She Measures the Earth — Reclaiming Space in Science
Canmore, Canada | Film Short
Documentary, Science
She Measures the Earth follows four women scientists in the Canadian mountains. Blending art, science, and adventure, the film challenges narrow ideas of who belongs in science and inspires bold, diverse voices to lead on climate action.
She Measures the Earth — Reclaiming Space in Science
Canmore, Canada | Film Short
Documentary, Science
14 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
C$4,010
Goal: C$11,500 for post-production
She Measures the Earth follows four women scientists in the Canadian mountains. Blending art, science, and adventure, the film challenges narrow ideas of who belongs in science and inspires bold, diverse voices to lead on climate action.
Participating In
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Science is often presented as data and distance.
But behind every measurement is a human story.
Reshape who is seen, heard, and valued in science, outdoor leadership, and climate storytelling.
Despite progress, women remain significantly underrepresented in many physical sciences.
A global analysis of scientific publications found:
• Physics, geology, and mathematics: ~14% women authors
• Psychology: ~39% women authors
Data from Jaramillo, A. M., Macedo, M., Oliveira, M., Karimi, F., & Menezes, R. (2025). Systematic comparison of gender inequality in scientific rankings across disciplines.
Women are also less represented in the most cited and highest-ranked positions across scientific fields.
This film moves beyond statistics to reveal the human stories behind climate research.
Why I Make This Film
I trained as a geophysicist, spending long days in mountains and laboratories studying the snow. For many years, I had never met another BIPOC woman doing field science, until I met Chimira, our scientist 'Elsa' in the film.
We talked for hours about our shared experiences navigating the geoscience world: the quiet sexism, the subtle racism, and the strange feeling of entering rooms where no one looked like us.
For a long time, we both carried the same question in silence:
Do we belong here?
Along the way, women mentors appeared in our lives, scientists who reminded us, gently but firmly, that we did belong. Their presence helped us stay.
Chimira and I share another connection too: we are both artists at heart. We are scientists, but we also move through the world with creativity, curiosity, and imagination.
When I stepped into filmmaking, I encountered a similar landscape. There were still so few women behind the camera. Once again, the same question returned:
Where do we belong?
She Measures the Earth grew from that question.
The film is created by an all-women crew telling a story about women in science. Together, we bring our creativity, care, and professionalism to the screen.
Our hope is simple: that someone watching this film, someone who has wondered whether they belong, might see themselves reflected here.
Because the truth is:
You belong in any space you can imagine yourself in.
Where the Film Is Now
The film is now near completed.
This campaign will help us:
- crossing the finishing line of the post-production of the film.
- finalize accessibility materials (captions + subtitles)
- support festival travel
- bring the film to schools and science communities with educational materials
You can help in three ways:
1. Pledge
Your support helps bring the film to audiences.
2. Follow the campaign
Following boosts visibility on Seed&Spark.
3. Share the project
Example share text:
Support She Measures the Earth, a poetic documentary about four women reshaping who belongs in science through leadership, art, adventure, and mentorship.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Stunning Colour
Costs C$1,500
Hire a colourist ensures every frame looks cinematic, unifying glacier, lab, and mountain scenes so the film shines at screenings.
Equity Pay for Editors
Costs C$3,500
This film is about equity. Your support helps us fairly pay our crew and keep our talented women on our team.
Science Outreach
Costs C$5,000
Support our school tour so young people can see themselves in science and the future of discovery.
Captions
Costs C$1,500
Subtitles are different from captions, and we want to make sure this film can be enjoyed by everyone, including audiences who are deaf or ha
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Director & Producer — Ching Yu
A geophysicist turned producer-director, Ching Yu crafts sharp, character-driven stories rooted in science, identity, and the messy intersections of culture and landscape. A drop out from the UK’s National Film and Television School, backed by an encouragement letter from Sir David Attenborough, she was later mentored by Werner Herzog on the Azores Islands, becoming an open heart cinema soldier.
Her filmmaking explores what happens when marginalized communities take up space in science, on mountains, and on screen. She loves experimental storytelling that dares to be weird and wild, blending poetic visuals with scientific precision. A mother of two and former scientist, she’s always chasing the edge where intellect meets instinct. Her films have screened at Banff, Kendal, and Vancouver International Mountain Film Festivals, with recognition from the Hot Docs CrossCurrents Fund and the VIMFF Adventure Film Grant.
Story Editor— Nettie Wild
Nettie Wild is one of Canada’s leading documentary filmmakers. Her highly charged and critically acclaimed films have brought her audiences behind the frontlines and headlines of revolutions and social change around the world. She has been honoured at film festivals around world and has won the Genie Award twice for Best Feature Documentary in Canada. Among other honours she has won Best Feature Documentary from the International Documentary Association as well as top honours from the Forum of New Cinema at the Berlin International Film Festival. In 2023 she was awarded the 2023 Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts for Artistic Achievement.
