Dragon Mom, a short documentary directed by Harrison Buck, won the Jury Award for Best Short Documentary at the Vero Beach Film Festival and has been selected for the Wasatch Mountain Film Festival. The film follows Laura Will and her son Alden as they navigate life with complex medical needs, exploring how access to the outdoors shapes their experience. Produced by Alex Delano and James Hamilton with Pandion Creative and oakpool, the film features cinematography by Matteo Moretti and an original score by Chris Pandolfi. Additional festival screenings will be announced.

VERO BEACH, Fla., April 16, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Dragon Mom, a short documentary directed by Harrison Buck, premiered at the Vero Beach Film Festival, where it received the Jury Award for Best Short Documentary. The film has also been selected for the Wasatch Mountain Film Festival.

The film follows Laura Will and her son Alden as they navigate the realities of raising a child with complex medical needs, capturing how access to the outdoors shapes their daily lives. Laura describes being a dragon mom as "a mother of a child with a life-limiting diagnosis."

Far from a traditional documentary on caregiving, Dragon Mom is a story about movement, access, and the human need to experience the natural world.

"We set out to follow Laura and Alden honestly, without imposing a narrative," said Buck. "It became a film about presence, and about what it means to move through the world differently."

The film stars Laura Will, David Nicholson, and Alden Nicholson, with cinematography by Matteo Moretti and an original score by Chris Pandolfi. It is produced by Alex Delano and James Hamilton in collaboration with Pandion Creative and oakpool.

Dragon Mom will continue its festival run, with additional screenings to be announced.

Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/HMlsrPbXdjY

About Dragon Mom

Dragon Mom is a short documentary exploring motherhood, access, and the healing power of nature through the story of a family navigating complex medical realities.

About Pandion Creative

Pandion Creative is a purpose-driven film and content studio based in New Hampshire, focused on human stories shaped by landscape, culture, and experience.

Media Contact

Sarah Smothers, oakpool, 1 (757) 876 1875, james@fordhamilton.com, https://oakpool.xyz

Harrison Buck, Pandion Creative, Pandioncreative.com

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SOURCE oakpool