Wild and Free Film Festival

11/25/2025

Who knew rainy days could look & feel this good?

🗓️Three days.
🎥Thirty films.
🫶And a community that showed up with curiosity, love, and a deep respect for the wild. 🌿🎬

Just one week after WAFFF wrapped up & we’re loving these photos even more — the weather gave the festival its own wild + cozy vibe.

Thank you to everyone who embraced it with us. 🌧️

Check out more pictures & stay in the loop at wildandfreefilm.org

11/21/2025

Director who spent 10 years filming the WAFFF Best Feature award winner had this to share after learning of the award.

Our WAFFF judge shared their praise:
“Outstanding cinematography… highlighting themes of interconnection and some of the micro-creatures that are invisible to the eye but incredibly important to all of our thriving.”

Congratulations, Ben and thank you for reminding us to pause and notice the magic in our world. 🌿

11/21/2025

One week since WAFFF and we’re still buzzing ! ⚡️Thank you to everyone who joined us for the inaugural Wild and Free Film Festival! To all of you who showed up on a cold and rainy weekend to support us, we’re truly grateful.

Thank you to our dedicated staff and volunteers, and to the filmmakers whose work was enjoyed by more than 1,200 engaged movie lovers.

Want to be the first to get updates, announcements, and festival news? Join our mailing list at wildandfreefilm.org and More pics coming soon! 📸

11/21/2025

C o n g r a t s to all the winners of the 2025 Wild & Free Film Festival! 🎞️

Thank you to everyone who came out this past weekend to support our films, filmmakers, and this growing community.

Seeing your WAFFF Audience Award ballots reminded us why we do this—your notes showed how deeply so many films resonated, each in their own way. Different stories hit different hearts, and that beautiful variety is what makes this festival special.

🏆 Best Feature: Sitka’s Hidden Wonders
🏆 Best Short: Love Birds
🏆 Audience Award: Her Shark Story

Here’s to the films that moved you, the filmmakers who shared their worlds, and the community that keeps this festival alive.

Stay wild & free! 🦅

11/16/2025

Goleta’s Sunday Spotlight is here!
Catch the world premiere of Elwood Mesa: Beyond the Bluffs today from 2–3pm at the Wild & Free Film Festival. Don’t miss this local story brought to life on the big screen. 🎬✨ *Please note: seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

11/16/2025

Sunday’s Local Filmmakers Spotlight!
Panel starts at 12:45pm with .simi - moderated by .
Rainy day = ideal film fest weather. Come get wild with us in Goleta! 🌧️🔥🎬 FREE community day event!

11/14/2025

🎞️Filmmaker panels are set! Join us Saturday 11/15 at the Camino Real Cinemas in Goleta at 12:45pm in Auditorium #4 for an exciting panel discussing current sustainability methods in today’s filmmaking landscape, featuring actress Sharma and natural world cinematographer Romanov. Moderated by Exec Director Kelly

And on Sunday 11/16…same time, same place - with the “Local Filmmaker Spotlight” Panel - a conversation with award-winning local filmmakers about their latest projects:

JOY BRONSON is the Director/Producer of the upcoming film about FIGHT TO FIGHT a feature documentary that tells the story of courageous women who became the first to integrate U.S. Army combat units in 2016. 

ZAWISTOWSKA a Mexican-American documentary filmmaker and cinematographer raised in Vancouver, BC, and based in Ojai, CA. Her upcoming film, of the Setting Sun  follows an 87-year-old Xochimilca elder and floriculturist fighting to protect Xochimilco, the last remaining lake in Mexico City.

SIMI is an award-winning director, producer, and writer whose debut feature ROW OF LIFE is currently in consideration for the Academy Awards. She’s also the co-founder of the Collective

Moderated by Wild & Free Film Fest Programming Manager Noren, who’s currently in production on a feature documentary on the 2019 MV Conception fire

11/12/2025

Read all about how the Wild and Free Film Festival was started by our very own "John Snow" from "The North! It all starts this Friday, grab your tickets now!

Gareth Kelly wants to expand people’s perceptions of nature documentaries. “They don’t have to be like David Attenborough on the BBC. They can make people

11/11/2025

Only 4 days until opening night! Tickets are selling fast! Opening night will sell out! Get your tickets now. Tickets on sale at www.wildandfreefilm.org

https://mailchi.mp/wildandfreefilm/4-days-until-opening-night

11/10/2025

🎬 Wild films. Big stories. Goleta weekend. 🎟️ Don’t miss it — tickets going fast! Link in bio or www.wildandfreefilm.org

11/09/2025

Only 5 days away until we go Wild & Free! 🎬

🌎 3 days • 30 films • 1 wild adventure in Goleta
Don’t miss opening night on Nov. 14 — get your tickets now at wildandfreefilm.org or via the link in bio.
Can you guess this wild location? 👀


11/08/2025

Can you name this iconic California spot? 👀
(Hint: it’s one of the wildest stretches of coastline in the world 🌊)

We’re just 6 days away from the first-ever Wild & Free Film Festival & celebrating the beauty of our planet and the stories that connect us to it.

🎥 Join us Nov 14–16 at Camino Real Cinemas, Goleta for 30 stunning films from around the world — from bold adventures to breathtaking environmental stories.

🎟 Get your tickets before they’re gone → wildandfreefilm.org/tickets