic apprehension to, ahem, do their business in such a hurried public place having just come from the very private setting of their former Alaskan home. But dogs are happy when they’re with their people—people who care about them. And that is a roundabout way of introducing Camilla Petersen’s medical practice because people like people who really care about them, too.

Camilla Petersen, owner of Petersen Concierge Medical, likes to focus on overall wellness. And if you’re wondering what “concierge” medicine is, consider it an exclusive form of care that involves around-the-clock physician access. When Camilla first described this type of care, I had a vision of calling the family doctor out to the sprawling ranch in the rural countryside. The doctor would probably stay for dinner after checking on a newborn baby and tending to an ailing family member in their own bedroom. Sure, this vision is a bit different with an actual office space now, but the sentiment is wholly true. So how does one become particularly interested in this type of care? Camilla takes us around the globe before settling on the answer.

She was born in Northern Ukraine. Her family lived in an apartment building and she spent the first decade of her life living in the city until her parents immigrated to Rego Park in Queens, New York when she was 12 years old. Then they moved to Connecticut—to the suburbs where a dog was possible. A fenced yard. Commuting distance to a good job. The American Dream was looming. She went to college in Boston.

“I just followed the trajectory,” said Camilla with a smile that indicated her path would ultimately be anything but normal. “After University, I didn’t follow the trajectory. I went to Portland, Oregon, and went to naturopathic school. I became a naturopath. And then after that, I went to Africa because I could.”

Camilla landed in rural Senegal in West Africa before being swept away to Kenya through a vague

job opportunity. But when you’re one of the youngest naturopaths and in your twenties, why not?

“To be fair, I wasn’t mature enough to be a really successful naturopath. You have to have some maturity and you have to settle down and open a private practice…so I picked up and went. I did rural clinics...You try to find your purpose,” said Camilla. With an “I’m going to save the world” outlook and attitude, she then got pulled to Colombia for a development project, which turned out to be unsuccessful, prompting the question, “What do I do now?”

After seeing some of the challenges rural places faced with acquiring and maintaining skilled medical workers, Camilla became interested in developmental policy and sought opportunities in developmental projects in public health. She wasn’t yet ready to have a private practice but she became increasingly aware of her strong one-on-one skills.

“When I was in Africa, you could drop me in the middle of the Maasai village and I could have a personal relationship with somebody,” said Camilla. “You could drop me in the middle of the Colombian jungle—even with my poor Spanish, I was still able to work in the clinic. One-on-one was always my strength.”

With guidance from the same mentor who encouraged her naturopathic direction, Camilla realized there would be abundant opportunities if she went to medical school. So, she enrolled—at a five square mile island off the coast of Saint Martin in the Caribbean Sea.

“It’s a rock in the middle of the ocean, which actually also happens to be a National Forest. It really is paradise,” said Camilla. “And that’s where I met my husband.” Tom was a professional diver and boat captain and Camilla lived above a diving shop. And when two adventurers meet, the rest is not history. It’s the future.

Their next adventure took them to rural Denmark, where Tom is from, to get married. Then the couple moved to Louisiana, south of New Orleans to the bayou. “I’ve been lucky enough to travel all across this country and been lucky enough to really appreciate the different people who live here and the different cultures that

“That whole idea of being in a small environment and being able to really take care of our people and really invest in the community… that’s something I do really well.” - Camilla Petersen

interject,” said Camilla. But the imminent private practice part of Camilla’s life started to take shape organically on that small Caribbean island when she started seeing patients once a week. “That whole idea of being in a small environment and being able to really take care of our people and really invest in the community…that’s something I do really well.”

The settling down part of her life pointed her toward the things that really matter: family, community, relationships. She applied to family medicine programs, which led her to Alaska. Back to our first story, involving the dogs. “I ended up moving to New Zealand with a 4-week-old baby boy,” said Camilla. “If you look at a world map, it’s right there,” she said, pointing her finger low on an imaginary orb. She was living her dream as a rural doctor, which is exactly what she spent her time in Alaska preparing for.

“I really got to see what one person can do within a community,” said Camilla. Her entire career had prepared her for the questions that we sometimes ask ourselves later in our lives— the what-ifs. For Camilla, it was an experience-seeking journey, and those experiences expose what she was called to do, so by the time the private practice part of her life closed in on her, she was right where she needed to be: Missoula, Montana.

“We’re in the mountains, we can live out of town and commute in, there’s wildlife, it’s a good place for kids to grow up,” said Camilla, who has since had a baby girl—the first Montana-born human in her young family. Petersen Concierge Medical is founded on the notion that medical care can be personalized and comprehensive, and your personal relationship with your physician can lead to a focus on optimal health and well-being based on individuality. And where might our lives lead us if we can be our best selves?

Going Out on a Limb

Luke Ruffner Robinson is making big efforts toward regenerative agriculture systems with Montana Fruit Tree Company

Sasha the dog diligently patrols the grounds of Montana Fruit Tree Company during an early spring snowfall as owner Luke Ruffner Robinson tends to the pots of budding fruit trees scattered over the yard. The trees are just sticks rising from the soil at this point, but they are bound for a greater glory as part of Luke’s plan to not only provide trees to commercial growers, but also use them to create regenerative agricultural systems across the country that benefit the whole environment. Now in full-swing summer, that vision has come to life.

