March 11, 2019

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Midwest-produced feature-length documentary film, Decoding the Driftless, has been named “Best Picture” and “Best Cinematography” in the Documentary Feature category by the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards (LAIFFA).

Emmy Award-winning filmmakers George Howe and Tim Jacobson of Sustainable Driftless teamed up again with national TV series host Rob Nelson of Untamed Science to produce a feature-length film about the amazing origins and diverse natural and archaeological resources of the ruggedly beautiful Driftless Region. This time, the creative team added Swedish filmmaker Jonas Stenstrom of Untamed Science as director, six-time Emmy-winning wildlife cinematographer Neil Rettig, and YouTube sensation Mike a/k/a “PleaseStandBy” (formerly “ChimneySwift11”) with his 1.8 million subscribers. The team delivers extremely rare footage of natural phenomena and scenic beauty in the Driftless in a way never seen before.

Attending filmmakers will receive VIP access to LAIFFA’s Red Carpet interviews and Award Ceremony where they can receive the award in front of a live audience during the annual event held on August 24, 2019, at Raleigh Studios, Hollywood, California.

With Decoding the Driftless, viewers are taken on a wild ride of adventure above, on, and below the amazing Driftless Region through this film of exploration. Soar over ancient, rugged bluffs, skim the surface of primordial rivers, venture deep underground to secret worlds, marvel at sacred archeological treasures, hang perilously over massive rock cliffs, and travel across time itself to explore and decipher ancient clues of the unglaciated Driftless Region landscape, with its captivating scenic beauty.

“The goal of both the Sustainable Driftless organization and the film is to inspire resource conservation, vibrant local communities, and sustainable growth in the region,” co-producer Tim Jacobson explained. “We see the Driftless Region as a remarkable international geo-tourism destination with huge untapped potential. We want the film to serve as a tireless cheerleader for this amazing land, both locally and abroad. Winning the ‘Best Picture’ and ‘Best Cinematography” awards in Hollywood helps us tremendously in elevating the significance and recognition of our beautiful and precious landscape.”

The film has been shown as an Official Selection at the Flyway Film Festival, Driftless Film Festival, Frozen River Film Festival, and Oneota Film Festival. At the Frozen River Film Festival in February, the documentary was a close runner-up for the People’s Choice Award. Recently, the film has been chosen as an Official Selection at the Cape May Film Festival, Docs Without Borders Film Festival, and the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival, in addition to LAIFFA. Tens of thousands of people have viewed the film at festivals, theaters, community screenings, and educational events, and thousands of DVDs have been distributed.