New Doc Honors Maine Native Who Walked Across America Barefoot

ACROSS MAINE (Oct. 25, 2020) — “Barefoot: The Mark Baumer Story” follows the Maine man who began a walk across America to raise money and awareness for climate change in 2016. With the goal of raising $10,000 for the activist collective FANG (Fighting Against Natural Gas), Baumer chronicled his journey with personal YouTube videos, adding up to almost seven hours of content.

“I felt a responsibility to preserve, curate, and share Mark’s videos,” award-winning director Julie Sokolow said of her film, which lands on On Demand and digital platforms Tuesday. “They’re incredible examples of fearless DIY filmmaking and I think people will be struck by Mark’s own talents as a documentary filmmaker.”

The tightly-edited film also uses testimonials from fellow activists and family members. Sokolow allows the audience time and space to get to know this man and his unique perspective on the world around him - a world he was determined to make better.

"Barefoot: The Mark Baumer Story" is available on all digital platforms Oct. 27. (Animal Inc.)On the 100th day of his journey, the same day a president was sworn into office who chose leaders of the fossil fuel industry to serve in his cabinet, Baumer was hit and killed by an SUV in Florida. He was 33.

“I was devastated, even though I never met him,” Sokolow said. “That’s a testament to the power of his work. I tweeted about him, donated to his fundraiser, and planned to contact him after his journey’s completion, but I never got the chance to.”

Baumer’s unique perspective lives on through the moving documentary, which showed his outlook on capitalism, veganism and the environment in short, funny, thoughtful clips.
“Mark’s sense of humor immediately pulled me in,” Solokow said. “The climate crisis is so overwhelming, but Mark’s blend of activism, comedy, and performance art makes the issue seem approachable. It’s very inspiring.”

Baumer grew up in Durham and graduated from Brown University, where a colleague is working on archiving his great breadth of art and activism. Solokow’s film also archives his journey in an 87-minute film that is worthy of any concerned citizen's time. She zooms in to what one person was willing to do and the lengths he was willing to go to create a movement of education and activism. "Barefoot" is not merely about a scientific or political debate - but one man’s appreciation and love of the planet that we share.

“My journey across the country is a metaphor to not give up,” Baumer tells the camera in one video. “There are so many days where I just want to give up. But I just get up and I keep walking.”
“Barefoot” is ultimately a call to action - a timely message in an election year when climate change is on the ballot, to stay educated. To keep walking.