Cinematographer — Essi Hyrkki
Essi Hyrkki is a London-based cinematographer with over a decade of industry experience. She began her career as a camera assistant in her native Finland before transitioning to cinematography in 2019. A recent graduate of the National Film and Television School (MA Cinematography, 2024), Essi has since shot a range of short films and documentaries, many of which have been featured at international festivals. Her work on Milk earned a BAFTA nomination, and her latest short film, Truckload, will have its world premiere at Tribeca Film Festival in June 2025.
Editor— Bettina Zironi
Bettina Zironi is a London-based film editor with a background in visual arts and a passion for emotionally resonant storytelling. Originally from Reggio Emilia, Italy, she holds an MA in Editing from the National Film and Television School (2025). Her editorial work spans documentary and fiction, with films screening at Sheffield DocFest, Slamdance, and Jackson Wild. Notable credits include Hooked (Winner, Slamdance Grand Jury Prize 2025) and Beyond the Bay (Royal Television Society & Jackson Wild award winner).
Co-Producer/Writer — Gail Liang
With eight years of experience in the advertising industry, Gail has developed expertise in crafting compelling scripts that distill ideas with clarity and resonance. As the founder of DM-Film, she has led projects for major brands including Apple, Arc’teryx, Peck Performance, Lululemon, Kailas, and Porsche.
Transitioning from advertising to documentary marks a pivotal evolution in her career and personal journey from China to Canada. This shift reflects her deeper understanding of the importance of documenting rather than fabricating stories, and her recognition that her true pursuit lies in embracing a nature-integrated mountain lifestyle.
Co-Producer — Bowen Cao
Bowen’s life blends environmental conservation, outdoor adventure, and storytelling. She holds degrees in Environmental Engineering (Zhejiang University) and Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (UC San Diego), and worked on marine zoning with the UN Environment Programme. Returning to China, she founded iDareX, producing documentaries on extreme sports. For eight years she has shared her own adventures through vlogs, building an audience of over 4 million followers. As a director, she has created work for Nike and Neiwai, and co-created A Brand New Family. Bowen’s authentic, compassionate lens amplifies diverse voices and expands She Measures the Earth’s reach in China.
Field Director — Trixie Pacis
Trixie Pacis is a filmmaker, photographer and writer based in Kimberley, British Columbia. Her work revolves around documenting unheard personal and environmental stories. Her first two documentary films, Wildflowers and Wild Aerial, are set to premiere at the 2024 Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival. Her third film, Ahon, will premiere at the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival in February, 2025. As the Director of Acquisitions and Programming since the launch of ChimeTV, America’s first Asian American and Pacific Islander cable channel delivered in English, she support the network’s mission is to celebrate AAPI culture, amplify AAPI voices, and increase AAPI representation in the media. For this work, she is recipient of L.A. TV Week’s 40 Under 40 Award (2023). As an emerging female director, her works are often concise yet imbued with poetic beauty. She Measures the Earth, under her direction, will amplify the story’s charm to its fullest potential.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Science is often presented as data and distance.
But behind every measurement is a human story.
Reshape who is seen, heard, and valued in science, outdoor leadership, and climate storytelling.
Despite progress, women remain significantly underrepresented in many physical sciences.
A global analysis of scientific publications found:
• Physics, geology, and mathematics: ~14% women authors
• Psychology: ~39% women authors
Data from Jaramillo, A. M., Macedo, M., Oliveira, M., Karimi, F., & Menezes, R. (2025). Systematic comparison of gender inequality in scientific rankings across disciplines.
Women are also less represented in the most cited and highest-ranked positions across scientific fields.
This film moves beyond statistics to reveal the human stories behind climate research.
Why I Make This Film
I trained as a geophysicist, spending long days in mountains and laboratories studying the snow. For many years, I had never met another BIPOC woman doing field science, until I met Chimira, our scientist 'Elsa' in the film.
We talked for hours about our shared experiences navigating the geoscience world: the quiet sexism, the subtle racism, and the strange feeling of entering rooms where no one looked like us.
For a long time, we both carried the same question in silence:
Do we belong here?
Along the way, women mentors appeared in our lives, scientists who reminded us, gently but firmly, that we did belong. Their presence helped us stay.
Chimira and I share another connection too: we are both artists at heart. We are scientists, but we also move through the world with creativity, curiosity, and imagination.
When I stepped into filmmaking, I encountered a similar landscape. There were still so few women behind the camera. Once again, the same question returned:
Where do we belong?
She Measures the Earth grew from that question.
The film is created by an all-women crew telling a story about women in science. Together, we bring our creativity, care, and professionalism to the screen.
Our hope is simple: that someone watching this film, someone who has wondered whether they belong, might see themselves reflected here.
Because the truth is:
You belong in any space you can imagine yourself in.
Where the Film Is Now
The film is now near completed.
This campaign will help us:
- crossing the finishing line of the post-production of the film.
- finalize accessibility materials (captions + subtitles)
- support festival travel
- bring the film to schools and science communities with educational materials
You can help in three ways:
1. Pledge
Your support helps bring the film to audiences.
2. Follow the campaign
Following boosts visibility on Seed&Spark.
