Harkins Theatres Tempe Marketplace hosts Liberty Wildlife doc
Staff Reports | Digital Free Press
“The Weight of a Feather,” a documentary about Liberty Wildlife narrated by Peter Coyote, premieres to an invited audience of community partners on Sunday, Oct. 2, at Harkins Theatres Tempe Marketplace.
The premiere is sponsored by Sunrise Native Recovery. The film opens to the public at Harkins Tempe Marketplace Friday, Oct. 7, and plays over Indigenous People’s Day, which is Monday, Oct. 10, through Thursday, Oct. 13.
Liberty Wildlife’s stories celebrate its appreciation and preservation of wildlife and nature, through partnerships with Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, SRP, APS, The Peregrine Fund, and Verde Canyon Railroad.
The documentary features Tony Duncan, world champion hoop dancer, and was filmed locally with a focus on the urban wildlife around Tempe Town Lake and Rio Salado.
Executive Producers Melani and Rob Walton recognized the profound impact of Liberty Wildlife and the role the Liberty Wildlife Non-Eagle Feather Repository plays in preserving Native American cultural identity.
“We are proud to support Liberty Wildlife’s work to protect nature and preserve indigenous cultures by honoring their stories and supporting their religious and ceremonial traditions through the Non-Eagle Feather Repository,” said Ms. Walton, co-founder of the Rob and Melani Walton Foundation.
“‘The Weight of a Feather’ is the story of how nature, people, and culture are linked, and we hope that this inspires viewers to reflect on their own connection to the environment and how they can protect the planet.”
Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust recognized Liberty Wildlife as a solution-oriented member of the community with a “Now is the Moment Grant,” according to a press release.
“Piper Trust commends Liberty Wildlife for bringing this story of significant cultural importance to the forefront. This film will foster a new and vital understanding of indigenous peoples and their contributions to quality of life for all,” said Mary Jane Rynd, president and CEO of Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust.
“Storytelling like this is a powerful way to bring people together and strengthen our community for the long term.”
“The Weight of a Feather” is directed and written by Arizona Governor’s Arts Award-recipient Kristin Atwell Ford and produced by an Emmy Award-winning team at Quantum Leap Productions.
