April 9, 2025River Partners is thrilled to announce that our short film “Dos Rios: A Story of Renewal” has been selected for the national tour of the Wild and Scenic Film Festival as an official 2025 selection. This powerful documentary features actor Ethan Peck as he embarks on a journey to California’s newest state park in the San Joaquin Valley.
Watch “Dos Rios: A Story of Renewal” 15 Minute Documentary
Behind the Scenes: Wild and Scenic Film Festival Interview
Get a peek behind the scenes from the Wild and Scenic Film Festival in Nevada City in February. River Partners President Julie Rentner and Director of California Department of Parks and Recreation Armando Quintero share about the incredible impact of “Dos Rios: A Story of Renewal.”
“Dos Rios” Premiere with Live Q&A
In October, River Partners hosted an online film premiere event, featuring featuring actor Ethan Peck and a live Q&A with:
- Julie Rentner, River Partners President
- Austin Stevenot, River Partners Senior Field Manager and Northern Sierra Mewuk
- Lilia Lomeli-Gil, Grayson United Community Foundation Co-Founder
- Wade Crowfoot, California Natural Resources Secretary
The Backstory
Ethan Peck, who plays Spock on Paramount’s “Star Trek: Discovery,” read a Reuters news article about River Partners’ work to restore rivers about a year ago. He was moved by River Partners’ work, so he reached out and asked how he could help.
River Partners invited Ethan to visit Dos Rios Ranch Preserve as it became California’s newest state park. Over several days, he met community members and learned how River Partners’ large-scale restoration projects not only help communities weather the extremes of drought and flooding growing more intense with climate change, but also provide hope and healing for people across California.
In this inspiring short film, Ethan discovers that restoring rivers is about more than just healing ecosystems—it’s about reconnecting with the land, culture, and communities that depend on them. The film explores how Dos Rios restoration is helping the nearby community of Grayson, CA, while preserving the deep connection between Native California peoples and their environment.
“I came here expecting to find a restoration project addressing just the biology, the vegetation, the plants, the animals. I wasn’t expecting it’s also a restoration of culture,” Ethan shares in the film.
We were blown away by viewer reactions to our film. One participant remarked, “I did not expect to be so moved by this event today. Thank you to…all who were involved in putting this event and material together, and to speaking honestly about your own experiences.”
Invest in the Power and Promise of River Restoration
We hope you found the film and conversations as moving as we did.
Please consider supporting our work with a donation.
We rely on support from individuals like you to fill a 20% gap in public funding and help us deliver every high-impact restoration project.