Montana Fruit Tree Company started as a way to help Luke pay for graduate school at the University of Montana where he was studying systems ecology. At that time, he was simply growing fruit trees for individuals in the community. Soon after finishing school, Luke’s pending projects were abruptly canceled due to COVID.

“I had a lot of inventory on hand so I threw up this website and it ended up growing and growing until last year when we sold like 20,000 trees, mostly out of this little warehouse,” he says, pointing to the Treehaus, the nickname for the onsite cold storage warehouse.

Luke and his team were sending trees across the country. He stopped counting at 35 states last year but he realized he needed to take a step back. It looked like his business was doing great on paper, based on the number of trees being grown, but it didn’t feel great to Luke. “I wanted to focus more on the quality of the individual projects to which these trees were headed,” he says. “I see the trees as the paint, but I didn’t know what the canvas looked like, what the ultimate portrait would look like. I wanted to be responsible in helping create a more regenerative portrait.”

Regenerative agriculture is defined by Luke as an “agricultural practice that enhances

ecological processes such as soil formation and the water cycle.” Luke wanted to look beyond simply providing trees to view the whole system. He wanted to see his trees go toward something and he saw an exciting opportunity to do this by helping to design and engineer these regenerative systems for growers.

To do this, Luke now focuses his business on a few key components. One is the plant-breeding component in which he breeds and grows a variety of fruit and nut-bearing trees, vines, and shrubs that are cold climate-adapted, disease-resistant, productive, and that yield tasty crops. These include apple and pecan trees, grape vines, berry shrubs, and some fascinating hybrids like a nectar peachcot, a cross between a nectarine, peach, and apricot. Most of the plants are grown right here in Missoula and Florence. They are dug up when dormant and stored in the Treehaus at 34 degrees and 80 to 90 percent humidity.

Luke has an instinct for breeding cold climate-adapted plants that he is very excited to explore. “I’m of the belief that you can adapt seeds for growing in a cold climate if you freeze them, expose them to the elements in the winter, and don’t protect the roots.” He doesn’t know of any other plant breeders that are exposing seeds to harsh winter weather, and he understands why. “We’ve lost 70 to 90 percent, which is ‘good riddance’ in my view. If the remaining percentage can survive, I want to keep them around.”

Another key component is the project side of the business through which Luke and his small team help design and engineer systems that go toward realizing their goal of painting a regenerative portrait. “We want to see our trees, especially the ones we are breeding, go toward projects that are regenerative and focus on the entire system,” he says. “We look at climate, then land shape, then water, sometimes roads and fencing, and then the trees.”

Luke gives an example of a recent project that encompasses all these components. “We just got done designing and helping to implement a system on a farm north of Helena,” he says. “It’s about 10 acres and has 35 terraces and there’s not a single pipe in the entire orchard. It’s a completely gravity-fed, pipeless, regenerative, cold climate tree crop system.”

Currently, Luke is in the process of rebranding Montana Fruit Tree Company to better incorporate both the plant breeding and project component. “We’ll likely keep the fruit tree company, but the rebranding will help take that paint and put it on the canvas,” he says. This rebranding is a big step toward Luke realizing his goal of implementing regenerative systems all over the country. “I think we can meet our goals of being able to eat, having a diversity of plants, insects, and birds, having a water system that is putting more back in than taking out, and have it look beautiful.”

CITY LIFESTYLE

Summer Bucket List

Welcome, summer! As a hyper-local publication, we thrive on helping our readers make connections with the cities they live in, the businesses that make up their communities and the inspiring individuals making a positive mark. Are you ready for your most adventurous, fun summer? Here are summer bucket list ideas for you to accomplish this year. We hope you’ll explore a new neighborhood, spend a lazy Saturday afternoon at a new winery or taste the flavors at a local ice cream shop. Let us know what you discover and enjoy! We’d love to hear.

KIDS ADULTS

Make the most of this Summer! Check off these activities on our Kids Summer Bucket List as you complete them throughout the summer. P.S. You might need an adult’s help with some of these!

Make Popsicles

Go Swimming

Play Sand Volleyball

Have a Family Movie Night

Stargaze

Go on a Picnic

Watch Fireworks

Build a Fort

Make Tie-Dye Shirts

Build a Sandcastle

Bake Cookies

Splash at a Waterpark

Have a Water Balloon Fight

Make Homemade Pizza

Pick Your Own Fruit

Explore a New Local Park

Go Fishing Camp in the Backyard

Sleep In

Play Board Games

Do a Random Act of Kindness

Write a Kind Note to a Friend

Ride a Rollercoaster

Visit a Carnival Go

Summer is finally here. Take advantage of the season with our Adult Summer Bucket List. Check off these activities as you complete them with your family and friends and congratulate yourself on a Summer well-spent!

