Our backyards are probably the last places we think of when seeking adventure but a new documentary by Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Andrew Young and Susan Todd might just change that.

“Backyard Wilderness,” which opened this spring at the Fernbank and museums across the country and Canada, is not only inspiring, it promises to open our eyes to the many surprises nature delivers every day in our own neighborhoods and communities.

What’s more the fill is accompanied by an extensive multiplatform educational outreach program to encourage and empower children and families to get outside and observe the ever-changing world around them.

In a wide-ranging interview about the film with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Young said the film follows a little girl named Katie and her family who are absorbed by an array of electronic devices and, at first, oblivious to the natural world just outside their home.

“Katie gradually discovers the intricate secrets that nature has hidden so close to her front door and we experience the joy she finds in her interactions with this newly uncovered world.”

The film is a reminder that Wi-Fi is not the only connection that matters and that sometimes in ordinary places, you can uncover extraordinary things that can transform you forever – you just need to step outside.

MORE OUTDOOR FUN WITH THE FAMILY:

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Atlanta art and antiques appraiser and auctioneer Allan Baitcher (right) takes bids during a 2020 auction. Baitcher and his company, Peachtree Antiques, are being sued by a Florida multimillionaire who says he paid them $20 million for fakes. (AJC 2020)

Credit: Phil Skinner / Staff