Blackwaters: Brotherhood in the Wild Film Screening

September 03, 2024

This article is part of the Forest Scene newsletter, Issue 31.

A group of 13 people smile together on a staircase. They are different ages, ethnicities, and genders.
Cast and crew members of the Blackwaters film visited Minnesota in May to screen their work and foster connections. Here, the group poses with Forest Resources faculty and students and Bell Museum staff. Photo by Megan Guerber.

More than 100 guests joined us at the Bell Museum in May for a screening of the documentary film Blackwaters: Brotherhood in the Wild and a chance to meet members of the cast. 

Filmed largely at a campsite in Alaska's Gates of the Arctic Circle National Park, the documentary weaves a fly-fishing adventure with discussions about being a Black man in America, the healing power of nature, and the need for greater represen­tation of Black outdoorsmen. In it, five Black anglers tackle questions such as, "Where do I as a Black man fit in nature?” and, "How do we hold space in nature ... for our next generation ... so they could know this space is for them just as much as for everyone?" The film emphasizes dismantling any fear held by BIPOC folks of pursuing their journey in the outdoors.

The screening was followed by a Q&A with cast members James Edward Mills, Nick Brooks, and Jahmicah Dawes and the film's videographer/editor Dudley Edmondson, also a Bell Museum Advisory Board member.

The Department of Forest Resources (FR) was pleased to present this event in partnership with the Bell Museum, the Minneapolis Parks Foundation, and Melanin in Motion. As a member of the FR Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, Professor Ingrid Schneider served as the event’s leader, organizing partners, recruiting financial support and volunteers, and ensuring there was food to snack on following the screening.

Cover of Forest Scene newsletter.

The Forest Scene newsletter is published biannually in the spring and fall, featuring stories and updates from the Department of Forest Resources. Read Issue 31 (2024):