In July, In Our Nature premiered to a pre-release audience with two sold-out screenings in Chicago and Lexington. These events marked the film’s first time being shared with audiences and the beginning of its impact campaign.
Both screenings included post-film panel discussions and audience Q&As focused on environmental education, access to nature, and the role of community-based programs in supporting kids and families.
The Chicago premiere took place on July 17 at the Gene Siskel Film Center and sold out in advance.
The audience included educators, nonprofit leaders, funders, filmmakers, students, and community members - many with direct ties to the film’s Chicago-based storylines highlighting the incredible work of Southside Blooms. Following the screening, we hosted a panel discussion and extended Q&A that focused on how nature-based education is being implemented across communities like Chicago's South Side, and what barriers and opportunities exist at the local and policy level.
The evening began with a reception featuring live music from Chicago West Community Music Center and catering from Big Planet and Blue Plate.
The Chicago premiere received media coverage from:
Links to coverage are available on our press page.
One week later, on July 24, the film screened in Lexington at the Historic Lyric Theater. Like Chicago, the event sold out and included a post-screening panel discussion.
The Lexington conversation leaned toward how environmental education can help bridge political and cultural divides, how programs function in under-resourced areas, how educators are adapting to student mental health needs, and what support structures are missing or needed to sustain this work long-term.
Audience members included educators, families, nonprofit leaders, and community advocates, many of whom shared firsthand experiences during the Q&A. The evening kicked off with a vibrant community celebration with local food, brews from West Sixth Brewing, and live music courtesy of Jeri Katherine Howell.
The Lexington premiere received media coverage from:
Links to coverage are available on our press page.
These premiere events reinforced the role In Our Nature is intended to play as not just as a standalone film, but as a tool for conversation and engagement.
In both cities, the most substantive moments came during and after the panel discussions, where audiences and film subjects connected the film directly to their own work, communities, and lived experience.
Following the Chicago and Lexington premieres, In Our Nature officially kicked off:
We’ll be sharing updates as festival selections are announced and additional screenings are scheduled. Interested in hosting a community screening? Fill out this interest form and we'll get back to you!
