Get swept up in the beauty of New Mexico rivers with a night of breathtaking independent film. Total film runtime is 80 minutes.

20-minute post-film Q&A w/ director Max Highstein and Dr. Jerry Jacobi, Professor Emeritus of Environmental Science and Management, New Mexico Highlands University. 

Requiem for a River

Film by Mary Patierno

Requiem for a River explores the New Mexico stretch of the Rio Grande — an iconic but endangered American waterway — in a time of climate change and calls for environmental justice. Through lyrical imagery and in-depth interviews with a diverse range of residents — Native, Latinx, Indo-Hispanic and Anglo — this visually poetic documentary reveals the once-mighty river’s role as a lifeline in the desert and asks whether the keys to a more sustainable, equitable future lie in New Mexico’s ancient past.

The Hidden Life of the Santa Fe River

Film by Max Highstein

Flowing quietly through the heart of Santa Fe, the Santa Fe River is easy to overlook. The Hidden Life of the Santa Fe River is a vivid, cinematic journey into the colors, rhythms, and human connections that animate this cherished stream. Through intimate encounters with the people who know and care for the river, the film reveals an intricate living landscape shaped by water, memory, and stewardship. Visually immersive and grounded in ecological understanding, it invites audiences to see the Santa Fe River anew.