When wildfires threatened to wipe out the last remaining steelhead trout in Topanga Creek, dozens of volunteers had just 48 hours to mount a rescue operation before devastating mudslides hit. This dramatic story, captured in filmmaker Matthew Benton’s “Fish for the Future,” will screen Friday night in Pasadena as part of the first-ever Fish Water People Film Festival.
The event, hosted by California Trout (CalTrout) —one of California’s largest freshwater conservation nonprofits—offers Pasadena residents a unique window into the state’s most pressing environmental challenges. According to the Aquarium of the Pacific, Southern California’s steelhead trout population has declined by 99%. The festival aims to demonstrate how grassroots conservation efforts can create tangible benefits.
“We had over 70 people all looking at different sections covering multiple miles of Topanga Creek to rescue these endangered fish,” Benton explained. “And it happened to be all within 48 hours of an upcoming massive rain event that caused mudslides to inundate the whole canyon.”
The festival will feature two documentaries that highlight water conservation through community action. “Fish for the Future” documents the emergency rescue of 271 Southern California steelhead trout from Topanga Creek, while “Don’t Doubt the Trout” follows musician-activists advocating for dam removal in Malibu.
The screening connects directly to Pasadena’s environmental initiatives, including the city’s commitment to 100% carbon-free electricity by 2030 and ongoing Arroyo Seco conservation efforts.
By bringing these stories to a local audience, the festival bridges scientific research and community engagement.
“Water is going to be the biggest issue in the next 50 to 100 years,” Benton noted. “We’re going to have increasing temperatures and changing conditions, so it’s important for us to really pay attention to water and food.”
Filmmaker Isabela Zawistowska emphasized the importance of storytelling in environmental activism. “I think sometimes we forget that there’s so much beauty happening… it’s nature in an urban setting, which we can all relate to.”
The festival represents a powerful approach to conservation education, using storytelling to mobilize grassroots support for water conservation across California.
Fish Water People Film Festival, Friday, June 20. Doors: 6:30 p.m., Show: 7:00 p.m. Patagonia Pasadena, 47 North Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena. Tickets: Regular admission: $25 Youth (12 and under); $15 Senior (65+); $15 Pay-It-Forward: $50.
