“It’s all about the water!” This evening of short films followed by a panel discussion co-produced and moderated by Mihku Paul, will explore human beings’ complicated and distorted relationship to water.
Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Location: One Longfellow Square, 181 State Street, Portland, ME 04101
Tickets: $20 in advance here, also available on the OLS website / $25 door
Parking: Street parking, or the garage at 181 High Street
Timing: Doors: 6pm, Films: 6:30pm, Panel Discussion: 7:30pm.
Short film program:*
VOICES OF WÁHSEHTƏKʷ | 7.97 minutes | by Redbird Media Group | Maine | Short synopsis: Located in the heart of Penobscot territory, Wáhsehtək — the East Branch of the Penobscot River—holds deep cultural significance. In a historic effort, Trust for Public Land is working with the Penobscot Nation to return nearly 30,000 acres, marking a major step in land return efforts.
FOLLOW THE WATER | 17.18 minutes | by Maine Mountain Media | Maine | Short synopsis: This short documentary follows a crew that embarks on a source to sea kayaking adventure. The goal was to find the source of the drinking water for Portland Maine, then follow the water on its journey to the ocean. Along the way, they encountered many amazing people and organizations.
PUTEP QOTATOKOT-TE ELEWESTAQ (THE WHALE WAS SPEAKING) | 4.5 minutes | by Mikhu Paul | Maine | Short synopsis: Putep Qotatokot-te Elewestaq (The Whale was Speaking) is a poetry film written and voiced by Mihku Paul, edited, composited and animated by Dawn Nye with sound engineering by Riley Pillsbury. This short piece is a poetic engagement with the world’s largest mammals, and uses whale song as a backdrop for both English and native dialect.
SALMON RESTORATION ON PENOBSCOT RIVER | 21.2 minutes | by Sunlight Media Collective | Maine | Short synopsis: The Penobscot Nation & Maine Department of Marine Resources collaborated to help restore Atlantic Salmon to Penobscot Nation’s waters.
*film lineup subject to change
Panel Discussion:
“Reverence for Water: Stewardship is Love in Action”
Used as a mode of travel, commerce, colonization, conquest, energy, livelihood and recreation; water has been utilized and exploited over the millennia. But for all that it does for us, do we love water back in kind? With the degrading health of many water systems, big and small, across Maine and the world, this panel discussion, co-produced and moderated by Mihku Paul, will explore this question and others around awareness, accountability, reverence and respect. Join us.
Moderator – Mihku Paul – Mihku Paul is a Wolastoqey (Maliseet) elder who grew up on a wild Maine river. She received both a traditional Waponahki education from her grandfather and went through public school, which gave her a holistic view of Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures. Mihku holds a degree in Human Development and Communication and an MFA in writing. She has worked in Portland Public schools for decades, providing Waponahki curriculum enrichment to all ages. Current work is focused on protection of natural ecologies.
Betsy Cook – Trust for Public Land. Betsy Cook leads Trust for Public Land’s work in Maine, including the historic Wáhsehtəkʷ project featured in the film(s). Betsy is deeply committed to ensuring all Mainers have equitable access to the outdoors, including Maine’s beloved lands and waters. She has worked with communities across the state to create over 25,000 acres of new public lands, parks, and community forests. With her deep experience, she will bring perspectives on how local partnerships shape the future of outdoor access across the state.
Chuck Loring – Director, Natural Resources for Penobscot Nation. Charles (Chuck) Loring is both a member of the Penobscot Nation and the Director of Natural Resources for the Nation. As a voice featured in the film, he can speak powerfully about the Penobscot River’s cultural, ecological, and economic significance — and what it means to protect places that have sustained Native communities for generations.
Nickie Sekera – Community Water Justice. Nickie Sekera is the co-founder of the Community Water Justice, a decentralized network of people working for strong water protections at the community level across Wabanakiyik (Maine). She is a founding board member of the Saco Headwaters Alliance, served as a Fryeburg Water District Trustee, and in 2022 was appointed by the Speaker of the House to the Commission To Study The Role of Water As A Resource In Maine. She is also a journalist with Sunlight Media Collective, a collective of Indigenous and non-indigenous journalists, media makers and activists, centering the stories and experiences of Wabanaki people. In the years leading up to these roles, Nickie worked as an administrator of a wilderness medicine school for 18 years after working alongside Indigenous-led remote medical clinics and education projects within the conflict zones of Eastern Burma (Myanmar). Most invaluably, Nickie is a mother of a son that joins her in this work.
Robert Cotiaux – Trout Unlimited, Sebago Chapter President. Robb Cotiaux is a Maine registered professional forester in Maine and a Maine Guide. He is currently president of the Sebago chapter of Trout Unlimited, Maines largest chapter, having been the previous conservation chairman for many years. The chapter and it’s volunteers have had many accomplishments, including the restoration of the Shepard River watershed in Brownfield and the removal of the Edes Falls dam on the Crooked River in 2024. These successes have included many conservation partners who value watersheds in southern and the western Maine foothills.
*panel subject to change.