Learn Something New

Take a Cooking Class

Visit a Local Winery

Go on a Bike Ride

Explore a New Area of your City

Try a New Restaurant

Try a Local Ice Cream Shop

Hike a New Trail

Explore a National Park

Read a New Book

Book a Self-Care Service at a MedSpa

Take a Roadtrip

Go Whitewater Rafting

Barbeque New Recipes

Visit the Local Farmers’ Market

Go Snorkeling

Go on a Bar Walk

Go Rock Climbing

Have a Bonfire

Go Zip Lining

Plan a Family Camping Trip

Go to a Film Festival

See an Outdoor Concert

Host an Adult Scavenger Hunt Volunteer at

An Educational & Entertaining Adventure

Big Sky Documentary Film Festival celebrates 20 years

Wind, snow, February. These words feel far-flung for a bright July day but they’re important in telling and celebrating the story of the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival (BSDFF). Each year, viewers gather in venues around downtown to watch these films, most always braving the treacherous and tiresome weather that February brings to our Missoula. Still, it doesn’t matter. The houses are still packed, even in the festival’s 20th year.

Rachel Gregg, Executive Director of the Big Sky Film Institute, sees the stalwart nature of Missoulians as part of their success. “We saw those crowds and said

to ourselves, ‘Of course, you came out, Missoula!’ This hardy mountain town is not deterred. We live in a curious, involved community. There’s definitely an appetite for documentary films here.”

Community support was obvious, even back in 2004 when organizers Dru Carr, Doug Hawes-Davis, and Damon Ristau first considered putting together an organized collection of films for public viewing. “They had this idea,” explained Rachel. What if we do a film festival in Missoula? Would people come? A few people showed up to the first screening and they were stoked! Then, the rest of the weekend was sold out.”

The Big Sky Documentary Film Festival is Montana’s largest documentary film festival, but that doesn’t mean it’s limited to films solely about Big Sky Country. This year, 2,000 submissions yielded a showing of more than 150 films from around the world.

“It’s huge and that means we can host films that are popular with Missoula crowds, then also give edgy, more experimental docs some attention,” said Rachel. In fact, the festival is an Academy Award qualifier for short documentaries. Winners here have the opportunity to compete for an Oscar. “Our shorts winner went on to win in 2021,” said Rachel. Beyond the red carpet, BSDFF continues to receive recognition. Recently, MovieMaker magazine included it among their list of the top 50 film festivals worth the entry fee. “It’s definitely a feather in our cap,” Rachel said. “It allows us to continue attracting a wide variety of exceptional films. We have a reputation among filmmakers for being an event where you can have access to professionals and enjoy Missoula’s distinctive vibe. Every night, we host networking events in various iconic Missoula spaces. The events are always open to all. There’s no red rope.” said Rachel.

Sarah McGihon, Director of Sponsorship and Marketing, understands the strong supporting role that Missoula culture plays in the festival’s success. “This wouldn’t survive just anywhere,” said. Sarah.

During the festival, there’s a lot going on behind the curtain. “We organize what we call DocShop,” Rachel said. “It’s a chance for filmmakers to discuss all aspects of the industry. We organize educational events,

like panels and master classes. It’s where they can really get down to the business of filmmaking.” In contrast to those heady sessions, artists get a special treat through the institute’s Filmmakers in the Schools program. They can watch their films in the classroom beside younger viewers with fresh eyes. “Many find that watching their work along with students gives them a whole new perspective. The Q&As are so lively,” said Rachel.

Throughout two decades, the festival has grown beyond ten days of films into a robust artist development institute. “It’s been twenty years. Now we’re asking, ‘What else can we do as an institute?’” Sarah said. “Youth programs are front of mind for us,” added Rachel. Their extensive youth programming gives BSDFF a strong foundation to build upon. The institute aims to nurture the next generation of filmmakers with programs like the Teen Doc Intensive, Native Filmmaker Initiative, and Big Sky Documentary Youth Fellowship. For example, during the festival, teens from across the state gather together to shoot, edit, and screen their films within three days. Fellowship recipients learn under the tutelage of a professional filmmaker and get to premiere their work at the festival. In addition, the institute pulls together a collection of films made by Indigenous filmmakers for use in schools across the state.

“We have a tradition in Montana of Indigenous storytelling and we want to see that spread wider,” said Rachel. “We can help meet Montana’s Indian Education for All mandate by providing a pre-packaged

“We provide opportunities for audiences to consider how they access and consume media so that we can each grow a sense of agency.” - Rachel Gregg

curriculum for the classroom.” For educators, that’s an easy sell. Every day, teachers witness the eagerness of students to create media, even if all they have is a phone. The institute’s Director of Education, Julia Sherman, understands why. “This generation is more likely to be engaged in the media. They use it to process the world through their own lens,” said Julia.

Cultivating personal ownership for how we interact with media has become an overarching mission of the institute. “Everything we do is rooted in media literacy,” said Rachel. “We provide opportunities for audiences to consider how they access and consume media so that we can each grow a sense of agency. Our job at the institute is more than putting on a film festival. It’s to start conversations. Our festival says, ‘This is what’s out there in the world; let’s discuss.’”

“Our job at the institute is more than putting on a film festival. It’s to start conversations. Our festival says, ‘This is what’s out there in the world; let’s discuss.’”

- Rachel Gregg

Sustainability in Action

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