3. Share the project
Example share text:
Support She Measures the Earth, a poetic documentary about four women reshaping who belongs in science through leadership, art, adventure, and mentorship.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Stunning Colour
Costs C$1,500
Hire a colourist ensures every frame looks cinematic, unifying glacier, lab, and mountain scenes so the film shines at screenings.
Equity Pay for Editors
Costs C$3,500
This film is about equity. Your support helps us fairly pay our crew and keep our talented women on our team.
Science Outreach
Costs C$5,000
Support our school tour so young people can see themselves in science and the future of discovery.
Captions
Costs C$1,500
Subtitles are different from captions, and we want to make sure this film can be enjoyed by everyone, including audiences who are deaf or ha
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Director & Producer — Ching Yu
A geophysicist turned producer-director, Ching Yu crafts sharp, character-driven stories rooted in science, identity, and the messy intersections of culture and landscape. A drop out from the UK’s National Film and Television School, backed by an encouragement letter from Sir David Attenborough, she was later mentored by Werner Herzog on the Azores Islands, becoming an open heart cinema soldier.
Her filmmaking explores what happens when marginalized communities take up space in science, on mountains, and on screen. She loves experimental storytelling that dares to be weird and wild, blending poetic visuals with scientific precision. A mother of two and former scientist, she’s always chasing the edge where intellect meets instinct. Her films have screened at Banff, Kendal, and Vancouver International Mountain Film Festivals, with recognition from the Hot Docs CrossCurrents Fund and the VIMFF Adventure Film Grant.
Story Editor— Nettie Wild
Nettie Wild is one of Canada’s leading documentary filmmakers. Her highly charged and critically acclaimed films have brought her audiences behind the frontlines and headlines of revolutions and social change around the world. She has been honoured at film festivals around world and has won the Genie Award twice for Best Feature Documentary in Canada. Among other honours she has won Best Feature Documentary from the International Documentary Association as well as top honours from the Forum of New Cinema at the Berlin International Film Festival. In 2023 she was awarded the 2023 Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts for Artistic Achievement.
Cinematographer — Essi Hyrkki
Essi Hyrkki is a London-based cinematographer with over a decade of industry experience. She began her career as a camera assistant in her native Finland before transitioning to cinematography in 2019. A recent graduate of the National Film and Television School (MA Cinematography, 2024), Essi has since shot a range of short films and documentaries, many of which have been featured at international festivals. Her work on Milk earned a BAFTA nomination, and her latest short film, Truckload, will have its world premiere at Tribeca Film Festival in June 2025.
Editor— Bettina Zironi
Bettina Zironi is a London-based film editor with a background in visual arts and a passion for emotionally resonant storytelling. Originally from Reggio Emilia, Italy, she holds an MA in Editing from the National Film and Television School (2025). Her editorial work spans documentary and fiction, with films screening at Sheffield DocFest, Slamdance, and Jackson Wild. Notable credits include Hooked (Winner, Slamdance Grand Jury Prize 2025) and Beyond the Bay (Royal Television Society & Jackson Wild award winner).
Co-Producer/Writer — Gail Liang
With eight years of experience in the advertising industry, Gail has developed expertise in crafting compelling scripts that distill ideas with clarity and resonance. As the founder of DM-Film, she has led projects for major brands including Apple, Arc’teryx, Peck Performance, Lululemon, Kailas, and Porsche.
Transitioning from advertising to documentary marks a pivotal evolution in her career and personal journey from China to Canada. This shift reflects her deeper understanding of the importance of documenting rather than fabricating stories, and her recognition that her true pursuit lies in embracing a nature-integrated mountain lifestyle.
Co-Producer — Bowen Cao
Bowen’s life blends environmental conservation, outdoor adventure, and storytelling. She holds degrees in Environmental Engineering (Zhejiang University) and Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (UC San Diego), and worked on marine zoning with the UN Environment Programme. Returning to China, she founded iDareX, producing documentaries on extreme sports. For eight years she has shared her own adventures through vlogs, building an audience of over 4 million followers. As a director, she has created work for Nike and Neiwai, and co-created A Brand New Family. Bowen’s authentic, compassionate lens amplifies diverse voices and expands She Measures the Earth’s reach in China.
Field Director — Trixie Pacis
Trixie Pacis is a filmmaker, photographer and writer based in Kimberley, British Columbia. Her work revolves around documenting unheard personal and environmental stories. Her first two documentary films, Wildflowers and Wild Aerial, are set to premiere at the 2024 Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival. Her third film, Ahon, will premiere at the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival in February, 2025. As the Director of Acquisitions and Programming since the launch of ChimeTV, America’s first Asian American and Pacific Islander cable channel delivered in English, she support the network’s mission is to celebrate AAPI culture, amplify AAPI voices, and increase AAPI representation in the media. For this work, she is recipient of L.A. TV Week’s 40 Under 40 Award (2023). As an emerging female director, her works are often concise yet imbued with poetic beauty. She Measures the Earth, under her direction, will amplify the story’s charm to its fullest potential.