Explore the Films
Stories of place. Stories of people. Stories of possibility.
The Mound City Film Festival brings together films that explore our relationship with the places we call home, the natural world around us, and the people working to make a difference. From stories rooted in the St. Louis region to powerful environmental documentaries and an evening of Mountainfilm adventure, each film section offers a different way to see the world—and our place within it.
🌎 Stories of the Planet
Plastic Earth
11:00 AM | Garage
We open the festival with Plastic Earth, a feature-length documentary examining one of the most urgent environmental challenges of our time: plastic and its impact on our planet.
The film invites audiences to look beyond the headlines and consider how plastic moves through our communities, waterways and ecosystems—and what can be done differently.
Following the screening, join us for a virtual Q&A with Janice Overbeck, offering an opportunity to continue the conversation and dig deeper into the issues raised by the film.
Theme: Our shared responsibility for the planet.
🌳 Stories of Our Region
The Regional Film Showcase
1:15 PM | Garage
Some of the most important environmental stories aren't happening somewhere far away. They're happening right here.
Our Regional Film Showcase celebrates filmmakers who are documenting the landscapes, waterways, communities and people of the Midwest. The program opens with The Trail State, followed by a collection of short films exploring the Mississippi River, outdoor therapy, veterans, forest restoration and the people working to connect communities with the outdoors.
Featured films include:
The Trail State — Director Chris Ryan
Intervention — Kyle Pyatt
Navigating the Mississippi — Thomas Malkowicz
Veterans Outdoor Therapy \ Gold Star Peak Climb — Kyle Spradley
Restoring Shortleaf Pine Forests — Ryan Hanlon
These films offer different perspectives on the region, but share a common thread: our landscapes shape who we are, and the stories we tell about them can shape their future.
Following the screenings, stay for the Regional Filmmakers Panel, moderated by Kate Grumke of St. Louis Public Radio, where the filmmakers will discuss their work, the stories behind their films and the importance of telling environmental stories close to home.
Theme: The places we know. The stories we share. The region we call home.
🎨 The Art of Place
For the Love of the Region – The Life and Art of Bryan Haynes
4:00 PM | Garage
Following the Regional Filmmakers Panel, we'll present a special screening of For the Love of the Region – The Life and Art of Bryan Haynes.
This approximately 19-minute film offers a portrait of an artist whose work is deeply connected to the character and identity of the region.
It is a fitting conclusion to our regional film programming—a reminder that environmental storytelling isn't limited to documentaries about conservation. Artists, filmmakers and storytellers all help us understand the places we inhabit and why they matter.
Theme: Seeing our region through an artist's eyes.
🔥 Stories of Climate & Connection
Environmental Short Film Showcase
4:50 PM | Garage
Our afternoon short-film showcase brings together four powerful films exploring climate, environmental change, resilience and our relationship with the natural world.
The program includes:
A New Inferno
A timely look at the growing realities of extreme heat and the people confronting its consequences.
Fragmented
A short exploration of the ways environmental change can divide, disrupt or reshape the world around us.
Woven Together
A brief and intimate story emphasizing connection and the threads that bind people and the natural world.
The Resilient River
A reflection on rivers, resilience and the enduring relationship between communities and waterways.
Together, these films ask us to consider not only what is changing, but also how people respond, adapt and find new ways forward.
Theme: A changing planet. An interconnected world. The possibility of resilience.
🏔️ Adventure. Courage. Possibility.
Mountainfilm on Tour
7:30 PM | Garage
We close the film program with an evening of Mountainfilm.
From adventure and exploration to environmental stewardship, community and the extraordinary determination of ordinary people, the Mountainfilm program celebrates stories of indomitable spirit.
The evening's curated selection moves between high-energy adventure, environmental stories, personal transformation and human connection, creating a cinematic journey designed to entertain, challenge and inspire.
The program includes:
Fifty-Fifty
Fish for the Future
Good Luck, Kid
Tour de Durango
Borrowed from the Earth
Lester
Rodeo on Ice
Wheelchair Mafia
American River
Mountainfilm describes its programming as a celebration of adventure, activism, social justice, culture, environment and indomitable spirit.
Our Mound City presentation brings that spirit to St. Louis for a night of remarkable stories and unforgettable images.
Theme: Go farther. See differently. Find your indomitable spirit.
🎬 One Festival. Many Ways to See the World.
From plastic pollution to Missouri trails, from regional artists to environmental resilience, from the Mississippi River to mountain adventures, the films of Mound City Film Festival connect the local to the global.
Come for a film. Stay for the conversation. Discover a new filmmaker. Meet an artist. Listen to live music. Explore the festival grounds.
Most of all, come ready to see the world—and our region—with fresh eyes.