For Immediate Release: January 28, 2025
Contact: Ryan Sedgeley,[email protected]
Wolf Restoration Film Welcome Home Wins Best Conservation Film at The Portland EcoFilm Festival
Montrose, CO – January 28, 2025—The Endangered Species Coalition with Reel Earth Films is thrilled to announce that our short documentary film, Welcome Home, has been awarded the Best Conservation Film at the prestigious Portland EcoFilm Festival! This honor celebrates the powerful storytelling and impactful message behind our film, which tells the story of how people across Colorado are working together to make gray wolf restoration a success.
Welcome Home celebrates the reintroduction of wolves to Colorado. When the people of Colorado voted to return wolves to the state, they set in motion a unique conservation success story. The film shows the value of returning this historic carnivore and how people and wildlife can live together.
Alan Lacy, director of Welcome Home, expressed their gratitude: “When we set out to produce “Welcome Home,” our goal was to create a film that not only captured this monumental moment for conservation in Colorado but to celebrate the decision of the people within the state to bring back wolves. Winning Best Conservation Film at the Portland EcoFilm Festival extends this celebration as a victory for wolves returning to their native habitat, and it’s truly an honor to continue this celebration as part of this year’s festival.” The Portland EcoFilm Festival is one of the leading showcases for films that focus on environmental and conservation themes, attracting filmmakers and audiences from around the globe. Winning this award underscores the importance and urgency of the issues presented in Welcome Home and highlights its ability to resonate deeply with viewers.
The Endangered Species Coalition and Reel Earth Films would like to thank the festival organizers, judges, and our incredible team of collaborators, including The Volgenau Foundation, Associate Producer Alana Helapitage, Cinematographer Chris Fischer, and Writer and Editor Patrick Lehr. Most importantly, we extend our gratitude to the communities and individuals who shared their stories and inspired this work.
As part of the momentum from this award, we are excited to announce that the film can be viewed at select film festivals across the world, with a public release planned for 2025. We invite everyone to join us in spreading awareness of this conservation success and driving positive change for the future of our wildlife.
For more information about Welcome Home, including upcoming events and how to support its mission, please visit endangered.org/welcomehome.
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