The Envelope

Mashoto’s life in the city is a hustle. It’s a fast life in the fast city of Dar es Salaam. There’s no time to stop and Mashoto likes it this way. There’s no time to think about the people he left behind in the village. Until silence cuts through the city racket with three words: mother has died. With those words Mashoto’s life changes forever. He returns home, to the place he abandoned, to bury his only ally. Yet his mother has left behind a gift. Her voice, her unseen presence, a gentle whisper urging him to open his eyes and strain his ears- to learn the lessons of nature, of the earth and the roots that draw their nourishment from it. Cast out by his father after losing the little money his mother had left, Mashoto must learn to survive from the land. He must learn to face old enemies and forge new alliances, to fight and to love. Most of all, Mashoto must discover what it is he is fighting for.

A woman single-handedly shoulders her family's burdens, without reward or thanks, to farm her husband's land and keep the family fed and cared for. She finds herself training her daughter to walk the same path she does. No school, all work. Pests threaten her harvest and are exterminated using a loan from the local women's Co-op. But when Manyusi squanders her prized harvest and schemes to marry off their daughter, Fatuma must enlist the help of her fellow ladies at the co-op to make things right.

From struggling on the streets to teaching in the public school district, Jason LaClair’s recovery from opioid addiction is remarkable. Jason received the charge to complete the carving of a “Story Pole.” LaClair’s restoration and completion of the story pole reflect the redemption of his own life. He’s now taken on the mantle of an educator, mentor, and acclaimed artist.

“The River Remembers” is a character-driven documentary that follows Tribal members of the Elwha and lower Klamath Rivers as they lead the largest dam removals in U.S. history, restoring salmon and renewing culture after a century of struggle. The film is a story of resilience and hope, showing that when rivers heal people heal too.