Keepers of the Canyon

2025 | Coast Film & Music Festival

Duration: 15 min

Synopisis

Keepers of the Canyon is a timely, urgent portrait of grassroots resistance in one of America’s most environmentally endangered frontiers: suburban Southern California. By zeroing in on a single land battle in Orange County, the film captures the emotional intensity and stakes of an all-too-common American conflict: community versus corporate development. What makes it stand out is the clear, character-driven narrative centered on a compelling local activist, Barefoot Joel, whose personal investment in the land gives the story heart.

With endangered species, habitat fragmentation, and public outcry as its core issues, Keepers of the Canyon offers a microcosmic view of a national crisis. Its relevance will only grow as the climate emergency continues and sprawl expands.

Featured at Coast Film & Music Festival 2025

Production Team

Ashley Kuckler has established herself as a natural storyteller and avid documentarian. Documentary and Journalism have allowed her to pursue her passion for wildlife and other social justice issues. As a recent graduate of Chapman University’s Dodge College, she has gained experience as a News Writer and Producer. Directing several student news shows and films, she continues to pursue the truth and is interested in investigative journalism.