World Premiere

Tori Davis, whose learning disabilities affected her ability to fit in at school, finds her greatest teacher in nature, spending a “gap year” living semi- primitively with four other young women in the Oregon Cascade Mountains. The first film by Rogue Valley director Molly Kreuzman reveals how separately and together the girls learn ancient skills of craftsmanship and teamwork while forging deep powers of resilience and self-reliance. A poignant meditation on humanity’s lost communion with the natural world and how restoring it can revive our sense of wholeness and purpose, it is also an implicit condemnation of how our dominant social systems—especially education—can generate deep problems of personal identity and belonging for which our children too often blame themselves 

Director’s Statement: Molly Kreuzman 

I have always been passionate about time spent in nature and believe that nature belongs to all of us regardless of gender, race, or income. I believe that kids need nature now more than ever: the solitude, the uncomplicated beauty, and the inspiration found in the natural world are critical to our well-being. Having practiced and taught primitive living skills for most of my life, I was excited to show what these young women would do on the mountain for a year and how it would change them. It is my great joy to bring you Earth Seasoned...#GapYear.