About Us:
NatureTrack Film Festival (NTFF) is a three-day celebration of nature and outdoor adventure through film. Started in Los Olivos in 2018, the festival has showcased hundreds of national and international filmmakers’ works to the thrill and delight of thousands of attendees. In 2023 NTFF will celebrate its 5th anniversary and will be held in the Santa Barbara area for the first time, bringing the festival to a wide and inclusive community full of nature enthusiasts and film lovers, as well as a region famous for its world class hospitality.
Submissions for the 5th festival will open soon and will welcome ‘long and short form submissions in the categories of Adventure, Animation, Biography, Conservation, Kids Connecting With Nature, Scenic, Student, and a special genre called Outdoors & Out of Bounds. Juried awards will be determined by a panel of film industry professionals, outdoor guides and teachers. Awards will be given out for Best in Category, Best Depiction of Children Connecting to Nature – the “Dan Conaway Award,” Best in Festival Overall, and an “Igniting Passion for Film Award.” There will also be an Audience Favorite award.
The concept of a Santa Barbara County based film festival dedicated to the outdoors and situated in the stunning natural setting of the Santa Ynez Valley, originated with NTFF founder and director Sue Eisaguirre who conceived the idea for a local nature film festival as an extension of the non-profit NatureTrack Foundation that she started in 2011. NatureTrack introduces school children to outdoor spaces from the seashore to the inland oak woodlands of Santa Barbara County by providing cost-free outdoor field trips. Utilizing local trails and beaches throughout the county, NatureTrack instills students with leadership skills, attitudes and habits for lifelong learning, inspiring them to be respectful stewards of the natural world. Since 2011, over 18,000 students have had the opportunity to experience a NatureTrack field trip. Demand for the curriculum coordinated program has increased every year with teachers praising the docent-led excursions that align with classroom instruction. Sue was inspired to bring her outdoor vision indoors and onscreen for more people to enjoy and appreciate what her docents and students practice and experience in their outdoor “classrooms.”
The NatureTrack Film Festival welcomes sponsor and advertiser inquiries and offers numerous participation levels for businesses and individuals who wish to support the NTFF as a sponsor, partner or advertiser. Please contact Sue Eisaguirre sue@NatureTrackFilmFestival.org for information on sponsor and advertising opportunities.
