Screening Information

Date: Saturday, March 28, 2026
Start Time: 4:28 PM
Runtime: 14 minutes
Location: MIX Center — Theater 2
50 N Centennial Way, Mesa, AZ 85201

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Film Description

Walking the Fringe explores the Sierra Nevada foothills through the perspectives of three land stewards working to care for and restore natural landscapes. In California, nearly 90% of open space is made up of natural and working lands managed largely by farmers and ranchers. The film examines how conservation, stewardship, and collaboration can shape the future of these landscapes.

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By exploring the intersection of Western land management practices and Indigenous knowledge systems, Walking the Fringe asks whether combining these approaches could offer solutions for restoring and protecting fragile ecosystems.

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Director:

Mark Decena is a writer, director, and producer whose work spans feature films, documentaries, television, and branded content. A three-time Sundance alumnus, his first feature film Dopamine won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. His documentary work often focuses on social justice, environmental sustainability, and design.

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Decena wrote and directed Watershed for the Redford Center, a documentary about water use in the Colorado River Basin narrated by Robert Redford. His film Farming While Black premiered at the Mill Valley Film Festival and has screened at more than 50 festivals worldwide, earning Best of the Festival at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival in 2024. He is also the founder of Kontent, a San Francisco–based production company working with award-winning filmmakers and creatives.