Way of the Shepherd
a documentary short
Away from his family for up to 3 years at a time Peruvian shepherd Christian Aliaga works the hillsides of northern California with a massive herd of goats and two exceptional Border Collies. Together they roam the land conducting wildfire mitigation with their old-world, natural approach to vegetation management. Christian shares his affinity for nature, the animals he works with, and a glimpse at his timeless trade in the modern age.
Director’s Statement
I first met Christian Aliaga on a foggy hike in the hills of Berkeley, California. He was setting up an electric perimeter fence, surrounded by a massive herd of goats with two trusty Border Collies at his side.
I learned that these goats were the descendants of a herd brought by Spanish missionaries to Catalina Island in the 1800's. The ranch Christian works for adopted hundreds of these goats in the mid-90's when ranchers and animal rights groups helped remove the goats before a mass culling of the island’s growing population.
I was fascinated by this natural, novel approach to wildfire mitigation through vegetation management, his relationship to the animals he works with, and the skills passed on to him by his ancestors in Peru.
Over time, I had made a friend and finished a film.
Screenings and Awards
SF Indie Fest- February 12, 2024 Winner Audience Award
AmDocs- March 22,2024
Northwest Fest May 10, 2024, Winner Best International Short
DocLands- May 12, 2024
Nevada City Film Festival- June, 22 2024
Producer/Director/Cinematographer
Matthew Boyd is an award-winning cinematographer and director based in Oakland, CA working in feature film, short film, documentary, and television spaces. His work has been featured on Netflix, HBO Documentary Films, Showtime, theatrically, and in film festivals worldwide.
Boyd's recent feature work as cinematographer includes "ZONA", a feature-length documentary about Zona Roberts, the 103 yr old disability rights activist and mother of Ed Roberts. "Mine 9", (Netflix, Showtime) And "Hazard", a new feature starring Sosie Bacon, Alex Roe, and Steven Ogg based on the Appalachian opioid epidemic.
Complementing Boyd's work as a cinematographer are self-directed, shot and edited short documentary films, the award-winning short "A Boat for My Brother", and "The Space Between Us" about artist Janet Echelman. He is currently in production on "Barren Grounds", his feature-length directorial debut.
Composer
Angela Hsieh is a composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist (piano, violin, erhu) based in Los Angeles. Her musical journey began in Shanghai and Taipei, where she immersed herself in classical piano and violin from an early age. This early passion eventually led her to pursue a certificate in Music Composition for Film/TV at Berklee College of Music, alongside her studies in music and business at UC Berkeley. Angela's fascination with music's narrative power has driven her to score movie (documentary) soundtracks and collaborate with dancers, creating music that enhance and bring out the emotional power of the visual and movement. Her compositions span from evocative piano pieces to ethereal and electronic orchestral works.
Angela has contributed to various films, such as "Are You Still There?" and "Bob's Donuts," “Way of the Shepherd,” and “Professional Dirtbag", a feature documentary detailing the incredible journey of Brittany Goris, one of the pioneering women to conquer the Salathe Wall of El Capitan at Yosemite National Park. The documentary is set to premiere at the International Climber's Festival in the 2024.
Beyond film composition, Angela is a dedicated producer, sharing her music on streaming platforms. She is also part of the band SHADES, formed at a local producer meetup in Oakland, recently releasing their EP in October, featuring music ranging from cinematic orchestral pieces to R&B.