Final Call for the 2026 Nature Connection Pitch
Applications close soon for the 2026 Nature Connection Pitch, co-presented by The Redford Center and DC/DOX! If you or a filmmaker in your network has a powerful story to tell about humans’ need to connect to nature, you can submit an application up until December 16, 2025 at 11:59 PM PST.
We’re seeking original short documentaries (10–30 minutes) that restore humanity’s connection with nature and the outdoors—from stories of community-driven solutions to creative efforts breaking down barriers to outdoor access.
Five filmmaking teams will be selected to pitch in person at the 2026 DC/DOX Festival in Washington, D.C., receiving:
- Travel, accommodation, and festival passes
- Impact and pitch training led by The Redford Center
- The opportunity to present to a panel of environmental and industry experts
- Up to $30,000 in non-recoupable funding
Award-Winning Citizen Journalism
We’re proud to announce that Natalia Zubkova, the protagonist in The Redford Center-supported film Black Snow, was recently honored with Alnoba’s 2025 Alan E. Lewis Moral Courage in Leadership Award! In her remote Siberian coal town, Zubkova investigated an abandoned mine fire releasing toxic gas into residential homes. When her reporting went viral, government officials launched an aggressive cover-up campaign, putting her directly in their crosshairs.
We nominated Zubkova for Alnoba’s Moral Courage in Leadership Award for her dedication to lifting up the voices of her community to demand change despite the great personal sacrifice that came with it. Alnoba—a New England-based retreat center for leadership and team development dedicated to cultivating courageous and community-minded leaders—hosted Zubkova during its annual Leadership Days, where we had the honor of meeting her in person and screening Black Snow for dozens of Alnoba’s leadership awardees and the local community.
‘Out of Plain Sight’ Screening
Thank you to everyone who joined us at The Roxie Theater for our special screening of Out of Plain Sight earlier this month. The event drew an enthusiastic audience of environmental advocates and community members eager to learn more about the little-known history of toxic waste dumped just off the coast of Los Angeles and its lasting consequences.
Following the screening, we hosted a Q&A with the filmmakers, diving into the urgent matter of accountability and consequences of potential environmental disaster.
Huge thanks to the filmmakers and to everyone who came out to make a great screening possible!
‘Remaining Native’ Screening
A packed audience filled the historic Grand Lake Theater in Oakland for a recent screening of Remaining Native, a Redford Center–supported film demonstrating exceptional potential for creative excellence and real-world impact. Remaining Native is a recent recipient of funding through our impact-focused pilot program, which supports filmmakers in expanding the reach and influence of their work through strategic impact campaigns after their films are completed.
The Redford Center has awarded $100,000 in impact funding to five emerging environmental projects, equipping filmmakers to design and launch campaigns, educational toolkits, and community-centered engagement strategies that help ensure powerful stories lead to measurable change.
About The Redford Center
Co-founded in 2005 by activists and filmmakers Robert Redford and James Redford, The Redford Center is a nonprofit that advances environmental solutions through the power of stories that move. As one of the only US-based nonprofits solely dedicated to environmental impact filmmaking, The Redford Center develops and invests in projects that foster action and strengthen the reach of the grassroots efforts powering the environmental movement. Over the years, The Redford Center has produced three award-winning feature documentaries and more than 40 short films, supported over 150 film and media projects with grants and other services, inspired the creation of 550 student films, and disbursed more than $20 million to environmental film projects, amplifying change-making environmental solutions to millions of people worldwide.