Connor DeVane on the Continental Divide Trail.
By Cassandra West
Connor DeVane made his filmmaking debut with “Hike the Divide.” In the documentary, he takes the 2,700-mile trek from Canada to Mexico on the Continental Divide Trail as he seeks hope in the face of climate breakdown. The film shares the stories of the community activists and problem solvers Connor meets, marking a trail from apathy and resignation to hope and engagement. One Earth Film Festival asked DeVane to respond to a few questions in advance of the festival, in which he will participate in a live video Q&A following the screening of “Hike the Divide” Thursday, March 12 at Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson Ave., in Chicago.
Q. What was the impetus for making the documentary?
A. The urgency of the climate crisis! More specifically, I noticed a disparity between the number of people who recognize the problem and the number of people engaged with addressing it. I had personally been feeling helpless, depressed, and enraged by this overwhelming concept of climate breakdown. Getting engaged with my community and speaking truth to power helped me through those feelings. I wanted to find and share similar examples of empowerment through action. Of course, I also really wanted to hike the Continental Divide Trail. I saw an opportunity to marry the narrative of agency and empowerment to the story of a journey into the more-than-human world, across the "wilderness" of the nation's public lands. I could go on and on...
Q. How long did it take the make the documentary?
A. About four years from conception to completion, including the five months of hiking/production.
Q. Did you experience any personal transformation during the making of the documentary?
A. I'll say that both long-distance hiking and filmmaking are transformative processes. You'll have to see the film yourself to find out more, though.
Q. Did you have to overcome any particular challenges or barriers in getting the documentary completed?
A. Too many to count! I had no prior filmmaking experience, so the list is long. What first jumps to mind is navigating the logistics of production while hiking through the mountains. I was the only crew member, after all. I would call a potential interviewee from, say, DuBois, Wyoming, and we'd agree to meet six days later in Lander. I'd hike over a hundred miles through the Wind River Range, including hiking through the night on the final stretch in order to reach the highway in the morning. I'd stick my thumb out and hope someone would give me a lift into town in time to pick up my "bounce box," from the post office before they closed for the weekend. The box held my well-padded laptop and other crucial gear. Then, I'd (hopefully) squeeze in a shower before meeting up with the interviewee, set up the recording gear and conduct the interview. Rinse and repeat. I could fill a book on the challenges I faced, frequently self-imposed.
Q. What led you to become a director/producer?
A. It was sort of an accident, really. I've always been a storyteller. I studied creative writing in college and always expected the written word to be my medium. I was filming interviews along my hike with the intention of having them as a supplement to an eventual book, but after gathering hours and hours of incredible content (and much encouragement of my friend and editor Kristen Mico), I realized I had a film on my hands.
Q. Who or what has most influenced your filmmaking approach?
A. I would say the broader media representation of the climate crisis and our collective response. I realized that what little airtime was given to climate-related issues was mostly bad news; damning Intergovernmental Panel Climate Change (IPCC) reports, superstorms, historic droughts and such. It dawned on me that we have been telling the wrong stories if our intention is to mobilize people to leverage change, so I carried that intention into every decision. If pressed to name someone, I was definitely influenced by the work of journalist and author Naomi Klein, specifically her work “This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs the Climate.”
Q. Was there any character or subject in the documentary who left the biggest impression on you?
My friend Kendra Pinto of Twin Pines, N.M., and the organizing work she and her Diné community are doing to protect their air, water, and land for one another and their more-than-human kin.
The Chicago premiere of Hike the Divide: A Conversation Action on the Continental Divide Trail, takes place, 6:30 to 9 p.m., on Thursday, March 12, at Truman College, Truman Theater, Technical Building, 1145 W. Wilson Ave., Chicago. After the film, participate in live video Q&A with director Connor DeVane. Tickets