A baby Orangutan sits on the lap of Dr. Birute Galdikas at her research site in Borneo, where filmmaker Charlie Annenberg traveled to document her work with wild orangutans. (Courtesy photo)
Dr. Birute Galdikas holds a baby orangutan at her research site in Borneo, where filmmaker Charlie Annenberg traveled to document her work with wild orangutans. (Courtesy photo)

The NatureTrack Film Festival (NTFF) invites film lovers and nature enthusiasts to its annual Best of the Fest screening, 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 at Santa Ynez Valley Grange Hall, 2374 Alamo Pintado Ave., Los Olivos. (Doors open at 6 p.m.)

“The evening brings the festival’s most acclaimed films back to the big screen, each a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to protect and cherish the natural world,” NTFF said.

Featured films are:

• “Saving Our Ancestors- Reflections” by Dr. Biruté Galdikas, recipient of the Dan Conaway Award for Connecting to Nature and Special Mention for Best Short Film.

Produced by Charles Annenberg Weingarten, the short offers insight from renowned primatologist Dr. Biruté Galdikas on orangutan conservation and the fragile balance of their rainforest home.

Filmmaker Charlie Annenberg, Keegan Wilcox, and Adam Biddle will join for a live Q&A following the screening.

• “Peaks to Prairie,” winner of Best Short Film. Director Chad Weber shows how wildfire wood waste is being transformed into a regenerative resource for prairie soils through the power of fungi, proof that nature’s own intelligence can help heal our planet.

• “Nilgiris – A Shared Wilderness,” winner of Best Feature Film. From acclaimed National Geographic filmmaker Sandesh Kadur, this documentary takes viewers to southern India’s Nilgiri Mountains, where people and wildlife coexist in a rare biodiversity hotspot.

• “Phir Bhi (Even So),” winner of Best Student Film. Directed by Meghna Nandy, this short explores how humans and marsh crocodiles in India’s Charotar region live side-by-side in remarkable harmony — a story of community-driven conservation and hope.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $15, students with ID, $10 for children ages 10 and under, complimentary admission for 2025 NTFF passholders.

A brief Q&A with filmmakers and special guests will follow the screenings. Light refreshments will be served. Seating is limited, so advance purchase is recommended.

For tickets, visit https://naturetrackfilmfestival.org/best-of-the-fest/.