Our newest doc has officially been selected at ten film festivals in 2026 and counting, with nearly as many awards including Best Documentary, Best Directing, Best Cinematography, and Best Environmental Film awarded by a number of prestigious international festivals. Grateful to see that this small story of one ranching family struggling in the face of undue economic and environmental burdens placed on them by our modern society has resonated with audiences of very diverse backgrounds at all of these festivals. It’s a testament of the power of filmmaking to unite, rather than divide, and I can’t wait to share the full film with an even wider audience.
Thanks to @movingpictureinstitute for supporting the project and to the incredible crew who made this film possible. Prod. Co. MPI Original Films & @cavern_collective Pro: @mattpirrall
Dir: @catenacci_michael
Story: @zachfiedler
DoP: @amodio_dop
Colorist: @tomklane
Our new original short film tells the true story of a life-changing encounter at the Grotto when a young, recently admitted student — and former @NotreDameVision participant — met a local legend who offered to sponsor her education.
We hope you enjoy this preview of their encounter. Planning to premiere the film on campus ASAP. We'll share more soon.
#SacredND | #McGrathND
NATIONAL REVIEW recently featured the MPI Original documentary short REMNANTS on its RADIO FREE CALIFORNIA podcast 🎙️
The episode includes an interview with Sheila Bowen, whose Central Valley family is at the center of the film, discussing the challenges ranching families face in the aftermath of devastating wildfires.
Listen to the episode through the link in our bio.
We recently finished production on a new film for our Take a Second Look initiative. It highlights the powerful witness of a few of the many University of @NotreDame students who have been revisiting — and rekindling — their Catholic faith.
At the McGrath Institute, we’re passionate about forming the Church’s next generation of faithful Catholic leaders, and we couldn’t be more encouraged by our time spent in conversation with students on fire with Christlike love.
Please join us in prayer for an increase of faith, hope, and charity — on campus and beyond!
MPI Original REMNANTS wins Best Documentary Short Film at @sunscreenffstpete 🏆
Directed by MPI filmmaker Michael Catenacci and produced by MPI filmmaker Matt Pirrall, the film follows a sixth-generation ranching family grappling with the legacy of the American cowboy after a devastating wildfire. As government policies threaten their livelihood and shifting perceptions challenge their way of life, the family must confront what it means to carry tradition forward in a rapidly changing world.
Learn more at remnantsdoc.com
Excited to share a new *Sacred Spaces* documentary filmed on the campus of **University of Notre Dame**, created in collaboration with the **McGrath Institute**
It was a privilege to tell Elizabeth’s story — a providential encounter with a benefactor that made her path to Notre Dame possible. A remarkable account of grace and generosity.
Grateful to Noah Bradon and the entire McGrath Institute team for their partnership and support.
@notredame@mcgrathnd@noahbradon
Thanks to all of you, our film's journey has been incredible. We feel blessed to represent and can't wait to continue sharing our work, and the values that our work represents. Remnants 2025– check it out!
Last chance to check out Remnants with @danceswithfilms festival in Manhattan at 11:30am Sunday the 18th. Tickets are on sale now. We appreciate everyone’s support:
/dwfny-doc-shorts-blk-3
Photocredit @zachfiedler
Remnants, a short documentary produced by Cavern Collective, is premiering in Manhattan as part of a documentary shorts block. @danceswithfilms
🗓 January 18
🕦 11:30 AM
📍 Manhattan
The film follows cowboys in California whose lives are shaped by land, labor, and responsibility. It’s a quiet, observational portrait of a way of life grounded in discipline, generational knowledge, and stewardship—particularly through the realities of land and fire management.
Shot with @reddigitalcinema and @atlaslensco
🎟 Tickets + details:
/dwfny-doc-shorts-blk-3
Remnants (2026)
In the aftermath of a devastating wildfire, a family of sixth generation ranchers in central California are forced to grapple with how society has changed, and with it, government policies and attitudes that pose an existential threat to their business and their lifestyle. Through an intimate portrait of a family, filmed over the course of a year and following the seasonal cadence of their lives, Remnants explores what it really takes to preserve the legacy of the American cowboy.
When a devastating wildfire ravages their land, a sixth generation ranching family grapples with the legacy of the American cowboy in the face of government policies threatening their livelihood, and a changing culture branding their lifestyle as a thing of the past.
Our newest film, Remnants, is having its world premiere at @danceswithfilms festival on Sunday, January 18th. Please come out and support by purchasing tickets to our block of shorts!
You can access ticket info here:
/remnants/
Production Company: MPI Original Films & Cavern Collective
Producer: @mattpirrall
Director: @catenacci_michael
Story By: @zachfiedler
Cinematographer: @amodio_dop
