SYNOPSIS
Fish For The Future follows Rosi Digit, the Principal Conservation Biologist at Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains who has been an integral part of conservation in the Santa Monica Mountains for nearly four decades. In January 2025, the Palisades Fire quickly approached her home and the habitats that she has protected for decades. When the fire burned all of the critical habitat for the endangered Southern Steelhead Trout in Topanga Creek, she knew they had to rescue as many fish as possible before the rains swept dangerous amounts of mud through the watershed, killing any aquatic species. She gathers with various groups and agencies to work and rescue many steelhead in the creek in an extremely limited time window.
“As soon as the rain comes, we are going to lose everything in this creek”
- Rosi Dagit
Principal Conservation Biologist, RCDSMM
Fish For The Future follows Rosi Digit, the Principal Conservation Biologist at Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains who has been an integral part of conservation in the Santa Monica Mountains for nearly four decades. In January 2025, the Palisades Fire quickly approached her home and the habitats that she has protected for decades. When the fire burned all of the critical habitat for the endangered Southern Steelhead Trout in Topanga Creek, she knew they had to rescue as many fish as possible before the rains swept dangerous amounts of mud through the watershed, killing any aquatic species. She gathers with various groups and agencies to work and rescue many steelhead in the creek in an extremely limited time window.
“As soon as the rain comes, we are going to lose everything in this creek”
- Rosi Dagit
Principal Conservation Biologist, RCDSMM
Production Team
MATTHEW BENTON | DIRECTOR & PRODUCER
Matthew Benton is a documentary filmmaker and photographer focused on environmental stories through a human lens. Since moving to Malibu & Los Angeles more than a decade ago, he has been dedicated to protecting Malibu & local coastlines through storytelling & grassroots organizing with the Surfrider Foundation in LA. He brings commercial experience from working with brands such as Nike, Apple TV+, Lincoln, and KitchenAid to apply strategic and culturally resonant approaches to documentary work.
Matthew Benton is a documentary filmmaker and photographer focused on environmental stories through a human lens. Since moving to Malibu & Los Angeles more than a decade ago, he has been dedicated to protecting Malibu & local coastlines through storytelling & grassroots organizing with the Surfrider Foundation in LA. He brings commercial experience from working with brands such as Nike, Apple TV+, Lincoln, and KitchenAid to apply strategic and culturally resonant approaches to documentary work.
ZACH EDWARDS | EDITOR
Zach is an editor based in Ventura, CA. Inspired by the outdoors, he is drawn to stories that highlight our natural environment and its importance to humankind. Zach has years of experience in documentary editorial, working as an assistant editor on feature films Val (2021) & Resynator (2024), as well as short-form documentary and commercial work.
Zach is an editor based in Ventura, CA. Inspired by the outdoors, he is drawn to stories that highlight our natural environment and its importance to humankind. Zach has years of experience in documentary editorial, working as an assistant editor on feature films Val (2021) & Resynator (2024), as well as short-form documentary and commercial work.
Quotes
“Over the past 100 years, we’ve managed to destroy so many crucial habitats for these fish. They are not here anymore because of dams, because we’ve changed the passage opportunities. We’ve gotten to the point that there’s so few fish remaining on the landscape.”
“You can capture so much in 5 minutes”
- MARGOT, VIA LETTERBOXD
“A quick and effective doc short that shows people doing the work towards making a difference in conservation”
- JAMES, VIA LETTERBOXD
- JAMES, VIA LETTERBOXD
“Blessed be those who care for the smallest and least cuddly things”
- GARRETT, VIA LETTERBOXD
- GARRETT, VIA LETTERBOXD