
Salmon People: Beth Basa Pielert on Trust, Tradition, and the Power of Place
04/22/25 • 52 min
Beth Basa Pielert is a Producer, Director, and writer of television and documentary films. She co-produced and co-directed Scha'nexw Elhtal'nexw Salmon People: Preserving a Way of Life with Darrell Hillaire, Executive Director of the Lummi media company Children of the Setting Sun Productions and Vision Maker Media. The film is now airing on PBS through WORLD Local U.S.A.
Pielert formed Good Film Works in 2001 while writing and directing Out of the Poison Tree, a documentary that explores truth and reconciliation for survivors of the Cambodian Genocide. Under Good Film Works, Pielert produced documentary shorts for Apple Inc., IDEO|bedsider.org, and Bay Area nonprofits that help provide transitional housing and services for the unhoused.
Her documentary credits include: The Corporation, winner of over 24 International awards including the Sundance Audience Award in 2004, Claiming the Title: Gay Olympics on Trial, winner of 6 awards including best documentary at Palm Springs International Short Fest 2009.
Salmon People: Preserving a Way of Life can be seen Streaming on YouTube World Channel
Beth Basa Pielert is a Producer, Director, and writer of television and documentary films. She co-produced and co-directed Scha'nexw Elhtal'nexw Salmon People: Preserving a Way of Life with Darrell Hillaire, Executive Director of the Lummi media company Children of the Setting Sun Productions and Vision Maker Media. The film is now airing on PBS through WORLD Local U.S.A.
Pielert formed Good Film Works in 2001 while writing and directing Out of the Poison Tree, a documentary that explores truth and reconciliation for survivors of the Cambodian Genocide. Under Good Film Works, Pielert produced documentary shorts for Apple Inc., IDEO|bedsider.org, and Bay Area nonprofits that help provide transitional housing and services for the unhoused.
Her documentary credits include: The Corporation, winner of over 24 International awards including the Sundance Audience Award in 2004, Claiming the Title: Gay Olympics on Trial, winner of 6 awards including best documentary at Palm Springs International Short Fest 2009.
Salmon People: Preserving a Way of Life can be seen Streaming on YouTube World Channel
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The Business of Indie Film: Funding, Packaging & Investor Secrets with Irina Chernikina
Irina Chernikina is a filmmaker with over two decades of experience in producing, directing, writing, and editing. She has led multiple projects from development through post-production, focusing on narrative filmmaking.
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