It’s been 5½ years and feels like half a lifetime since six-year-old wildland filmmaker Noah Gue visited Washington, DC, got a high-five, and encountered decency when he attended the Second Annual White House Student Film Festival.
Last June’s #TBT coverage on Wildfire Today came back to the top of our story lineup this week, after this more recent moment of basic humanity circulated on Twitter.
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Gue “worked with his father, Michael Gue, a firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service in Bozeman, Montana, to make the film to help raise awareness of climate change and inspire conservation,” wrote Wildfire Today publisher Bill Gabbert. “Noah’s parents produced the film, in which he is the onscreen narrator. He also got a credit for editing.”
The story includes photos of a very self-possessed Noah chatting with U.S. actor and film producer Hilary Swank and exchanging high-fives with President Barack Obama. And his loose tooth made it into Obama’s remarks to festival participants. Gabbert had part of the transcript:
“It’s like the Sundance or Cannes of film festivals that are open to the public through a government website,” Obama said. “It may also be the only film festival where one of the entrants has his tooth loose. And may pull it out right here at the ceremony.”
And later: “We’re celebrating a six-year-old in Montana. Is that you?” he asked, turning to Gue. “He’s the guy without—he’s missing teeth. But he’s also challenging us to see conservation through a child’s eyes…”
Last week, the New York Times updated its running tally of the major environmental regulations the former reality TV star currently occupying the White House has rolled back since Obama left office in January 2017. With just over 11 weeks to go until U.S. Inauguration Day January 20, the current count stands at 72 completed and another 27 in progress.
